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Old 03-08-2018, 06:46 PM   #521
RainMaker
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Quote:
Originally Posted by digamma View Post
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Most estimates have about 30-45% supporting the revolution, 10-15% loyalists and the rest neutral. The fighting force was likely around 10% or more.

I'll avoid the silly argument about whether a lobbyist group running around telling everyone their time is up is a threat or not, but the 3% claim makes no sense.

The 3% is a fabricated number that "patriot" groups and gun rights people use. It's based off the fact that 80,000 pension files were made after the war and that accounted to around 3% of the population.

Now this excludes those who fought and died during the war. Those who fought and deserted. It excludes everyone who fought in militias which by estimates had twice as many members as the Continental Army.

You also have the Navy (state and federal), privateers, the Continental Marines, and of course the French (who were incredibly important).

It is of course a bit of irony that the ardent patriots ready to defend against tyranny like their Revolutionary War heroes don't really know much about the Revolutionary War.

Last edited by RainMaker : 03-08-2018 at 06:47 PM.
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