Johnny Tremain Group
Question:
What is the difference between Whigs and Tories?
Answers:
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eNotes Editor
Posted by jilllessa on Tuesday August 5, 2008 at 11:37 AMThe Whigs and Tories were British Political parties that developed in the latter part of the 17th century. The Whigs generally supported constitutional monarchy and the role of the aristocracy, while the Tories supported a stronger monarchy. In the world of colonial and revolutionary America, the Whigs generally supported the patriots and the need for the recognition of self government for the aristocratic families of the colonies. The Whig position was that Englishmen in the colonies should have the same rights as Englishmen at home and thus took offence at the taxes and other abuses of these rights for the colonists. The Tories on the other hand supported a stronger monarchy and believed that the King and Parlaiment had the right to treat the colonies as they chose. They did not believe that the colonists should have the same rights as English citizens did in England. Thus the Tories were generally loyal to the English throne and against the War for Independence.

