The first act of the newly constituted Continental Army in 1775 was to invade Canada. An odd priority, you might think, until you remember how furious the revolutionaries were about the British Crown’s recognition of the rights of Catholics in Quebec.
The United States had another go in 1812, but was repelled by British regulars and Native American militiamen (Canadians sometimes call it their “War of Independence”).
WHY TRUMP IS LIKELY SO INTERESTED IN GREENLAND
There were cross-border raids between 1866 and 1871 by Irish-Americans, who had an eccentric notion of conquering Canada and trading it for Ireland. As late as the 1930s, the War Department had a plan for a pre-emptive invasion of Canada just in case the naval race with Britain turned hostile.
Yet Canada is still there, vast and sparse, patient and polite. And, according to the polls, 82% of Canadians want…
