Battle of Vimy Ridge: Birth of a Canadian Nation
‘Expansionism and territorialism were prominent themes during the War of 1812, when American troops invaded the southern British colonies and tested the defenders of our homeland. First Nation Peoples coordinated with British forces to expel the enemy and preserve the bountiful and treasured lands that would one day become our sprawling nation. As Canada had not undergone its official Confederation until 1867, one may surmise that the defense of the territory did not evoke a sense of nationalism. The men who fought did so for the love of the land itself, and to preserve the livelihood of their communities without the shadow of oppression. The soldiers of the War of 1812 laid down their lives to banish advancing troops and to protect the unlimited potential they knew to exist in the land of their birth. The dominion of Canada would not be instituted for over fifty years. This means that those who fought did not battle for Canada, but for their basic rights of freedom and safety. In addition to this, the War of 1812 was not a conflict with a decisive victor. There was no lasting occupation. The Americans had gained control of the Great Lakes, but eventually relinquished their domination with the end of the war in 1814. Furthermore, neither of the opposing countrymen had expanded the borders of their respective nations and resolved to merely accept the existing boundaries. Also, with the completion of the confrontation, the fact remains that existing Canadian lands that hosted the warfare were still considered a British colony, and thus an extension of England. These details reveal that the War of 1812 was a significant triumph in preserving the geographic regions that would later become our homeland; nevertheless, it does not completely encompass the criteria for the origin of Canada.’