actually, neither what became the USA or Canada has been innocent of abuses to native peoples... but why stop there? South America and the southern portions of North America have the legacy of the original slave trade in the New World. Just because Great Britain ended their support of the slave trade in the early part of the 19th century does not excuse them from earlier actions.

My issues with Teribus is the broad statements that ignore facts.

Fact #1... nobody in 1776 had any expectation of buying the French Territory that was part of the Louisiana Purchase... not to mention the inclusion of Florida.

Fact #2... the Founding Fathers were based in the established colonies and had nothing to gain by "trying to grab land" and everything to lose - their lives- if that was their real intent. At least one signer of the Declaration of Independence was most likely a smuggler and they all felt unfairly treated by the King and Parliment.

Fact #3... the additional western land that became part of the original USA was negoiated during the treaty of Paris by some canny Americans who saw an opportunity & took it.

Fact #4... everything that Teribus is bashing us about can be said about England earlier... they were the late comers who displaced the Dutch and tried to do the same with the French. and that was just in the north... what about the Carribean? Or the Indies?

the pot calling the kettle black when it comes to that.

as for the War of 1812... a young country with few strong allies is more than a little likely to feel threatened by an old enemy...

just ask the Ukraine how they feel about Russia...