Prompt Cast
Why Canada Didn't Join the American Revolution
TLDR Canada didn't join the American Revolution due to cultural differences, distrust of the French and Catholics, the Quebec Act of 1774, unique history and geographic separation of Nova Scotia, and the influx of loyal colonists, setting the stage for the future War of 1812.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Canada didn't join the American Revolution, even though they could have.
02:21
Canada did not exist as it is known today before the Seven Years War, when the British took over French and Spanish colonies in North America, including Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario.
04:12
Before the American Revolution, Canada was mostly French-speaking and Catholic, and the British had a history of mistreating Catholic subjects, so it might be assumed that the French and Quebec would have been natural allies of the Americans.
06:02
Canada didn't join the American Revolution because the American colonists were culturally English, distrusted the French and Catholics, and the Quebec Act of 1774 gave French-speaking subjects autonomy and preserved their rights and traditions.
07:52
Nova Scotia, despite being an English-speaking colony, didn't join the American Revolution due to its unique history, geographic separation, and the presence of settlers who moved there after the expulsion of the French-speaking Canadians.
09:47
There was some support for the American Revolution in Nova Scotia, particularly among former New Englanders who had migrated there, but it wasn't strong enough to gain their full support, and ultimately Nova Scotia became a base for the British during the war.
11:36
The influx of loyal colonists to Nova Scotia and the creation of new colonies in Canada solidified its separation from the United States and set the stage for the future War of 1812, making the reasons why Canada didn't join the American Revolution more complex than just loyalty.
