Using Tariffs to Try to Annex Canada Backfired in the 1890s.

The article examines the historical impact of the 1890 McKinley Tariff, which raised U.S. tariff rates to about 50% without exceptions for Canadian goods, aiming to pressure Canada into annexation by the United States. Contrary to Republican hopes, the tariff instead strengthened Canadian nationalism and loyalty to the British Empire, leading Canada to deepen economic ties with Britain rather than the U.S. Canadian Prime Minister John Macdonald used the tariff dispute to rally political support against annexation, resulting in increased trade with Britain and retaliatory tariffs on American goods. The article draws parallels to contemporary U.S. tariff threats under President Donald Trump, suggesting that similar protectionist policies risk alienating Canada and pushing it toward alternative trade partners, potentially harming U.S. economic interests.