President Trump facetiously said that Canada could become “the 51st State”–at least I think he was kidding.  Trump wrote on Truth Social December 18th: 

“No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense! Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st State!!!”

But it’s not the first time in American history this has been dreamed of.  You can go back to the war of 1812, when at the time politicians thought the conquest of Canada was a done deal.   All that was left was to decide what to do with it.

Author Walter Borneman writes:

“...There was considerable debate throughout the rest of the country about what to do with Canada once it was conquered.  Should it be annexed to the union and put on the path to statehood?” (58) 

It was a rush to war that President James Madison wasn’t even sure he wanted, though he proposed the war declaration to Congress.  The war hawks in Congress, led by Henry Clay and the Republicans, voted in favor of declaring war on the Brits, due to their practice of impressing American Navy men in international waters. 

Meanwhile, the Federalists were none too thrilled about the concept of war against Britain.  From their base in New England, the Federalists rightly perceived that a war with England would be bad for business and trade, something that would disproportionately affect the less agrarian New England.  

The war on the Canadian front was a disaster from the beginning.  Forts on the border region along Detroit and the Michigan territory were quickly surrendered–precipitously so.  Meanwhile, British General Isaac Brock outmaneuvered the Americans at every turn, up until his heroic death in battle.  Not only was America not conquering Canada; if anything, the Brits were making progress across the northern border of the United States, seizing Detroit.

Indeed, Canada’s defenses, manned by the British and their Indian allies, were stronger than we thought.  A three-pronged attack was planned to invade and liberate Canada.  But an extreme lack of military preparedness meant that this would not be even close to successful.  Finally, it did not help that the British captured documents with detailed troop movements and Invasion plans of Canada.

Just like Trump assumes now that “many Canadians” want to be the 51st state, America in the 1812 war likewise assumed that Canadians would rise up against their British “oppressors.”  As the book 1812: The War that Forged a Nation documents, the Canadians weren’t particularly eager to rise up.  But by Trump’s Truth, it seems at least at this time, he is contemplating a peaceful annexation of Canada.  

Follow Michael Machera Blog on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.

Comment below: