This video is sponsored in part by Curiositystream Canada and The United States of America The two biggest countries in North America We coexist together because we're all Canadian, we're part of Canada and we're bonding together against the common enemy... The United States (laughs) What a horrible country. I live there now, they're the most un-Canadian people you will ever meet in your life. (laughs) Nah, actually...Both
have a lot in common... Woah, are we really gonna do this? Ok, let’s do this… Both have very close cultural and economic
ties. So actually, both are two of the biggest countries
in the world. Canada is slightly bigger than the United
States. Both share the world’s longest border between
two countries. The border stretches 5,525 miles….or...I
mean, 8,891 kilometers. Yeah while Canada has officially adopted the
metric system as a whole, the United States is only one of three countries in the entire
world that hasn’t. That said, plenty of Canadians don’t always
use the metric system to measure stuff, and plenty of Americans do often use the metric
system. Anyway, let’s stick with more similarities
first, ok? Both are two of the wealthiest, most developed
countries in the world. Immigrants have flocked to both countries
for economic opportunity for centuries, which is why major cities in both are some of the
mostly ethnically diverse in the world. Both have mixed economies and have a progressive
tax system on income. However, Canadians definitely pay higher taxes
overall. Oh lots of trading be going on between the
two. The United States is Canada’s largest trading
partner, and Canada is consistently a top three trading partner for the United States. Both are in NATO and have historically fought
as allies in wars. Both have lots of natural resources. Both have a wide variety of climates and rainfall
patterns. Both are democratic. Specifically, the United States is a democratic
republic, and Canada is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. Both are growing at about the same rate. (C- .7%, US- .8%) Residents of both generally like their space. Indeed, everything is more spread out in both
countries. Both have mostly the same holidays. Uh, yeah, they both celebrate Thanksgiving,
but of course not on the same day. Americans celebrate it on the fourth Thursday
of November. Canadians celebrate it on the second Monday
of October. This is partially because Americans associate
the holiday more with the Pilgrims coming over, while Canadians associate it more with
the harvest festival in general. Hey you know what? Let’s get into some history. But before we do that here’s a word from
our sponsor. Oh...me. Oh, I guess I'm the one who is telling you about the sponsor because that's how it usually is. Yeah so This video is sponsored by Curiositystream,
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just $14.99 for the whole YEAR. Thanks to Curiositystream for sponsoring this
video. And for this next part of the video, my friend
Mr. Betts from the channel Drawn of History told me that he would just turn me into a cartoon
if I jumped into my computer. Let’s try this out, shall we? Ok then! Let's do this! Well the earliest humans in what would later
become both countries had settled nearly all of North America by 12,000 years ago. The Norse came to North America, maybe as
far south as modern-day United States but certainly modern-day Canada, around 1,000
years ago. Throughout the 1500s, European explorers came
searching for riches and to take over and convert indigenous peoples to their religion. The big three countries to explore, conquest,
convert, and colonize were Spain, England, and France. The Dutch and Swedes also had small claims,
as well and the Russians out west later on. Ultimately, future Canada and a big chunk
of the future United States would be fought over by the British and French, while the
Spanish held onto claims for another big chunk of the future United States up into future
Canada. (jumping out of computer) By the early 1700s, around a few thousand
Spanish, 16,000 French, and 300,000 English settlers lived in modern-day United States
and Canada. That alone should tell you the direction the
future would go, but first, a few wars between France and Britain. The biggest one, the Seven Years’ War, well
specifically the French and Indian War, led to Britain taking over all previously held
French-territory in mainland North America. Britain was feeling pretty good about themselves,
until 13 of its colonies decided to all up and declare independence a few years after
this. Today, Americans celebrate July 4, 1776 as
their country’s birthday, as that was the day the Second Continental Congress adopted
the Declaration of Independence. After the American War of Independence, Britain
lost most of its North American colonies, but it did hold on to future Canada. Many of the Loyalists during that war, or
folks who wanted to stay loyal to Britain, ended up fleeing the United States to future
Canada. The United States was truly an experiment. It was the first government that went all
in for the Enlightenment ideals of liberalism and republicanism, completely rejecting royalty
and the aristocracy, while calling for prioritizing the protection of natural rights. It was the first major group of colonies to
successfully revolt against colonial rule, and inspired the rest of the world. Meanwhile, in 1791, Britain established Upper
Canada and Lower Canada. Lower Canada still had a predominantly French
population. Also by that time there were the colonies
of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In 1803, the United States bought Louisiana
