What if Britain had won?

[Nomenclature]

Well, it's slightly better than the grade school teachers who refused to take the tests they give their students, since they couldn't pass them.



. . .Slightly.

 

[Likestoplease]

Great mini history lesson Ronboy!

 

[ronboy]

^Bad history teacher! Bad!

If the United States and Canada would have bcome one nation, would we be speaking English, French, or both?

I don't think it would have been much different than it is today. Quebec would still be speaking French, and everyone else would probably be speaking English. Perhaps the areas close to Quebec (ie. Northern NY, and Northern Vermont), because of their rural nature and close proximity to Montreal, would also be more French dominant.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

The Americans developed a culture as being the open arms to the rest of the world

all country dillusionals
but understands why

so

futre no all end of word whens folkys let go da yokeys

 

[kevbo]

We'd be calling it football instead of soccer...

 

[kevbo]

Soccer was originally a British term that America adopted in the 1960s

and?............

 

[gsdx]

(okay, the Vikings were here first, in Newfoundland, but they kept their discoveries to themselves)

L'Anse aux Meadows (National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site) virtual tour: http://www.virtual-tours-newfoundland.ca/LanseauxMeadows/Meadows.html

 

[CowboyBob]

We would be driving on the other side of the road in our Vauxhalls. Queen Elizabeth would be on our dollars instead of George Washington if they were called dollars.

It wouldn't be Seattle, Washington, it would be Seattle, Victoria. We would watch cricket instead of football on Thanksgiving. I would probably speak with a different accent.

Canada and the USA (or whatever we would be called) probably would be one country on the North American land mass. we would drink tea instead of coffee.

Most likely the south-western part of North America (present day CA, NV, AZ, MN, TX) would belong to Spain / Mexico.

I can think of all kinds of things.

 

[Spiff]

Most of those things are over-presumptuous. Most were bound to happen regardless.

 

[MollyontheShore]

You assume that the Revolutionaries wouldn't have tried again. Assuming that England never lost control of North America history would ended up a lot differently. Americans would most likely have British accents .

 

[bankside]

From the BBC:

Barack Obama has lead the Liberal Democrats to a historically strong finish in Westminster, but has still fallen short of the anticipated breakthrough. The British Empire will still have to wait for its first Prime Minister with partly African heritage.

However Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Labour Party performed very badly indeed outside its traditional strongholds of Scotland and Andhra Pradesh. Dr. Singh, popular with the working caste, was criticized for failing to connect with the middle caste, turning his back on Tony Blair's so-called "Third Way" and failing to show convincing leadership on the economy.

Stephen Harper, too, considered a capable economic manager but inspiring very little else in the electorate, failed to connect with a public wary of his "spin doctors" and his cagey demeanour. Even with 10 constituencies still to report, he has lost any chance of a majority mandate for the Conservative Party. However, sufficient gains in southeast England, plus his base in the western provinces from Alberta to Texas, will likely give him the first opportunity to form a coalition in the House of Commons - and only a brilliant performance as a minority Prime Minister will stop him from being sacked by Conservatives, frustrated at this outcome after his third election as their leader.

So three leaders all of whom failed in one way or another to meet their own aspirations for this election. Now, with the results all but finalised, the shape of the first hung parliament in 50 years can begin to form through negotiations in earnest. Barack Obama has endorsed the right of Harper to be the first to attempt to form a government, given the relative standings of the parties following the election. Obviously Mr. Obama can be very pleased with the fact that either the Labour Party or the Conservatives will be calling on him to help form a government, and all the leaders are reframing their positions as hastily as possible to appear amenable to a deal. Dr. Singh has said he is also prepared to negotiate with Obama's Liberal Democrats, and will not see the Queen to tender his resignation until a firm deal emerges regarding the shape of the next Imperial Parliament.

 

[MercuryJones]

If Britain had won the Revolutionary War, how would it have shaped America?

• The California Gold Rush would of never existed
• The Trail of Tears might not have happened.
• There'd be A LOT more Native Americans than there are now and no reservations.
• Native Americans would have a huge impact on our culture.

I don't know how you got to a lot of things, but these especially.

What in British history makes you think Native Americans would have fared any differently?

 

[ronboy]

L'Anse aux Meadows (National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site) virtual tour: http://www.virtual-tours-newfoundland.ca/LanseauxMeadows/Meadows.html

Outstanding website! And it's still being discovered!

 

[Callum]

I don't think it would have been much different than it is today. Quebec would still be speaking French, and everyone else would probably be speaking English. Perhaps the areas close to Quebec (ie. Northern NY, and Northern Vermont), because of their rural nature and close proximity to Montreal, would also be more French dominant.

On my road trip I noticed an abnormal amount of signs leading into Maine in French!

 

[ronboy]

On my road trip I noticed an abnormal amount of signs leading into Maine in French!

I should include New Hampshire and Maine into that group too, although Western Maine, which is mostly thick forests is as rural as neighboring Eastern Quebec. I drove through there on the way to Quebec City one time. It is very forested (where they didn't harvest the trees for paper), and very rural.

 

[USEDCAR]

The usa wouldn't have 50 states every Rich European country would form a country here.


This is a very interesting post

I think the British is taking over slowly

Simon Cowell
Gordan Ramsey
Cat Deeley
Piers Morgan
Ant and Dec
Vernon Kay
Michael Davies

Im sure im forgetting people if foreigners could run for president i bet we would have a British president.

 

[The_Reaper]

Hmmm...I do enjoy subjective history.

I have to disagree slightly over the assumption that Canada and the US would have become one nation if the British had won the War of Independence. If only because, as history played out, Canada had no interest in joining up with any of the US colonies. (Think War of 1812.)

I think two nations would have continued to evolve out of the British Colonies, if only because of the presence of the Quebecois.

As for the presence of Native Americans; it's true that a few things would have changed. There would be greater numbers of Native Americans, at least in the US, however to suggest reservations would not have existed is spotty at best. Canada's Indian Act likely would have still come into effect and helped foster the idea in the Canadian area of North America, which in turn, could spread south of the border as a 'good idea'.

So, I think all the problems that occurred between European settlers and the Aboriginals likely would have happened has history has played them out, though with a few differences.

In the long run, the 13 colonies would have likely ended up in the same boat as Canada, slowly gaining their independence from Britain through legislative means. As for Western settlement, I suppose it's likely that the Spanish would have kept a hold on their lands in Texas and New Mexico, and likely would have expanded into northern California.

Which in turn, likely would have continued to spur the Canadians into expanding Westward themselves, suggesting that Canada would likely exist much in the same way it does today.

Although, the US would be a very different place. I can't speculate too much on the US, given that my US History is a bit spotty...

 

[mydrew1]

"In the long run, the 13 colonies would have likely ended up in the same boat as Canada, slowly gaining their independence from Britain through legislative means."

Yup, Canada, New Zealand and Australia obtained independence without wars of independence.

 

[gsdx]

On my road trip I noticed an abnormal amount of signs leading into Maine in French!

I should include New Hampshire and Maine into that group too, although Western Maine, which is mostly thick forests is as rural as neighboring Eastern Quebec.

FYI - New Brunswick is more bilingual than any other province/territory in Canada.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

maybe Lenin be president of bit da americas

anyway 18thcentury still here

so

hope china ans India break up ans learnnnnnn no copy please