7.+The+Black+Loyalists

A Black Loyalist or African American Loyalist was a formaly enslaved African American who escaped to the British during the American Revolutionary War. Some Black people in the United States promised to fight on the side of the British and they did to gain their freedom and later they became free. 
 * Who were the Black loyalists? **

This event occured between 1783-1785.
 * When did this occur?**

This event involved the Americans, the British, and the Africans who were brought to North America as slaves.
 * Whom did this involve?**

They were in northern British colonies of North America. ( these colonies were named the thirteen colonies.)
 * Where were they?**

**What happened? Why did this occur? What resulted from this?** In the northern colonies, slaves worked at various jobs, such as lumbering, mining, road-making, black smithing, shoemaking, weaving and spinning. When **Lord Dunmore**, Royal Governor of Virginia, lost control of that colony to the rebels in the summer of 1775, the economy of Virginia was based on slave labor. Lord Dunmore issued a proclamation that any slave would be given their freedom if they took up arms with the British against the rebels. As a result, 2,000 slaves joined his forces. Later, other British supporters in the colonies issued similar proclamations to give the Black Loyalists land and freedom for supporting the British empire. If the black loyalists were "white" they wouldn't become slaves so colour of skin was a major factor during those days. 


 * Did the British fulfill their promise?**

Not really, although the British helped the Black Loyalists by sending them to Nova Scotia and Britain, the Black Loyalists generally remained slaves until 1834, when the British Empire abolished slavery throughout its territories.

 This made Canada and America a racially diverse country with a significant population of black people. If the Revolutionary war never occurred the black people wouldn't have a better chance to be free. Ultimately the freedom of the black people effect today’s society and people are living in peace.
 * What impact did this have on people today?**



**References:**
[] [] [] Aitken, B., Haskings-Winner, J., Mewhinney, R., Rubinstein, B. //**Their Stories, Our History :Canada's Early Years. Canada:**// Thomson Duval, 2006. Print