Disclaimer: this is Wikipedia, and some of the content isn't even cited.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_to_the_inhabitants_of_Canada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies#Other_British_colonies
Based on the content in the second link, I'd summarize it thusly:
So, unless anyone wants to dispute my 2-minute research, I'm going to conclude that Nova Scotia and the Caribbean holdings were the ones most likely to join the American Revolution, but were prevented from doing so because of British military presence. If that can be remedied, we would be seeing more colonies willingly joining (as opposed to the Continental Army invading Quebec or Florida).
Any comments?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_to_the_inhabitants_of_Canada
On October 21, 1774, the First Continental Congress, meeting to craft a united response to the Intolerable Acts, resolved to address letters to the populations of Quebec, St. John's Island, Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida and West Florida, all being colonies that were not represented by delegates in the Congress.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies#Other_British_colonies
At the time of the war Britain had seven other colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America: Newfoundland, Rupert's Land (the area around the Hudson Bay), Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, East Florida, West Florida, and the Province of Quebec. There were other colonies in the Americas as well, largely in the British West Indies. These colonies remained loyal to the crown.[16]
Based on the content in the second link, I'd summarize it thusly:
- Newfoundland was absolutely loyal to the Crown.
- Rupert's Land goes unmentioned but it probably had like a dozen British people there surrounded by villages of First Nations and Metis anyway.
- Nova Scotia had a good amount of New Englanders and the article claims 'The royal government in Halifax reluctantly allowed the Yankees of Nova Scotia a kind of "neutrality."' which I've never read before elsewhere. In any case Nova Scotia most definitely could have joined the Revolution, given that there were rebellions there during the time. It's Halifax that's the problem.
- Quebec was aloof towards the ARW and the Protestant Anglos. In the war itself it supported whoever was winning. Personally I think that the apathy + logistics issues would make 'Canada' joining the ARW a rather implausible event.
The West Indies the elected assemblies of Jamaica, Grenada, and Barbados formally declared their sympathies for the American cause. The possibilities for overt action were sharply limited by the overwhelming power of Royal Navy in the islands. During the war there was some opportunistic trading with American ships. - This is really cool and I never knew that. I guess it's another case where they would have joined but too many redcoats in the area. Someone should tackle this idea.
In Bermuda and the Bahamas local leaders were angry at the food shortages caused by British blockade of American ports. There was increasing sympathy for the American cause, including smuggling, and both colonies were considered "passive allies" of the United States throughout the war. When an American naval squadron arrived in the Bahamas to seize gunpowder, the colony gave no resistance at all.[19] - Another cool bit of colonial-era Caribbean history. Someone should bring up this idea as well.
East Florida and West Florida were new royal territories, transferred to Britain during the French and Indian War. The few British colonists there needed protection from attacks by Indians and Spanish privateers. After 1775, East Florida became a major base for the British war effort in the South, especially in the invasions of Georgia and South Carolina..[20] - It seems like the Floridas were too sparsely settled and surrounded by hostiles to have been willing to join the ARW.
- The article doesn't mention PEI (St. John's Island at the time), but Fioli's research says that they were mostly Loyalist at the time, so they're out of consideration.
So, unless anyone wants to dispute my 2-minute research, I'm going to conclude that Nova Scotia and the Caribbean holdings were the ones most likely to join the American Revolution, but were prevented from doing so because of British military presence. If that can be remedied, we would be seeing more colonies willingly joining (as opposed to the Continental Army invading Quebec or Florida).
Any comments?