from France, doubling the size of the country. Now let’s jump ahead to the War of 1812. Most Canadians today know all about the War
of 1812, and love to point out how this was the war when British forces burnt down the
White House. Most Americans barely know anything about
the War of 1812, so hey Americans, why don’t you educate yourselves on it, ok? Mr. Betts has just released a video
about it over on his new channel Drawn of History. Go watch it right now and come back or watch
it later or something I don’t know this is a collaboration ok, yes we planned to release
these videos at the same time, it’s a conspiracy! Anyway, yeah so the future Canadians and Americans
battled it out in the War of 1812, but really it was a draw. One thing for sure after that war- things
have been relatively peaceful between the two countries ever since. Well, there was the Oregon boundary dispute. As both the United Kingdom and the United
States looked to continue expanding westward, both had signed the Treaty of 1818 to settle
boundary disputes and to jointly settle in Oregon Country. However, as more and more American settlers
came to Oregon by the 1840s, tensions got a little hot between the two. Fortunately, they resolved it with the Oregon
Treaty, splitting up Oregon at the 49th Parallel so that the United Kingdom got the northern
half and the United States got the southern half. That 49th parallel today makes up much of
the border between the United States and Canada. I guess later there was also a dispute between
Alaska and the United Kingdom as well once gold was discovered in the Yukon, but that
was settled relatively easily. Back to the 1840s, the United States annexed
the Republic of Texas, eventually leading to a war with Mexico, which the United States
won and then got the northern half of Mexico due to uh...winning that war. A few years later, it got its modern contiguous
borders after the Gadsden Purchase. During the American Civil War, future Canada
officially stayed neutral, although tens of thousands of men from future Canada enlisted
to help the Union forces. Most from future Canada, after all, were against
slavery by this time, and future Canada had long been a final destination for runaway
slaves through the Underground Railroad. The British had gotten rid of slavery back
in 1834. Anyway, a couple years after the Union was
preserved and the 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States, Canada actually became
a country. Well, kind of. Mostly. They were a dominion...still technically part
of the British Empire, but self-governing. Today Canada Day is kind of like the 4th of
July or Independence Day in the States. Canadians celebrate it on the anniversary
of the Canadian confederation being established on July 1, 1867 in which the three colonies
of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick united. So here is how Canada looked at the time,
but over the following decades it expanded dramatically. And the United States tried to expand overseas. After getting Alaska, it aggressively found
itself trying to gain a bunch of islands who mostly were not too happy being taken over….kind
of like all those Native Americans who had their lands stolen over the previous two centuries. Canadians generally did not treat indigenous
peoples much better as they expanded. Both countries discriminated against people
of color, and segregation was the norm into the first half of the 1900s. Most reforms in both countries during that
time, such as women finally getting the right to vote, followed a similar pattern during
that time. Canada and the United States were close allies
during both the World Wars. While the United Kingdom put Canada with full
equal standing with it in 1931, most Americans have no idea that Canada didn’t truly become
a completely independent country until 1982 after it adopted its own constitution. After World War Two, both countries went through
very prosperous times and continued to follow similar paths with reforms. However, Canada went a bit further with its
government programs and has been more left leaning, and this trend continues to this
day. Canada also seems to have gone in a more progressive
direction earlier. For example, it legalized same sex marriage
10 years before the United States. Today, many of the differences between Canada
and the United States are linked to the fact that Canada stayed loyal to Britain for many
years after the United States became a country after breaking away from Great Britain. Most Americans love Canada. Less Canadians adore the United States, but
still...they get along so freaking well. The United States has more people. A lot more people. (US- 331.7 million, C- 37.7 million) In fact,
it has NINE times as many people, and has the third largest population in the world. CALIFORNIA has more people than Canada. Remember, Canada is slightly bigger in size
and is the second-largest country in the world by area, followed only by Russia. However, most of this area has few residents
due to it being oh so very, very cold. 90% of Canadians actually live within 100
miles of the U.S. border. Uh, and yeah, let’s look at the climate
more closely. Canada is perhaps obviously colder being further
north, even if you include comparing it to Alaska. Most of Canada’s climate zones are affected
by very cold air from the Arctic region. There are exceptions. Along the southwestern coast of Canada, there
is mostly an oceanic climate. Much of southern Canada has various types
of continental or arid climates. However, the vast majority of Canada is subarctic,
and much of it is also tundra. The furthest northern areas of Canada are
