Draft the First, or, One class and their account of the King's Loyal Subjects at the time of the great American insurrection, just or naught to be left to the reader

Despite Franklin's famous phrase that one-third of Americans opposed the war, no more than 20% of colonists actively did so.  These people were diverse.  Some were white government officials and ministers with salaries to protect, but many were black slaves seeking their freedom through British service.  Anyone who refused to take part in the Patriot cause, regardless of their reason, was labeled a Loyalist.  

Prior to 1776, there were no "Loyalists," because there was no Revolution.  In the 1760s, many future British supporters were vocally opposed to Parliamentary taxation, and even some Royal officials like Thomas Hutchison of Massachusetts urged Parliament to be less antagonistic.  They retained a belief in the principle of colonial subordination to Parliament – the freest elected national assembly in the world.  By the late 1760s, many future-Loyalists actively sought middle ground between Parliament and the colonies by proposing that the British Constitution should be more flexible. Future Loyalist William Smith, Jr. advocated the creation of an American Parliament.  Some of these, like Joseph Galloway of Pennsylvania and Rev. John Zubly of Georgia, were ardent supporters of the colonies and attended the First and Second Continental Congresses.  It was only after the Declaration of Independence in 1776 that Loyalism became increasingly shrill, demanding colonies submit to Parliament's authority absolutely.  This third, less flexible version of Loyalism was the one most Americans remembered later, and it continues to obscure the great dilemma of American colonists at the time.  Loyalists advocated reforms under the rule of law, but shied away from mob violence and treason. 

In general, what all Loyalists had in common was that their position in society depended on British victory.  Oftentimes this intertwined more with local, rather than Empire-wide, issues.  In New York, many Loyalists were resentful of the tyranny of local aristocratic families who resisted land reforms.  Native American tribes such as the Cherokee in the South and several Iroquois tribes in the North, saw the British government as the best protector against colonists taking their land.  The same was true for black Loyalists, who responded to the 1775 call by Virginia's Royal Governor for freedom in exchange for military service.  To slaves who risked their lives to runaway from Patriot masters, British controlled territory was the real land of freedom and opportunity.  These included slaves owned by George Washington and Patrick Henry. 

After the war, most Loyalists remained in the new United States.  They endured legal discrimination and social shame. For the Iroquois and especially the Cherokee in the backcountry, the Revolution persisted into the 1790s.  Others dispersed across the globe into the outposts of the British Empire.  Many fled to England, Canada, and the Caribbean.  Still others relocated to Africa, India, or Australia.  Far from shame, these Loyalists carried their wartime allegiance as a badge of honor.  Not everything went well for them, however, as blacks were generally treated as second-class citizens and almost all lost their wealth when the United States refused to honor its treaty obligations to return their lost possessions.