I’m a layperson, but as far as I know, America had the military power to conquer the whole Canadian territory or at least get more land than in our timeline (similar to how they took a huge chunk of Mexico’s territory), right? But they didn’t. I would like to know why. Thank you for your attention in advance.
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Canada/Britain kicked our ass in 1812 while we still had a militia-based military.
By the time we had a reasonable standing army was around 1860 and we got busy killing each other in the Civil War. By the time that was settled and we had a good standing army again and could look elsewhere, the Canadian army was well equipped and backed by English troops.
So, we took Mexican territory instead and moved west because of Manifest Destiny shit. We had border skirmishes with the Canadians, but we never really had a chance to take their territory. Plus, there wasn’t much reason when we had much easier territory to claim out west with far less resistance.
By the time we had conquered all of the rest and a hard border was set up with Mexico, we were good friends with the Canadians and we saw no reason to conquer them.
> But they didn’t
They tried and failed in the war of 1812. Evidently they didn’t have the military power the just conquer Canada.
When was the last time America actually won a war on its own?
Up until quite recently what is now Canada was not a completely sovereign and independent country but is some way or another a part of or associated with the united Kingdom.
A war with “Canada” over territory would have meant a war with the UK. Before the 20th century the USA’s military might was not quite up to that task.
The Canadians/British burned down the White House in the war of 1812.
In later decades there was some saber rattling over where exactly the border between the US and Canada should be. you may have heard of the famous slogan **”Fifty-four Forty or Fight!”**, the border being at 44°40′ and how today the 49th parallel is the actual border.
It didn’t help that before the discovery of oil and gold and other natural resources, much of the area in question didn’t have much worth fighting about.
The more worth the area appeared and the more an invasion was military feasible the less it became culturally practical.
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