Final answer:
An estimated one-third of white colonists remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, known as Loyalists or Tories. The strongest concentration of Loyalists was in New York. After the war, many relocated to Canada, England, or the British West Indies, transforming Canada's demographic from French to British.
Step-by-step explanation:
At the outset of the Revolution, an estimated one-third of white colonists remained loyal to the Crown. Known as Loyalists, or Tories, many of them faced difficult choices during and after the American Revolution. Loyalists lived throughout the colonies, with the strongest concentration in New York, which furnished half of the Americans who fought as loyalists.
Historians estimate that Loyalists accounted for about 15-20% of the total colonial population, representing approximately 400,000 to 500,000 people at that time. After the Revolution, as many as 100,000 colonists left, moving to England, north to Canada, or to the British West Indies. In fact, the influx of Loyalists to Canada significantly transformed its national character from predominantly French to predominantly British.
Their reasons for loyalty were diverse, including fearing loss of land grants, economic consequences of breaking ties with Britain, and reliance on the British army for protection. Despite facing backlash from their patriot neighbors, not all Loyalists left after the war. The Treaty of Paris suggested that the American government should treat those who stayed fairly, although subsequent actions by the states varied.