Whig and Tory were the names of the rival political parties in Britain, so they were used in the colonies since they were familiar nicknames The terms Tory and Whig refer to the members of the first political parties formed in England in the 17th century after the dissolution of the Cavalier Court by Charles II. The Tories were also referred to as the Loyalists and the Whigs were also referred to as the Revolutionaries. The Whigs generally supported constitutional monarchy and the role of the aristocracy. The Whigs and Tories were British Political parties that developed in the latter part of the 17th century. The great events of the seventeenth century led to differing a. Although each group's relation to government and political power changed over time, they continued to fight for dominance in Parliament over the next centuriesĪfter the Revolution of 1688-89, however, the Whigs became the defenders of the (new) status quo and the Tories were the political malcontents (and possible supporters of disruption of the new dynastic order) An overview of where the UK's ancient political parties - the Whigs and Tories - evolved from. Originally Whig and Tory were terms of abuse introduced in 1679 during the heated struggle over the bill to exclude James, duke of York (afterward James II), from the succession The Whigs and Tories of 1679-85 are seen by some as embryonic political parties in England. Whig and Tory, members of two opposing political parties or factions in England, particularly during the 18th century.