Propaganda, spies, and willing local accomplices. See how American meddling in the Alberta separatism debate resembles the tactics they used in Quebec 250 years ago. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #americanrevolution @revwar250.bsky.social opencanada.org/when-america...

Great movie, wish I would've known it was a documentary, way back then🤔...

@economist.com Checks and Balance podcast wants listeners to name their favourite founding father. I picked John Adams. Here is why: #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books @dundurnpress.bsky.social @america250.bsky.social @revwar250.bsky.social

The founding fathers were still peeved with Britain about the 1774 Quebec Act when they declared independence #OTD July 4, 1776. They made sure to include the Act’s terms in the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence. #canada #history #americanrevolution @revwar250.bsky.social

It was a fun conversation.

#OTD July 3, 1776, John Adams grumbled in a letter to his wife Abigail that had the Declaration of Independence been made seven months earlier, “we should have mastered Quebec and been in Possession of Canada.” #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @revwar250.bsky.social

🇨🇦 This Canada Day, we're celebrating the remarkable collection built by Internet Archive Canada and its library, archive, and university partners over the past 20 years. Discover how this digital library came together ⤵️ internetarchivecanada.org/2026/07/01/w... 🧵 1️⃣/ 👇

#OTD July 1, 1776, delegates to the Continental Congress pondered their failure to make Canada the 14th colony before they moved on to debating the wording of their intended declaration of independence. #history #books #americanrevolution @revwar250.bsky.social @250yearsagonews.bsky.social

Benjamin Franklin tried twice during the American Revolution to make Canada the 14th colony. I wrote about these failed attempts and the thinking behind them for the Canadian Encyclopedia. Here's the link: thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/b... #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

#OTD June 18, 1776, a defeated American army straggled out of Fort St. Jean on the last leg of their journey home to the 13 Colonies. They had invaded the British colony of Canada the previous September, confident of making it the 14th colony. #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

Coming up tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET!

#OTD June 8, 1776, the American troops who invaded the British colony of Canada in 1775 fought one last, disastrous battle at Trois-Rivières before resuming their headlong rush for home. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

“The Dogs of Warr are now fairly let loose upon us.” So wrote Robert Morris, a key financial backer of the American Revolution and future founding father, #OTD June 5, 1776. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution #america250 @dundurnpress.bsky.social @revwar250.bsky.social

This never gets old! Signed copies of my book at Indigo Rideau in Ottawa today. My book explains why Benjamin Franklin was in Montreal 250 years ago trying his best to make Canada into the 14th American colony. As the title suggests, he failed. #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

It is creepy when google, microsoft, etc, etc try to ram AI down out throats. Now the government wants us to meekly accept this flawed and expensive brain substitute.

One of the reasons the 1775-76 American invasion of Canada failed was that the residents of the British colony of Canada set aside their historical grievances and united to defend Quebec City. #hedidnotconquer #canada #books #history #americanrevolution #cdnpoli

After Benjamin Franklin fled Montreal on May 11, 1776, his fellow commissioners Charles Carroll and Samuel Chase stayed behind in the forlorn hope that the American invasion of Canada could still succeed if more troops, food, and money were sent north. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books

I am having fun on this swing through western Canada to talk about my book. Tonight in Saskatoon we had a lively discussion afterwards about how to improve how history is taught in Canada. #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

Who says you can’t have fun while talking about your book? I had a great time this evening discussing Benjamin Franklin’s failure to annex Canada with an informed and engaged Winnipeg audience. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

I’m wrapping up my book tour with four dates in western Canada: Winnipeg (May 25), Saskatoon (May 26), Edmonton (May 27), and Calgary (May 28). My thanks to the Canadian International Council’s branches for making this possible. #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

I really enjoyed speaking with such a knowledgeable host about why the events of 250 years ago still matter today. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

When Benjamin Franklin fled Montreal for Philadelphia on May 11, his two fellow commissioners remained behind in the hope that they might still be able to salvage the American invasion of Canada and set up a new government. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution Dundurn Press

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-12-2026 The biggest story in the country, today and always, is that the president of the United States is mentally unwell.

Quebec City is central to the story I tell in my book about Benjamin Franklin’s failure to annex Canada. I was delighted to speak at the Morrin Centre there last night. My thanks to Noora Heiskanen of the centre, Renald Grégoire of the CIC, and everyone who came. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history

#OTD May 11, 1776, Benjamin Franklin fled Montreal after learning that British war ships had arrived at Quebec City and were sailing up the St. Lawrence River. The American invasion of the British colony of Canada was collapsing. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

Guy Carleton, British governor of the colony of Canada, showed mercy to American invaders when they abandoned their siege of Quebec City on May 6 and fled into the woods. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #quebec #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

On May 11, I’ll be speaking at the Morrin Centre in Quebec City about Benjamin Franklin’s attempts to possess Canada. It was on that day 250 years ago Franklin fled Montreal after the American invasion of Canada collapsed. If you are in Quebec City, please come! CIC, Quebec branch, is co-sponsor.

