Hostages to fortune: the United Empire Loyalists and the making of Canada

Description

"In 1776, tensions in the British colonies in North America were reaching a fever pitch. The citizenry was divided between those who wished to establish a new republic and those who remained steadfast in their dedication ot the British Empire. As the pressure inevitably boiled over into violence, people were forced to choose sides. Neighbours turned against each other. Families divided. Borders were redrawn. The conflict was long and bloody, and no side emerged unscathed. When the smoke from the battles dissipated, tens of thousands of individuals who had remained loyal to the Crown found themselves without a home. Destitute, distraught, and persecuted, these Loyalists turned to the only place they had left to go: north. The open land of British North America presented the Loyalist with an opportunity to estabish a new nation distinct from both the American republic and the British empire. But the journey to their new home was far from easy. Beset by starvation, natural disasters, and armed conflict, the Loyalists migrated towards the promise of a new future. Their sacrifices set the groundwork for a country that would be completely unlike any other. And as the War of 1812 dawned, they proved they were willing to defend it with their very lives. In Hostages to Fortune, Peter C. Newman not only recounts the expulsion and migration of these brave Loyalists but also, in his inimitable style, shines a light on the people, places, and events that set the stage for modern Canada."--Rabat de la jaquette.