Madelaine Drohan
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mdrohan.bsky.social
Madelaine Drohan
@mdrohan.bsky.social
200 followers 160 following 180 posts
Author of He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin's Failure to Annex Canada, out September 30, 2025. Writer. Former foreign correspondent. Senior fellow GSPIA, University of Ottawa. Curious about how the world works.
Visit my website: madelainedrohan.org
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Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
250yearsagonews.bsky.social
Nov. 8, 1775: Congress authorizes its Secret Committee "to contract for the importation of arms, ammunition, &c." and empowers it "to export to the foreign West Indies as much provision, or any other produce, (except horned cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry)" as needed for gunpowder.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Secret Committee members John Jay, another member
November 8, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
250yearsagonews.bsky.social
Nov. 8, 1775: Col. Benedict Arnold's invasion army reaches the outskirts of Quebec City. A force that started as about 1,100 men has been reduced from hunger and disease during its agonizing march through Maine. Just this week, several hundred soldiers under Col. Roger Enos departed. 1/2
Quebec City when it was captured by Gen. James Wolfe in 1759
November 8, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
250yearsagonews.bsky.social
Nov. 10, 1775: The Continental Congress resolves that "two persons be sent to Nova Scotia to enquire into the state of that colony" and "the disposition of the inhabitants towards the American cause." The intelligence will be forwarded to Gen. George Washington to aid him in possible military moves.
November 10, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
250yearsagonews.bsky.social
Nov. 12, 1775: American Gen. Richard Montgomery, camped with his troops just outside Montreal, meets a delegation of civic leaders. They agree to surrender and will let him through the walls of the Canadian capital tomorrow morning.
November 12, 2025 at 3:23 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
#OTD 250 years ago, Canadians were at war with American invaders and each other. American colonists had exported their civil war north, enticing some Canadians to fight with them against the British. Others fought to defend the imperial power. It was a divisive invasion that ultimately failed.
This is an old-fashioned engraving in black and white of Sir Guy Carleton, dated 1782. Carleton is dressed in a military uniform. Most of his hair is tied back with a bow. He is looking to the side of the image. Below the image the text says "Sir Guy Carleton, From a London print dated 1782."
November 11, 2025 at 5:07 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Had a really enjoyable evening discussing my book with the Friends of Lifelong Learning at the Glebe Centre in Ottawa. What a great group!
#cdahistory #cdaus #hedidnotconquer
Woman with grey hair and glasses wearing a red sweater stands beside a screen showing the cover of the book He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada. Below the screen is a marble fireplace.
November 11, 2025 at 12:08 AM
mdrohan.bsky.social
I really enjoyed giving a talk on my book today at the Atwater Library in Montreal. A special thanks to those who came out despite the transit strike.
@dundurnpress.bsky.social #cdahist #cdaus #hedidnotconquer
Woman with grey hair and glasses standing in front of a podium at the Atwater Library in Montreal. In the background is a map from 1560 with the word Canada circled. Photo credit: Patricia Poirier Woman with grey hair and glasses signing a book. In the foreground is the book, He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada.
November 6, 2025 at 10:08 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Had a great time at the Toronto launch of my book at Ben McNally Books. My thanks to Meghan Macdonald of @dundurnpress.bsky.social for kicking things off, Rupert and Danielle McNally for hosting, and to all the friends and book lovers who came.
#hedidnotconquer #cdaus #cdapoli
Female author with grey hair and glasses, wearing a red jacket, signing a book in a book store. A crowd in a book store for an event. Female author wearing a red jacket is speaking to a man with white hair before a wall of bookshelves. Others are listening to the conversation.
November 4, 2025 at 3:11 AM
mdrohan.bsky.social
I’m looking forward to speaking at the Atwater Library at 12:30 pm on November 6. Montreal plays a big part in the story I tell about Benjamin Franklin wanting to annex Canada. He set the stage for Donald Trump. My book is published by @dundurnpress.bsky.social
#hedidnotconquer #cdahist #cdaus
Ad for a talk by Madelaine Drohan about her book, He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada, at the Atwater Library in Montreal on Nov. 6 at 12:30. There is a photo of the author on the left. She has short grey hair, wears glasses, and is smiling. There is a photo of the book cover on the right. The title is superimposed on a portrait of Franklin, who appears to be frowning. Below the images is text giving the details of the event.
October 31, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
ravenspoint.bsky.social
Received my 8th COVID19 vaccination. Not only super effective against COVID with no bad side effects, recent studies show it revs up the immune system against other challenges, including cancer. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Study finds mRNA coronavirus vaccines prolonged life of cancer patients
A study found that covid-19 vaccines appeared to awaken the immune system in lung and skin cancer patients, helping them live longer than those not vaccinated.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Before Donald Trump in 2025, before James Madison in 1812, Benjamin Franklin had designs on Canada. Find out how Franklin, a scientist, diplomat, trend setter, and writer of fake news, set the stage for Donald Trump.
This is an invitation to a book launch. On the left is an image of the book cover. The title is: He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin's Failure to Annex Canada. And the author is Madelaine Drohan. The words are superimposed on a portrait that show Franklin frowning. On the right are the details of the launch, which takes place between 5-7 pm at Ben McNally Books, at 108 Queen Street East, Toronto. The author will give remarks at 5:45 pm.
October 30, 2025 at 6:35 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
“What think you of a North American Monarchy?” John Adams, one of the founding fathers, asked a friend in October 1775. “Suppose We should appoint a Continental King, and a Continental House of Lords, and a Continental House of Commons, to be annually, or triennially or Septennially elected?”
An old-fashioned, sepia-toned image of John Adams. There is an ornate frame around the image. Adams is balding and is wearing a dark jacket with a high collar and a white neck cloth. The words below the image note he was president of the United States.
October 29, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
vulgarhistory.bsky.social
Mary Shelley famously wrote Frankenstein while on a summer-long sleepover party with guests including Lord Byron.

