Why Nova Scotia Failed to Join the American Revolution

Abstract: This essay discusses why Nova Scotia failed to join the American Revolution. It discusses the social, political, economic, geographic, as well as religious factors that led to Nova Scotians’ lack of attachment to revolutionary ideology in the colonies. During the time of the American Revolution, Nova Scotia was geographically on the northeastern frontier of Massachusetts. No geographical feature separated Nova Scotia from Maine, which meant that the Canadian province was very much a part of the Massachusetts colony. The question remains, therefore, why Nova Scotia failed to join the American Revolution in 1776. There were, after all, many new Englanders in Nova Scotia, and it remains a serious question as to why they did not†¦show more content†¦Indeed, while Nova Scotians were close to the events themselves, the settlements in Nova Scotia were scattered along the edges of the long, narrow peninsula. The sea was the only road between settlements. In many respects, therefore, there simply could not have been a united Nova Scotia. Because of this fact, it made it difficult for Nova Scotia to join in the War for Independence. People did not really feel united enough to have a serious cause. (Rawlyck, p.220) Thus, though Nova Scotia was very much attached to Main and to the Massachusetts colony, the geographical structure of the colony left Nova Scotia quite isolated from neighboring towns. Meanwhile, the British controlled the North Atlantic. One cannot deny, therefore, a factor of intimidation in this context, therefore, for even if some Nova Scotians did support the Yankees, they felt the presence of British troops in Halifax. The colony was simply dominated by a strong British military presence and a support for the Revolution would have sparked fear amongst any who sympathized with it. (Brebner, p.261) Nova Scotians were well aware that there would be a military confrontation with the British and no issue was really worth this danger. In any case, even if Nova Scotians had wanted to participate in the Revolution, they did not really have the military means to do so in any case. They were weak militarily and the strong British military presence made it virtually impossible for any sort ofShow MoreRelatedThe Loyalists: Their Reasons for Fleeing the United States and their Impact on Canadian2400 Words   |  10 Pagesthe question of who exactly were the first political refugees to arrive in Canada, one of the first groups that comes to mind is the Loyalists, also called the United Empire Loyalists. Loyalists were American colonists that remained loyal to Great Britain and its king George III during the American Revolutionary War which began in 1776 and ended in 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Despite the fact that some historians have tried to paint the Loyalists as wealthy gentry, most came fromRead MoreEssay on Silent Spring - Rachel Carson30092 Words   |  121 PagesWhat is clear, however, is that her public image was irrevocably transformed. Average Americans came to see her as a noble crusader while the chemical industry would quickly spend more than a quarter of a million dollars to discredit her. Introduction 1 Few books have had as much impact on late twentieth-century life as Carsons Silent Spring. Though an environmental consciousness can be discerned in American culture as far back as the nineteenth century, environmentalism as it is known todayRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesThree Ethical Decision Criteria 187 †¢ Improving Creativity in Decision Making 188 Summary and Implications for Managers 190 S A S A S A L L L Self-Assessment Library What Are My Gender Role Perceptions? 166 glOBalization! Chinese Time, North American Time 171 Myth or Science? Creative Decision Making Is a Right-Brain Activity 181 Self-Assessment Library Am I A Deliberate Decision Maker? 183 An Ethical Choice Whose Ethical Standards to Follow? 185 Self-Assessment Library How Creative Am I? 190