Patriot (American Revolution)

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This article concerns Patriots in the American Revolution. For other uses of the word "patriot", see the disambiguation page.

Patriots (also known as Partisans, or Rebels) were British North American colonists who rebelled against the British monarchy during the American Revolution and established the independent states that became the United States of America. Patriots developed and used the political philosophy of "republicanism" and were also influenced by John Locke and the English Country party.

As a group, Patriots comprised a wide array of political points-of-view and social positions, from college students like Alexander Hamilton, to planters like Thomas Jefferson, to plain farmers like Daniel Shays. Their opponents among fellow colonists were the Loyalists, who remained loyal to the British Crown. Loyalists condemned their opponents with the label "traitors" rather than the "patriots" label.

Many Patriots were active before 1775 in groups such as the Sons of Liberty. The most prominent leaders of the Patriots are revered to this day by Americans as Founding Fathers of the United States.

Contents

1 List of prominent Patriots

1.1 Statesmen and office holders
1.2 Pamphleteers and activists
1.3 Military officers

List of prominent Patriots

Note: most of the individuals listed below served the Revolution in multiple capacities. The classifications below are in suggestion of those for which they have most been remembered.

Statesmen and office holders

Pamphleteers and activists

Military officers

See also List of important people in the era of the American Revolution.

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