On today’s podcast, we need to talk about Lord Byron. Joining us is @msemilyedwards.bsky.social who has plenty to say about this F***boi of Literature pod.link/1489560920/e...
October 29, 2025 at 2:53 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
What a pleasure it was to speak this week with Tom Fournier of the @historysymposium.bsky.social about my book, published by @dundurnpress.bsky.social. I gave the high points of Benjamin Franklin’s designs on Canada.

#cdaus #cdapoli #cdahist #hedidnotconquer

youtu.be/IySBOsrhFE8?...
Madelaine Drohan: He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada
YouTube video by History Symposium
youtu.be
October 25, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
tom4141tom.bsky.social
I really enjoyed meeting Madelaine and talking about this fascinating topic!

What! Annex Canada? Stay away!

@mdrohan.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM
mdrohan.bsky.social
We all have self-proclaimed victims in our lives who are difficult to deal with. Imagine facing them across a negotiating table when the stakes are high. That's where PM Carney finds himself now.
#cdaus #cdahist #CIC #hedidnotconquer
Canada’s Difficulty in Dealing with the Victim-in-Chief - Open Canada
Two and a half centuries after Benjamin Franklin cast the young United States as the aggrieved party to pry concessions from Britain, the same playbook appears to be back in circulation.
opencanada.org
October 20, 2025 at 1:48 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Did Benjamin Franklin’s failure to annex Canada set the stage for Donald Trump and his talk of the 51st state? I’ll be discussing that and other questions at a Canadian International Council meeting Oct. 21. Open to the public (see poster for details).
#cdaus #cdapoli #cdahist #hedidnotconquer
This is a poster for an October 21st event at the national capital branch (Ottawa) of the Canadian International Council. It shows a photo of the speaker, Madelaine Drohan, and a photo of the moderator, Melanie Walker. It also shows the cover of Madelaine Drohan’s book, which is called He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada. It gives the details of where the event will take place: 150 Elgin Street, suite 1800, Ottawa, and the time 6:30pm.
October 18, 2025 at 1:22 AM
mdrohan.bsky.social
It was standing room only tonight at the Ottawa launch of A Capital Mystery, an anthology of crime stories set in Canada’s capital. So proud of my friend, Nancy Pawlek, and her short story, The Incident in Bytown.
#mystery #books #Ottawa #crimewriters #canada
The cover of a book called A Capital Mystery. It shows the Peace Tower in the centre block of Ottawa’s parliament buildings. High up in the tower is a silhouette of a woman holding a gun. Facing the tower is a man in a trench coat and fedora, seen from behind. He too is holding a gun.
October 17, 2025 at 12:16 AM
mdrohan.bsky.social
I’m really pleased @theglobeandmail.com said my book He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada (@dundurnpress) is a must-read. Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st state have made it relevant.
#hedidnotconquer #cdaus #cdahist #dundurn

www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/book...
Here are 61 books to add to your must-read list this fall
New memoirs from Margaret Atwood and Arundhati Roy, buzzy fiction by Mona Awad and more notable reads this season
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Dropped into #Indigo at the Rideau Centre today. No matter how many books you write, it is a good feeling the first time you see copies on display.
#hedidnotconquer @dundurnpress.bsky.social #cdaus #cdahist
Woman standing in a book store, smiling, holding two copies of the book, He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada. She is wearing a blue raincoat. There is a table piled with books beside her.
October 8, 2025 at 4:44 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
It will be interesting to see if Mr. Trump repeats his claim that Canada should become part of the US today. Equally interesting will be how Mr. Carney deals with it.
#hedidnotconquer #cdaus #cdahist #dundurnpress
Mark Carney’s radical vision for handling Trumpian America
Liberalise at home and lead a new free-trade revolution
economist.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:07 AM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Well worth reading, right to the end.

#Canada #cdaUS #cdahistory #hedidnotconquer

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: This is what the opening move of the U.S.’s attempted annexation of Canada could look like
A Trump annexation effort would likely start in the North. It’s time to take the possibility seriously and have a hard conversation about Canada’s maritime Arctic sovereignty
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 4, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
vulgarhistory.bsky.social
Throughout his life, Benjamin Franklin nursed a not-so-secret desire to annex Canada and make it American.
But he failed, over and over again.
Author Madelaine Drohan has written all about this in her new book, He Did Not Conquer. And she joins us on the podcast to tell all! pod.link/1489560920/e...
October 3, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Madelaine Drohan
jackelhai.bsky.social
"A not-so-secret desire to annex Canada."

Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @mdrohan.bsky.social & @dundurnpress.bsky.social!

Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
October 3, 2025 at 2:26 PM
mdrohan.bsky.social
Having a book signing at a pool is slightly unconventional. But book lovers can be found everywhere!

#hedidnotconquer #cdaus #cdahist #dundurnpress
This is a photo of a book signing at an indoor pool. The author is sitting at a picnic table, with a pen in her hand. She is talking to a man sitting beside her. Two other swimmers, a man and a woman wearing swimming costumes, are standing to her left, listening.
October 3, 2025 at 12:29 PM