Adams's presidency was consumed with problems that arose from the French Revolution, which had also been true for his predecessor. Initially popular with virtually all Americans, the French Revolution began to arouse concerns among the most conservative in the United States after the excesses that commenced in 1792.
The Loyalists were the people who remained loyal to the British Crown rather than were in favour of independence.
The Loyalist were on the average older and partially also richer: they were better established and therefore a change would be a risk for them. This was their reason: they were afraid of change and of loosing their position.
