Even before the United States gained independence, colonial leaders hoped Canadians would join in resisting what they considered British abuses. In 1774, the First Continental Congress sent “A Letter to the Inhabitants of the Province of Quebec,” urging unity with the colonies. Invitations to send delegates to the Continental Congress followed in 1775 and 1776. At the same time, American forces launched three invasions into Canada, attempting to draw it into the conflict.
These repeated diplomatic and military efforts aimed at winning over the French-speaking population to the American revolutionary cause ultimately failed. Quebec and other northern provinces remained loyal to Britain, influenced by factors including the desire to preserve French Catholicism in Quebec and the appeal of a stable British governance.
Historian Ralph Nurnberger explores the reasons why Canadians in the late 18th and early-19th centuries remained fervently nationalistic and how their connection to Britain helped define the country’s distinctive path in North American history.
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