Loyalists and Patriots were the two groups that existed during the American Revolutionary War.
Patriots
These where the Americans, who at that time felt there was no reason being part of the system that maltreated and taxed them without any input in the government by the British people. They sought freedom from the British and wanted United States to be their own country. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are some of the notable Patriots.
Loyalists
These were the other Americans, who either had business relationships with England or were not bold to confront the British army and so they wanted to remain British Citizens, thereby opposing the idea of quitting to form a new country. Joseph Galloway and Benedict Arnold are examples of well-known loyalists.
