At the end of the 7 Year War (French Indian War) the vast majority of colonists were strong supporters of the crown. However, even though the 7 Years War was a resounding victory for the British, the Empire was struggling financially. As a direct result of inevitable colonial and post-colonial discourse, the British Empire was waging wars on many fronts. Because of this, the crown started passing more strict taxation acts on the American Colonies. This is what really started the divide between “patriots” and “loyalists.” Historian Robert Calhoon is frequently cited as saying the best estimate leading up to the American Revolution is around 15-20% loyal to the crown and 40-45% supported the patriots. The remainder of the population was undecided, or better stated in this situation, indifferent. Most of this segment of the population was either apolitical or was simply “laying low.” It is hard to define loyalist and patriots by their professions. Lawyers, merchants, and farmers alike took both sides no doubt. Loyalists tended to be older and more established in their communities and generally more averse to change. Many colonists at the time considered themselves both American and British and for instance strongly disagreed with taxation without representation, however, found it immoral to break their oath the Empire. The most active patriots, many being highly educated and fairly wealthy, considered the proclamations like the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, and later the Tea Act to go against their constitutional rights as Englishmen. Many colonists from frontier areas and from religious groups like Quakers supported the patriot movement, however they disagreed with the use of violence and preferred a middle ground of open communication and compromise. The turning point for many of loyalists, those on the fence, and non-violent patriots lied with increasing number of royal acts upon the American colonies like the Boston Port Act, which was a British attempt to choke commerce in the colonies, and the Quartering Act which allowed Colonial Governors the right to take citizens houses for British soldiers. There was a last ditch effort by the Continental Congress to avoid all-out war with John Dickinson’s Olive Branch Petition, but it was sullied by a declaration to arms the next day and a confiscated letter from John Adams stating the Olive Branch Petition was “insincere” and that war was inevitable. King George refused to read the petition and later issued the Proclamation of Rebellion in response to the Battle of Bunker Hill. During and after the revolution many Loyalists migrated to Canada, Florida, or back to Britain, however, the vast majority of Loyalists stayed in America. Many loyalists who stayed remained passive during the war and did not organize politically, but there were several colonial loyalist military units under the command of the British Army. After the war there were many civil and property laws against loyalists and many were shunned as traitors. Alexander Hamilton worked after the war to urge the new America to err on the side of moderation over extremism in dealing with remaining loyalists and defended loyalists in legalized retribution claims stating that they violated the peace treaty with Britain.