Quebec Joins the United States

Qymaen · Apr 12, 2012

While reading through one of my old threads a member stated that the US tried to get Quebec to join the US. If America had succeeded in acquiring Quebec what do you all think would have been the immediate and long term effects of an acquisition of Quebec by the US? How would the Quebecois have reacted to their new countrymen? The Americans? The French? The British? The Canadians?

tjadams · Apr 12, 2012

Given enough time, it would have been American-ized much like New Orleans
carries on with its tradition, but, still assimilated into the US.

Qymaen · Apr 12, 2012

tjadams said:
Given enough time, it would have been American-ized much like New Orleans
carries on with its tradition, but, still assimilated into the US.

I'm not so sure about that.

Quebec is a much larger place than New Orleans and southern Louisiana. Plus the climate would have impacted immigration to Quebec. A problem the French, themselves, had experienced back in the 1500s, 1600s, and early 1700s.

Kraken · Apr 12, 2012

I don't think it would be a very smooth assimilation at all. The Quebecois are known to be exceedingly proud of their culture and identity - a leading factor for wanting separation from the rest of Canada in the first place. The USA has a similar national mindset but it encompasses the entire country, while the Quebecois wanted independence more than anything else.

Dr Realism · Apr 12, 2012

Well Canada wouldn't have to bother with pretending that they are bilingual. The US wouldn't allow Quebec to be bilingual because it simply isn't that nice. I guess Nova Scotia and PEI and New Foundland would be cut off just like Alaska. The US would control the St. Lawrence and thus control Canada. Fait Accompli.

Qymaen · Apr 12, 2012

Just to clarify, I mean when the US tried to acquire Quebec in the mid-nineteenth century.

Jake10 · Apr 12, 2012

This would have led to the other Maritime provinces to join the US, since they would be cut off. Without access to the Atlantic, Canada's economy would be in deep trouble. In the end, all of Canada would have become American, making the population in Quebec a smaller minority and easier to assimilate.

Norg · Apr 13, 2012

ive never been to quebec .............. sooo i leave it at that LOL

monsieurdl · Apr 13, 2012

Kraken said:
I don't think it would be a very smooth assimilation at all. The Quebecois are known to be exceedingly proud of their culture and identity - a leading factor for wanting separation from the rest of Canada in the first place. The USA has a similar national mindset but it encompasses the entire country, while the Quebecois wanted independence more than anything else.

Independence from the English, yes, for the English chose to dominate Quebec in its infancy as conquered territory instead of as a partner. The United States would have welcomed Quebec as a partner and Quebec would be utilized much better and would have been happier. In fact, the Quebec migration in the 19th century would not have been necessary at all and of course I would not be here. As a product of Quebecois ancestors, I could easily see Quebec enjoying a golden economic age that would have make it lucrative for the people and for the United States. A Canada dominated by the English and their past grudges from far away cost Quebec many years of development.

Dr Realism said:
Well Canada wouldn't have to bother with pretending that they are bilingual. The US wouldn't allow Quebec to be bilingual because it simply isn't that nice. I guess Nova Scotia and PEI and New Foundland would be cut off just like Alaska. The US would control the St. Lawrence and thus control Canada. Fait Accompli.

Believe me, I think it would be great, because at least the United States appreciates the Cajun culture of New Orleans (who were there, by the way, because of the evil Deportation) and as tjadams said, survived just fine. The ONLY reason why Quebec is as it is today is because the upper classes of British subjects in Canada didn't give Quebecois a fair shake from the beginning, and the old French-English wars lived on. This would not exist with Quebec as a US state.

Linschoten · Apr 13, 2012

A Quebec that had been brought into the United States would have retained its distinctive identity to far less a degree than in has in Canada. The Quebecois would just be Americans with a little added folklore; some of them would even be able to speak a little French.

Anon1213 · Aug 1, 2012

monsieurdl said:
Independence from the English, yes, for the English chose to dominate Quebec in its infancy as conquered territory instead of as a partner. The United States would have welcomed Quebec as a partner and Quebec would be utilized much better and would have been happier. In fact, the Quebec migration in the 19th century would not have been necessary at all and of course I would not be here. As a product of Quebecois ancestors, I could easily see Quebec enjoying a golden economic age that would have make it lucrative for the people and for the United States. A Canada dominated by the English and their past grudges from far away cost Quebec many years of development.

Believe me, I think it would be great, because at least the United States appreciates the Cajun culture of New Orleans (who were there, by the way, because of the evil Deportation) and as tjadams said, survived just fine. The ONLY reason why Quebec is as it is today is because the upper classes of British subjects in Canada didn't give Quebecois a fair shake from the beginning, and the old French-English wars lived on. This would not exist with Quebec as a US state.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In Western Canada ,most,in a short time, regard the loss of Quebec with indifference. the stray cat of North America that someone had to adopt...

TheInvincible · Aug 8, 2012

Some, (not all) Quebecois have a cultural chip on their shoulder. The separatists so want to be great but they spend all their time whining about the English instead of being creative and actually doing something positive. I do know some very nice Quebecois that just want to get on with their lives.

The Quebecois find it hard to face up to, but they'll be a lot happier once they can speak English as well as they can speak French (*cough*). It's just a financial and geographic reality.

And re: the thread topic, yes, a merger with the USA would have been the de facto end of Canada and Quebec. As it stands, Quebec gets a very good deal out of being part of Canada, despite all the very loud separatist whining that sickens so many pragmatic Quebecois.

WeisSaul · Aug 8, 2012

Quebec wouldn't fight to be part of the US, it would fight to be its own country. Landwise, Quebec would include historic lower Canada, Labrador, PEI, part of Maine, and part of Nova Scotia (New Brunswick today).

The US would have taken what was left of nova Scotia, Upper Canada, and the Floridas. Loyalists on the continent would relocate to Newfoundland, Bahamas, Bermuda, or the Cape Colony (Cue The Draka

)

Aulus Plautius · Aug 8, 2012

Quebec, if it had joinded the US, would have had a great impact on the US not only economically, but would have had quite the impact on US presidential elections. I don't know the population of Quebec, but one can assume its role in the electoral college would have been equal to at least New York state.

I agree with the other posters though that the US would not have allowed a bilingual state to continue, but that opinion may change as we see the prevalence of the spanish language in such states as Florida, California and Arizona,

dafiske · Aug 17, 2012

I saw something once at the Vermont Historical Society about Quebec inviting Vermont to join them, should they decide to secede from the U.S. Forget what
Vermont was upset about that brought on the invitation.

Pedro · Aug 17, 2012

Quebec joins the US of A???????
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Amyclae · Aug 17, 2012

I think one item to consider may be a move away from English as the de facto official language of the U.S., and just as importantly a move away from the view that secondary languages (such as Spanish) are secondary and lesser because they are not English.

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Quebec Joins the United States

Qymaen

tjadams

Qymaen

Kraken

Dr Realism

Qymaen

Jake10

Norg

monsieurdl

Linschoten

Anon1213

TheInvincible

WeisSaul

Aulus Plautius

dafiske

Pedro

The Amyclae

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