Tories

Definition

Tories were a political faction in Great Britain that supported the authority of the Crown and the established Church of England. They were the main opposition to the Whig faction, who advocated for greater parliamentary power and religious tolerance.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Tories were the dominant political force in England during the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89, which saw the replacement of the Catholic King James II with the Protestant William of Orange.
2. Tories generally supported the established Church of England and were suspicious of religious dissenters, such as Puritans and Presbyterians.
3. In the American colonies, Tories were the Loyalist faction that remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, opposing the Patriot rebels.
4. Tories were often wealthy landowners, merchants, and members of the colonial elite who benefited from the existing political and economic order under British rule.
5. The defeat of the Tories and the rise of the Whigs during the Glorious Revolution and the American Revolution marked a significant shift in the balance of power towards greater parliamentary and colonial autonomy.

Review Questions

• Explain the role of the Tories in the Glorious Revolution and how their political views differed from the Whigs.
  • The Tories were the dominant political faction in England during the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89, which saw the replacement of the Catholic King James II with the Protestant William of Orange. The Tories generally supported the authority of the Crown and the established Church of England, while the Whigs advocated for greater parliamentary power and religious tolerance. The Tories' opposition to the Whigs' political agenda was a key factor in the events leading up to the Glorious Revolution, as the Tories sought to preserve the existing political and religious order against the Whigs' push for reform.
• Analyze the role of the Tories in the American Revolution and how their identity as Loyalists differed from the Patriot rebels.
  • During the American Revolution, the Tories were the Loyalist faction that remained loyal to the British Crown, opposing the Patriot rebels who sought independence. The Tories were often wealthy landowners, merchants, and members of the colonial elite who benefited from the existing political and economic order under British rule. Their identity as Loyalists was in stark contrast to the Patriots, who were motivated by a desire for greater autonomy and self-governance. The defeat of the Tories and the rise of the Patriots during the American Revolution marked a significant shift in the balance of power, with the Tories losing their political influence in the newly independent United States.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of the Tories' political influence on the development of the British Empire and the American colonies.
  • The Tories' political influence had a lasting impact on the development of the British Empire and the American colonies. Their support for the Crown's authority and the established Church of England helped to maintain the existing political and religious order in Britain, at least until the Glorious Revolution. In the American colonies, the Tories' status as Loyalists during the American Revolution meant that they lost much of their political and economic power in the newly independent United States, paving the way for the rise of the Patriots and a more democratic political system. However, the Tories' legacy can still be seen in the continued importance of the monarchy and the Church of England in British politics and society, as well as the ongoing debates over the balance of power between the Crown and Parliament.

Related terms

Whigs:

A political faction in Great Britain that supported parliamentary supremacy, religious tolerance, and limiting the power of the monarchy.

Loyalists:

American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, opposed to the Patriot rebels.

Jacobites: A political movement in Great Britain that supported the restoration of the House of Stuart to the throne, in opposition to the Hanoverian succession.