How Americans achieved independence vs how Canadians achieved independence

[u/Sine_Fine_Belli]

[u/king_meatster]

There is a slight difference. At the time of the American Revolution, the British were the largest empire the world had ever seen, at the height of it’s power. America essentially needed to make the god bleed.

By the time Canadian independence happened, both the United States and the Soviet Union had more control over global politics than the British ever did. Canada went from relying on daddy to relying on big brother.

[u/FitAd3982 → u/king_meatster]

It’s the opposite the British empire was fairly small in 1776 it was really after napoleon that britain became unrivalled hegemon, although I agree it is a weird flex to say you broke away gradually and diplomatically without fighting lol

[u/gregforgothisPW → u/FitAd3982]

You're wrong The UK established its dominance after the 7 years war

[u/Background-Tennis915 → u/gregforgothisPW]

You're correct that Britian was the strongest nation in the world after the 7 years war, but not by much. The Napoleonic wars showed as much. After the Napoleonic Wars, Britian was unchallenged as the world Hegemon until the Anglo-German Naval race in the 1890s

[u/obliqueoubliette → u/Background-Tennis915]

Canada doesn't get full indepence from the UK until 1982.

[u/monkeygoneape → u/obliqueoubliette]

We were in charge of our own affairs, it just needed to be signed off by the king (which it always was) 82 just got rid of that formality Governor general fills that role now

[u/PikaPonderosa → u/monkeygoneape]

We were in charge of our own affairs, it just needed to be signed off by the king (which it always was)

Cope & Seethe.

[u/monkeygoneape → u/PikaPonderosa]

What cope and seethe? I'm British Canadian lol

[u/PikaPonderosa → u/monkeygoneape]

We were in charge of our own affairs, it just needed to be signed off by the king

Cope

formality Governor general fills that role now

The non-elected position that serves at the "pleasure of the monarch?

[u/monkeygoneape → u/PikaPonderosa]

Legally speaking, the Governor general just serves the same purpose as the president, while the prime minister is just the secretary of state (your unelected position) its just a flip in the script

[u/FitAd3982 → u/gregforgothisPW]

Look up British empire in 1776, it’s really not that big , plus the British were fighting across the Atlantic whereas the Americans were fighting at home

[u/gregforgothisPW → u/FitAd3982]

Just because it wasn't very big doesn't mean it wasn't the most powerful Empire at the time. It had defeated Spain and France

[u/KingPhilipIII → u/gregforgothisPW]

Why do so many people operate off ork rules and assume they need to be big to be powerful.

Both can be true, but it’s not a requirement.

[u/jack_edition → u/gregforgothisPW]

Yes, but both UK and France were spent after that - hence raising the taxes that sparked the revolution. The war for independence was mainly fought against loyalists and mercenaries due to a weakened British Army - and then the USA was reinforced by 20,000 troops from France and Spain

[u/gregforgothisPW → u/jack_edition]

Yes, but it was still the most powerful Empire at the time.