In 18th Century British North America, why aren't the Canadian provinces considered one with the 13 colonies?

Question

Why weren't the Canadian provinces, or territories as they were called then, joined as one with the 13 colonies to the south in the fight against Britain? Weren't the provinces of Ontario, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, etc. just as much a part of 18th Century British North America as Virginia or Massachusetts? Or, were they thought of as an entirely different entity, much like the Carribean Island colonies? Still, New Brunswick and Ontario are geographically much closer to the colonies of Vermont and New York than say Barbados or Jamaica; thus, wouldn't New Brunswick or Ontario have a much simmilar perspective as Massachusetts had on the way Britain was treating her colonies in this part of the world?

Answer 1

I assume the previous answers are all from citizens of the USA and, if so, so a woeful lack of knowledge of the history of the large country to the north. In fact, at the time of the American Reviolution (American War of Independence) no part of Canada was a French colony. Thje French had colonised Quebec, but had been defeated by the British General Wolfe at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. The people remained French (and French speaking today - hence the reason for Canada having two official languages. However, by the time of the WoI the country was recognised as a british Colony. It was not so organised as the 13 and the inhabitants had little in common. In fact, they remained loyal to the British Crown and many inhabitants of the 13 who also remained loyal (the Loyalists as once answer correctly identifies them) fled north. Possibly, another reason they didn't join the colonies to the south was that they were war-weary (the war of 1759 mentioned above). Also, they were less organised and lacked the leaders that existed in the south to rally a popular uprising.

Answer 2

Canada never really was part of the 13 colonies because it housed peoples of different origins (like the French, Acadian, Dutch etc.) and wasn't considered British territory. Also there was a lot of buying and selling of land between countries so I guess during that time, Canada wasn't British. Another thing is Canada and all of the peoples housed there never fought against the British. Many remained neutral during the Revolution and others who did live in the 13 colonies but for their various reasons sided with the British moved to Canada (these people are also known as Loyalists). Maybe this is why Britain claimed Canada as its own (because of the people).

Answer 3

There was a lot of disagreement within the colonies about that. There were the Torys, who were loyal to the crown. It took a lot of british bullying to finally get the collective American dander up enough to declare independence. Of course the biggy was the colonial economy where all raw goods were shipped to Briton and finished goods were sent back. The colonies wanted some industry and it was outlawed by the crown. Add in the old Taxation without representation thing. Oh and you might want to read up on the age of enlightenment. Read some of Thomas Paines stuff, he was good at breeding discontentment. We need him now. Our government would do well today to see that we are taxed far more heavily today than they were then. And like then, your tax dollars are spent somewhere else. Not on you.

Answer 4

The 13 colonies were considered to be a political entity while Canada which had been held by the French was another political entity with a different set of rules. Each of the colonies had a Crown Charter and Canada did not!

Answer 5

The 13 colonies were known as New England.To the north was New France(Canada)To the south Indian and Spanish terrirories

Answer 6

In the 18th Century the Canadian provinces were colonies of France.

Answer 7

we didnt want them..
all joking aside, it was thought of differently, besides they had their own problems with the natives, for the most part the first people up there were fur trappers. And there were a lot of different groups up there for at one point there was fight for the territory but it was difficult with the weather and resources, and we had enough trouble trying to hold on to the 13 colonies, throwing bc in the mixed could have cost us.

Answer 8

The Canadian provinces were settled by the French....thats the key to your entire question. France was colonizing Canada, England lower North America.
France and England did not colonize together, it was not a joint venture. It was expansion of two seperate countries, traditionally hostile to one another.

Answer 9

because canadians were not traitors unlike their southern neigbours