During the American Revolution, colonists did not all agree about breaking from Britain.

Patriots (Whigs) were colonists who supported independence from British rule. They believed that the colonies should govern themselves and reject laws and taxes imposed by the British government. Patriots thought that freedom and the rights of the people should come from the consent of the governed, not from a distant king or Parliament.

Loyalists (also called Tories, King’s Men, or Royalists) were colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown. They believed that ties to Britain provided stability, protection, and economic security. Many Loyalists felt that rebellion was dangerous, unlawful, or likely to bring chaos. They often had strong cultural, economic, or political ties to Britain and opposed independence.

The Tryon Resolves were drafted and signed on August 14, 1775 by 49 residents of Tryon County (which became Lincoln and Rutherford Counties). It was one of the earliest Revolutionary War-era statements affirming resistance to British coercive policies. The signers pledged to take up arms and risk their lives and fortunes to defend their rights and freedoms if necessary, aligning themselves with the growing movement for American liberty.

The document predated the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) by nearly a year, though it did not formally call for independence. Instead it promised armed resistance until reconciliation on constitutional principles, if possible. Many signers later formed the Tryon County militia to defend the Carolina frontier against British forces and Loyalists.

The struggle between Patriots and Loyalists sometimes made the Revolution feel like a civil war, because American colonists fought on both sides of the conflict, not just against a foreign army, but against neighbors and sometimes family members.

As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, we are reminded that the American Revolution was not fought only in Philadelphia, Boston, or Yorktown. It was fought in small communities, along rivers, in farm fields, and at country mills.

In 1780 and 1781, what was then Tryon County, North Carolina, now largely Lincoln County, became a crossroads of the Southern Campaign. Here, neighbors chose sides. Families divided. And ordinary citizens shaped the outcome of the American Revolution.

**For K–12 educators, this local story offers a powerful way to connect students directly to America 250, not as distant history, but as lived experience right here at home in their own backyard

The Battle of Ramsour's Mill was one of the first major Patriot–Loyalist clashes in the Southern backcountry after the fall of Charleston. Fought in what is present-day Lincolnton, it was not a battle of professional armies, it was militia against militia.

Loyalist militia had gathered to organize and await British support. Patriot militia attacked before that support could arrive. Many of the men on both sides knew one another. Some were related. The fighting was fierce, close-quarters and chaotic. Although Loyalist forces initially drove back Patriot forces, Patriot reinforcements rallied and ultimately won the day.

At the Battle of Ramsour’s Mill most of the men on both sides were local militia, not regular troops, and they wore civilian clothing rather than uniforms. That made distinguishing Whigs (Patriots) from Tories (Loyalists) especially difficult on the battlefield.

To help tell each other apart Patriots (Whigs) pinned bits of white paper or cloth in their hatbands as a badge of allegiance. Loyalists (Tories) stuck green pine twigs or sprigs in their hats.

This system was informal and imperfect, but it was a practical attempt to reduce friendly fire in the fog of battle. While the idea was useful, it also caused additional danger: The white paper worn by Patriots made an obvious target, and after the battle many fallen Patriots were reported to have head wounds consistent with enemy marksmen aiming for the paper badge. In the chaos of fighting, twigs and paper could fall off, be discarded to avoid being shot at, or be removed by a combatant trying to escape, making it hard to tell who was who.

Because of these challenges and the absence of uniforms, many combatants were identified only after the battle based on where bodies were found or by recognition from neighbors and family.

The Battle of Ramsour’s Mill weakened Loyalist organization in the region and strengthened Patriot resolve. Several of the fallen are buried near the site today, offering students a solemn and tangible connection to the cost of liberty.

**This battle allows students to explore civil conflict, divided loyalties, and how war affects communities. These themes can resonate across grade levels.

Though fought just across the border in South Carolina, the Battle of King's Mountain was deeply connected to Tryon County and the surrounding frontier.

Frontier militia known as the Overmountain Men, including men from this region, marched to confront Loyalist Major Patrick Ferguson. In a decisive Patriot victory, Ferguson was killed and his force defeated.

King’s Mountain marked a turning point in the Southern Campaign. It proved that local militia could defeat organized Loyalist forces and shifted momentum in favor of the Patriot cause.

**For students, this is a story of grassroots action of ordinary citizens stepping forward in extraordinary times.

During the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War British General Lord Charles Cornwallis was pursuing Continental Army forces under Major General Nathanael Greene after the decisive Battle of Cowpens. Cornwallis intended to catch Morgan’s army and its British prisoners, but poor roads, cold wet weather, and slow travel made his army’s heavy wagons, supplies, and baggage train a serious hindrance to rapid movement.

To speed up the pursuit and improve mobility, Cornwallis ordered his troops to destroy much of their baggage and wagons by fire near what is today Lincolnton, NC (the site of the old Ramsour’s Mill). Contemporary accounts describe how officers’ wagons, hospital wagons, and provisions were burned, often with an extra ration of rum given out before the destruction so that the army could move faster through difficult conditions.

This event is part of the larger British pursuit of Nathanael Greene’s forces across North Carolina. Cornwallis’s decision to abandon supplies reflected the strategic punishment and desperation his army faced after Cowpens.

**Students can examine how logistics, morale, and local knowledge shaped the Southern Campaign and how citizen-soldiers challenged one of the world’s most powerful armies.

As General Charles Cornwallis pushed northward, Patriot forces attempted to block his crossing at the Catawba River during the Battle of Cowan's Ford.

General William Lee Davidson was killed while directing his men. Though the British forced the crossing, the resistance delayed Cornwallis and allowed Patriot forces time to regroup. That delay contributed to the chain of events that would eventually lead to Yorktown.

**Students can see how even engagements that do not end in victory can shape the larger outcome of a war.