Stanbridge East lies close to the path American invaders took in 1775 as they fought their way to Montreal — and when they made their hasty exit in 1776. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books @amrevmuseum.bsky.social @dundurnpress.bsky.social #americanrevolution

When the British frigate HMS Surprise appeared before Quebec City #OTD May 6, 1776, the American troops besieging the city panicked and fled. It was the beginning of the end of the American invasion of the colony of Canada. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #BritishNavy #masterandcommander

Will the next revolution start in Canada? I wrote about the similarities between Canadians today and the American colonists prior to the revolution. There are more than you think. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #americanrevolution

Benjamin Franklin got a nasty shock when he arrived in Canada and discovered the French Canadians would not accept the newly-created, American paper currency. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books Dundurn Press #americanrevolution

#OTD April 29, 1776, Benjamin Franklin arrived in Montreal, occupied by American troops since the previous November. Franklin, Charles Carroll and Samuel Chase, had been sent to Canada by the Continental Congress. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #montreal #americanrevolution

When Benjamin Franklin arrived in France in December 1776, he stayed with Jacques-Barthélémy Gruel, a Nantes shipowner who made a fortune in the slave trade. #hedidnotconquer #Canada #history #books #AmericanRevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

I wish Mike Myers had given PM Mark Carney a statue of Sir Guy Carleton instead of General Isaac Brock. Everything the PM said about the War of 1812 in his video applies equally to the American invasion of Canada in 1775. #hedidnotconquer #Canada #history #books #AmericanRevolution

Benjamin Franklin was in Saratoga on his way to Canada in 1776 when he began to have doubts about whether he and two colleagues could salvage the faltering American invasion of the British colony. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social

#OTD April 9, 1776, it took Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton an entire day to travel 51 km (32 mi) from Albany, NY, to Saratoga. They were on their way to Montreal to salvage the faltering American invasion of Canada. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books

By April 1776, the American invasion of Canada was foundering, in part because the invaders were mistreating ordinary French Canadians. “The peasantry in general have been ill-used,” rebel officer Moses Hazen wrote #OTD April 1, 1776. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

It delights me to no end to see my book on display in bookshops! Is it just me or does this cover stand out wildly amidst other nonfiction books (no disrespect to other nonfiction books). I took this pic at @mcnallyrobinson.com where it’s up front on a table of local bestsellers!

Worth reading.

I worry sometimes that young people might not be interested in history. That certainly wasn’t the case yesterday, when I talked about my book at Nipissing University in North Bay, ON. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution

#OTD March 20, 1776, Benjamin Franklin received official instructions from the Continental Congress on how to govern Canada. He was to travel to Montreal, then occupied by the Continental Army, and salvage the faltering American invasion. #hedidnotconquer #Canada #history #books #America250

The use of public office for private gain is corruption.

When I first started researching my book on Benjamin Franklin and Canada it seemed like a niche topic. Why would anyone care than an American icon wanted to possess Canada? #hedidnotconquer #CIHE #canada #history #books #cdaus @revwar250.bsky.social @dundurnpress.bsky.social

Did Benjamin Franklin do Canadians a favour by insisting Britain keep it instead of Guadeloupe after the French and Indian War? That was one of the interesting questions posed last night when I talked about my book to the officers and guests of the Queen’s York Rangers. #canada #history #books

What a pleasure to talk about my book to members of the Canadian International Council, Waterloo branch, last night at St. Jerome's University. An engaged and thoughtful audience! There are a lot of people to thank for making it happen. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #cdaus

Join @mdrohan.bsky.social, award-winning author as she discusses her book, He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin's Failure to Annex Canada. @stjeromesuni.bsky.social, SJ2, Rm 2002. Tuesday, March 3, 7:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served. bit.ly/sju_franklin

Donald Trump is not the first American to use trade for political ends. #OTD March 2, 1776, Benjamin Franklin and others decided to offer France access to American trade if it would support the American Revolution. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution #america250

One of the reasons the Americans failed to conquer Canada in 1775-76 was they under-estimated how hard it would be and did not allocate sufficient men, money, weapons, and provisions. #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #americanrevolution @dundurnpress.bsky.social @revwar250.bsky.social

#OTD February 26, 1776, the Continental Congress agreed to pay the expenses of French printer Fleury Mesplet and to give him “25 Half Joes to remove Himself, his Family and Types to Canada and there set up a free Press.” #hedidnotconquer #canada #history #books #montreal #quebec Dundurn Press