Question

During the American Revolution, why did many African-American slaves fight for the British and against the colonists?

a)African-American slaves sided with the British because the colonists had excluded slave rights from the Declaration of Independence and the Paris Peace Treaty.

b)African-American slaves defected to the British after their “masters” forced them to serve in separate “black” regiments in the Continental Army.

c)The British guaranteed African-American slaves that they would be liberated if they fought on the side of the British during the Revolution.

d)African-American slaves were banned from serving in the Continental Army across the course of the American Revolution.

e)The British assured African-American slaves passage to Africa if they aided the British against the colonists.

Answer 1

Option C i.e The British guaranteed African-American slaves that they would be liberated if they fought on the side of the British during the Revolution is the correct answer.

So mostly the African-American slaves fought on the side of British and were called loyalists.To gain freedom was the strongest motive for black slaves to join the British and moreover they also feared about their fate after Revolution.But many African-Americans also fought against the British. Initially, they were banned to serve in Continental Army, but later the ban was lifted and thus the African-Americans fought for the Independence of America.

Answer 2

During the American Revolution, African-American slaves fight for the British and against the colonists because of the (Option.C) British guaranteed African-American slaves that they would be liberated if they fought on the side of the British during the Revolution.

As the numbers of soldiers were drastically decreasing due to the death in the revolution, the Britishers planned to include the African-American slaves to fight in their side.

In order to make them join their army, a proclamation called Lord Dun-more's proclamation of freedom was signed which stated that slaves fighting on behalf of the British army will be liberated at the "end of the revolution".