The Tories, mainly landowning nobles and high church officials, were strong supporters of the Crown as well as the Anglican Church.
Protestants themselves, they vehemently opposed Protestant "Dissenters"-the minority of Protestants who rejected the Anglican Church. These Dissenters joined with the Roman Catholics to form the Whigs, the opposition party to the Tories.
The Test Act. The major factor that prompted hatred between the two parties was the passage of the Test Act in 1673. This act required all government employees-civil and military-to receive the sacrament according to the Anglican Church and profess their belief in Anglican doctrine. It was a law that prevented most Whigs from holding office or serving in the military, thereby strengthening Tory power. The Whigs naturally opposed the act, while the Tories supported it. It became a major point of debate during the 1700s and was championed by Swift after he joined the Tory party in 1710.
As the years passed, the rivalry between the Tories and Whigs mounted. The two parties disagreed not only on religion but also on nearly every political issue. Most Tory and Whig government officials voted strictly according to party lines.
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