Have you ever wondered why the borders between the USA and Canada are so flat on the map? Of course, this fact is not unique in its kind. This can also be seen in the Middle East and Africa. However, how did this happen in relation to these two countries? Few people know, but the current border between the United States of America and Canada is quite young and far from the first.
In order to better understand the issue of the border between the United States and Canada, one will have to plunge into history. Today this border is the longest among the land ones - 8 891 km. Moreover, the border between North American countries is also the largest demilitarized border in the world. Most of this strip is a perfect straight line. The only exception is the eastern part, as well as the water section of the border strip, which runs along the Great Lakes.
So, the active colonization of North America began in the 16th century. Half a century later, already in the 17th century, the group of colonies of the British Empire, located here, began to be called New England, and the group of French colonies, which were located on the territory of modern Canada, received the name New France. The first border between the French and English colonies was officially drawn in 1713. Already in the 18th century, in 1756, the Seven Years War broke out in Europe, the main participants in which, on the one hand, were the Kingdom of Prussia and the British Empire, and on the other hand, the Holy Roman Empire, the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of France. The war lasted until 1763. The fighting took place in three oceans and on four continents. As a result, the war did not end very well for France. All of her American colonial possessions became the property of England.
Although England was virtually victorious in the war, the conflict had depleted its resources. The empire naturally increased taxes, primarily in its colonies. Including in New England. As a result, in a number of overseas possessions of the crown, separatist sentiments prevailed on the basis of dissatisfaction with the central government, and in 1775 the American Revolution or the American War of Independence began. At the same time, part of the colonies known as New France, which came under the hands of England as a result of the Seven Years War, acted in this conflict against the rebels. The war ended in 1783. At the same time, the Paris Peace Treaty was signed, within the framework of which the future USA insisted on drawing a specific border with the remaining colonies of England in the north. It was after the division of 1783 that the loyalists of the British crown created the well-known Canada.
But nothing ended there. In 1812, the Americans and the British clung to each other in another war, and again the border between the United States and Canada became one of the controversial issues. It was only possible to settle it after negotiations in 1814. Three more years later, in 1817, the Rush-Bagot Treaty was signed on the demilitarization of the American-Canadian border in the Great Lakes region. This process marked the beginning of a peaceful settlement of the issue.
For a long time, the United States demanded to draw the border between the countries along the 54th parallel. Britain and Canada wanted to draw the border along the Columbia River. Countries were able to find compressions and agree only in 1846. Then the governments of the states decided that the entire border to the west of the Great Lakes would be along the 49th parallel. This agreement was fixed by the Oregon Treaty, which is still in force today.
If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about 5 traditions of feasts and celebrations in the USAwhich will seem at least strange to us.