What a pleasure to talk about my book with members of the Canadian International Council, Waterloo branch, last night at St. Jerome's University. An engaged and thoughtful audience!

There are a lot of people to thank for making it happen. Special thanks to John English for the invitation, Shawky Fahel for smoothing the way, Ryan Touhey of the history department at St. Jerome’s for co-sponsoring my talk, and Krenare Recaj for dashing out and getting more books when it looked like we did not have enough!

#hedidnotconquer #canada #cdnhist #cdaus @dundurnpress

Photo credit: Frances Barclay

Donald Trump is hardly the first American to use trade for political ends. #OTD March 2, 1776, Benjamin Franklin and other members of the Committee of Secret Correspondence decided to offer France access to American trade in exchange for French support for the American Revolution.

The offer was laid out in the committee’s instructions to Silas Deane, an agent they were sending to Paris. Deane was to use Franklin’s contacts in scientific circles to gain an audience with the French foreign minister, Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes.

He was to tell Vergennes that “the Commercial Advantages, Britain had enjoyed with the Colonies had contributed greatly to her late Wealth & Importance,” and then ask for France’s political and financial support, including arms, ammunition, and clothing for 25,000 men.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution #america250

One of the many reasons the Americans failed to conquer Canada in 1775-76 was that they under-estimated how hard it would be and did not allocate sufficient men, money, weapons, and provisions to the invasion.

These shortages only worsened when the fight with Britain intensified in the 13 colonies and the best men and equipment were directed to the fighting closer to home.

#OTD March 1, 1776, John Hancock wrote Charles Lee, considered one of the top generals in the Continental Army, to say he would not be going to Canada after all.

“The Congress have at Length Determin'd to Superceed the orders given you to proceed to Canada, and have this day come to a Resolution that you shall take the Command of the Continental Forces in the Southern Departmt. which Comprehends Virginia. North Carolina. South Carolina & Georgia,” wrote Hancock, in his role as president of the Continental Congress.

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#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress

#OTD February 26, 1776, the Continental Congress agreed to pay the expenses of French printer Fleury Mesplet and to give him “25 Half Joes to remove Himself, his Family and Types to Canada and there set up a free Press.”

Mesplet would eventually found the Montreal Gazette newspaper. But his purpose on this trip was to help Benjamin Franklin persuade the French Canadians to join the American Revolution.

He was left behind with his printing press when Franklin and the Continental Army fled for home in May 1776. (The half joe was a Portuguese gold coin commonly used in the 13 colonies.)

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #montreal #quebec

#OTD February 22, 1776, the commander of the American forces occupying Trois-Rivières, Quebec, wrote Benjamin Franklin, urging him to use his reputed supernatural powers to conquer Canada.

“I understood you are a great man that you Can Turn the Common Course of nature that you have power with the Gods and Can Rob the Clouds of their Tremendious Thunder,” wrote William Goforth.

“Rouse once more my old Trojan Collect the Heavey Thunders of the United Colonies and Convey them to the Regions of the North and Enable us to Shake the Quebec walls or on the other hand inform us how to Extract the Electric fire from the Center.

“Then Perhaps we may be able to draw a Vein athwart their Magazene and Send them upwards Cloathd as Elijah was with a Suit of fire. One or the other of these must be done or we shall be drove to the Necessity of another Frolick of boarding the Town.”

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus #america250 @dundurnpress

“The Unanimous Voice of the Continent is Canada must be ours. Quebec must be taken.” So wrote John Adams in a letter sent #OTD Feb. 18, 1776, to fellow revolutionary James Warren.

At the time, the Continental Army occupied Montreal and Trois-Rivières and were laying siege to Quebec City, the last major population centre in the British colony.

Adams said that if the British kept Canada “it would enable them to inflame all the Indians upon the Continent, and perhaps induce them to take up the Hatchet, and commit their Robberies and Murders upon the Frontiers of all the southern Colonies as well as to pour down Regulars, Canadians and Indians together upon the Borders of the Northern.”

He seemed heartened by the decision to send Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to Montreal to salvage the faltering invasion. “These three Gentlemen compose a Committee, which I think promises great Things,” he told Warren.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus #America250 @dundurnpress

#OTD Feb. 15, 1776, the Continental Congress asked Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton to go to Canada to ask the French Canadians to join the American Revolution.

It was acting on the advice of a sympathetic French Canadian, Prudent Lajeunesse, who had told the Committee of Secret Correspondence that the only way to overcome the suspicions of the Catholic clergy and the seigneurs was for delegates to make the case in person.

The clergy and seigneurs were happy with what Britain had given them in the Quebec Act of 1774 and feared the Americans would ban the Catholic religion and end their privileged positions in Canada.

Carroll was not a delegate. But he was a rich Catholic who could speak French. Congress asked him to bring along his relative, John Carroll, a Catholic priest. The three Americans, who would later become founding fathers, would not set out for Montreal until April 2.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus #americanrevolution @dundurnpress

There’s an ongoing guessing game about how far in the past Trump is trying to drag the US. I argue that it’s 1775, the year the Americans began their revolution and invaded Canada.

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/a91425a21cd18629c26c754fab99e8791c6c9be15781e04c2a59836ac18a553b/VWAATTX5IFGY5KDER4CEJSIRSU

Americans still thought the conquest of Canada was possible, despite the defeat of their Continental Army at Quebec City on the last day of December 1775. But they continued to face a shortage of men, money, and, crucially, gunpowder.

#OTD February 11, 1776, Benjamin Franklin wrote the general meant to lead the next invasion of Canada, suggesting the army should bring back the use of pikes, and bows and arrows. “Those were good weapons, not wisely set aside,” he wrote to Charles Lee, referring to their use in the 14th century.

Franklin listed six reasons why they would be a good choice:
1. Because a Man may shoot as truly with a Bow as with a common Musket.
2. He can discharge 4 arrows in the time of charging and discharging one Bullet.
3. His object is not taken from his view by the smoke of his own side.
4. A Flight of Arrows seen coming upon them terrifies and disturbs the Enemy's Attention to his Business.

(cont'd in reply)

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history @dundurnpress

It is heartening to see two former prime ministers, from different parties, have a friendly conversation about Canadian unity in the time of Trump.

I will admit being slightly biased because Mr. Chrétien mentioned my book (He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada).

#hedidnotconquer #canada #history #cdaus #americanrevolution @dundurnpress

https://www.cpac.ca/headline-politics/episode/in-conversation-with-stephen-harper-and-jean-chretien--february-2-2026?id=977ffd72-e7c1-4466-ba02-1514a88eda79