Final answer:
The term for Americans who supported the British during the American Revolution is Loyalists. They represented about one-third of the population and supported the British for various reasons, including the protection of their political, social, and economic rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Americans who favored and supported the British during the revolution were known as Loyalists, also referred to as Tories by the Patriots. These individuals accounted for about one-third of the American population during the time of the Declaration of Independence, with another third being Neutralists. Loyalists came from diverse backgrounds and included groups such as Highland Scots, Germans, merchants, shippers, and frontier farmers, among others. They had various reasons to support the British, such as fears of losing land, economic consequences of severing ties with Britain, and reliance on the British army for protection. The American Revolution thus created a situation wherein the colonies were deeply divided between Patriots, Loyalists, and those who remained neutral.