The American Revolutionary War Defined the Image of the Gunslinging Cowboy

Before the Wild West cowboy, there was the American Revolutionary War cowboy

The crazy thing about the English is that they have fought a lot of civil wars. In fact, between the 12th and the 18th centuries, they fought eight of them. The last of those was the American Revolutionary War.

John Trumbull’s painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress. By John Trumbull — US Capitol, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=180069

Yes, the American War of Independence was actually an English Civil War, and the thing about civil wars is that people from the same places pick different sides, which is what happened in this case.

Those in the Thirteen Colonies that sided with the pro-independence side became known as Patriots, while those that sided with the pro-Crown side became known as Loyalists.

A group of Patriots during the American Revolutionary War. By Archibald Willard — Archibald Willard, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=499045

Britannia offers solace and a promise of compensation for her exiled American-born British Loyalists. By Henry Moses/ After Benjamin West — Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4402753