Colonists who refused to acknowledge Great Britain and took up arms for independence were called ___.

Patriots.

Explanation:

The colonist who refused to acknowledge Great Britain during the Revolutionary War in America were called patriots. The Patriots were the colonists who wanted their colonies to be free from British control. These colonists were tired of the taxes imposed on them. They did not feel happy to be part of it because of laws and taxation that put restrictions on the colonist. Some of the patriots were George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and others.