Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast Episode 187 - Colonel Tye and the Black Loyalists of the American Revolution
Dec 20, 2021
Delve into the untold stories of Black Loyalists during the American Revolution. Discover why many Black colonists fought for Britain instead of the Patriots. Explore Colonel Tye's guerrilla warfare tactics and the formation of the Black Brigade. Learn how slavery affected recruitment policies and the fears that drove Patriot responses to slave insurrections. The podcast also tackles historical injustices, urging a reexamination of national myths and the importance of remembrance in confronting the past.
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Liberty Was Narrowly Defined
- The Revolution's promise of liberty applied mainly to white, land-owning men and excluded most others.
- African Americans and Native peoples received little benefit despite revolutionary rhetoric.
From Indentures To Chattel Slavery
- Indentured servitude preceded mass chattel slavery and fulfilled early labor needs in the colonies.
- Economic shifts and rebellions pushed planters toward the transatlantic slave trade by the late 1600s.
Somerset Ruling Had Limited Reach
- Lord Mansfield's Somerset decision limited slavery under English law but did not abolish it across the empire.
- The ruling's legal technicalities left colonial slavery intact and pliable to political will.
