Which Side Did Most Native American Support In The American Revolution?

Except for a few, most of the Native American groups supported Great Britain in the American Revolution.

But don’t you want to know what the main reason for that support was?

Well, there was one main reason, and that was –

The Native American people had always been wanting to protect their identity and homelands from the aggression of European origin American colonists’ (or other people).

The British crown had been protecting their interest since 1763 with a Royal Proclamation, just after the end of the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763).

But the question is, what was in this Royal Proclamation?

In simple words, the Royal Proclamation prevented colonists’ aggression beyond the Appalachian mountains or towards the homelands of Indians (Natives).

British King George III issued this Proclamation on October 7th, 1763.

Was It A Propaganda of The English Authority?

According to some historians, the Proclamation was a propaganda of the British authority.

Because, through this, they succeeded in taking away Indians emotionally and politically from colonists.

Although whatever they did, it protected Indians’ interest for some short time.

Therefore Natives or Indians always wanted British rule to keep going on in the 13 colonies.

They feared if the British rule would end in America, it would become impossible for them to prevent and protect their land from the colonists’ aggression.

This was the reason why they joined in the war from the last part via the British crown’s side.

I hope now you have got the main answer.

Next, let’s see some historical connections of Indians’ thinking towards colonists.

Why Native Americans Did Not Like Colonists?

If you have ever observed the early history of America, then you probably know that the first residents of this landmass were the Red Indians (or Natives).

They came here from Siberia 27,000 years before, during the ice age.

In 1492, a Spanish explorer and navigator, Christopher Columbus, discovered the new continent by mistake.

He first thought it was India (Asia), and therefore, when he met some of its locals and noticed their body color a little red, he named them ‘Red Indians’. 

However, soon Amerigo Vespucci lighted over the actual truth that the continent Columbus discovered was not Asia; but an entirely new world.

Later, Europeans named the new world with Amerigo’s name ‘America’.

From the beginning of the 16th century, people from the European continent started widely migrating to this new world with the hope of a better life and establishing colonies.

Since the arrival of European people, these aboriginals came to be known as Native Americans.

But at the same time, the atrocities and oppression of Europeans over these simple living native inhabitants also started increasing.

As a result, over time, Indians started losing their identity, political control on their own land.

Time passed, but due to this reason, the sense of survival among these people also increased day by day.

Natives always blamed the migrated European people for taking away all their rights in their own land.

Hence, there was always a rivalry running between Native Americans and Colonists (Europeans).

This was the main reason why Native Americans didn’t like colonists.

Did Their Support For The British Crown Benefit Them After The Revolutionary War?

Their decision to support the British didn’t benefit them after the Revolutionary War.

Once the war came to an end, the 13 colonies’ control fully transferred into the colonists’ hands.

Capturing the power, now they started imposing hostile policies against Natives’ interests.

For example, on May 28th, 1830, the US Congress passed the Indian Removal Act.

This act forced many thousands of Natives to abandon their own lands and move to some other unfavorable areas.