even permanently under ice. The United States is obviously warmer overall,
but basically has every climate zone imaginable. From the rainforests of Hawaii to the tundra
of Alaska, from the humid subtropical climate of most of the south and part of the Midwest,
to the deserts of the western portions of the country. Heck, you’ll see several different climate
types within one state. The wettest parts of the country get as much
as 275 inches (698 cm) of precipitation each year. On the other hand, Death Valley, which is
often not only the driest but hottest place in the country, barely gets more than 2 inches
(5 cm) of precipitation each year. Canada has just as crazy of a difference. The driest parts of the country, up in Nunavut,
get just over 3 inches (7.6 cm) of rain each year, and Henderson Lake, on Vancouver Island,
gets more than 287 inches (730.4 cm) each year! It gets more rainfall than any other place
in North America. There are 50 states in the United States,
and also a federal district, five self-governing territories, and several other random island
possessions. Canada has ten provinces and three territories. The life expectancy is higher in Canada. (US- 78.9, C- 82.5) Related to this, Canada
has universal healthcare, the United States does not. Yeah, politically, the United States is more
conservative on most issues. The median age is higher in Canada. (C- 42.4, US- 38.2) Canada has two official
languages- English and French. The majority of Quebec residents speak French
as a first language. The United States has no official language,
but the two most common languages are English and Spanish. The poverty rate is higher in the United States(C-
8.7%, US- 10.5%), although Canadians measure their poverty rate differently so perhaps
that is misleading. The United States also has worse debt, as
a percentage of GDP. (C-89.7%, US- 98.2%) However, the median household
income is higher in the United States. Football, or American football that is, is
the most popular sport in the United States, whereas ice hockey is the most popular sport
in Canada. Major League Baseball and the National Basketball
League both have 29 American teams and 1 Canadian team. Those Canadian teams in both leagues are based
in Toronto, which indeed is a city that feels like it actually could be in the United States. The cost of living is generally higher in
the United States. At the time of this recording, one Canadian
dollar was worth about 76 cents, meaning Americans visiting Canada get more of a better deal. Normally there is lots of movement going back
and forth between the countries, but less so obviously during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking of the pandemic, Canada has fared
with it better than the United States. Canadians are generally less religious. For those who are religious, more identify
as Roman Catholic, whereas in the United States more identify as Evangelical Protestant. A higher percentage of Canadians have college
degrees, although the United States is known for having some of the best colleges in the
world. And yeah, Canada spends more on education. Despite agriculture being much more of a big
deal in the United States, more Americans live in urban areas. Sure, almost 80% of Canadians live in urban
areas, but 80% of the entire country is uninhabited. Most of Canada is straight up wilderness,
and it has more wilderness than any other country other than Russia. Just about 18% of the United States is wilderness. Major industries in Canada include mining,
healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. Major industries in the United States also
include healthcare and manufacturing, but additionally technology and retail. According to the World Happiness Report, Canadians
are happier than Americans. Canada is known for Tim Horton’s. The United States is known for Dunkin Donuts
and Starbucks. Well dang, while we’re at, the United States
is known for soo many freaking brands. Three of the five biggest companies in the
world, Wal-mart, Amazon, and Apple, are all based there. Probably the most well recognized symbol of
the United States is the bald eagle. The most well recognized symbol of Canada? The maple leaf. It’s even on the flag. The American flag has 13 stripes that represent
the original 13 colonies and 50 stars that represent the 50 states of the Union. The United States has a much bigger military. In fact, it easily has the largest military
in the world. No other country even comes close. Marijuana is completely legal in Canada, but
in some American states, it’s still illegal. Canada has less violent crime. The United States has a higher percentage
of its own citizens in prison than any other country in the world. That said, the United States is generally
a more free place. One example of this is censorship. Perhaps due to Americans placing a high value
on freedom of speech, you just hear and see more provocative and controversial stuff there. How about Canadian content, eh? The Canadian government actually requires
that radio and TV broadcasters, including cable and satellite channels, have to broadcast
at least a certain percentage of content that was at least partially created or presented
by Canadian residents. Fortunately for Canada, LOTS of great music
comes out of the country considering how much fewer folks live there. But yeah, American culture is more influential
on the world. Throughout history, as the United States dominated
mass media, it also spread its culture around the world through music, movies, TV shows,
video games, and social media. There are two major reasons for this. One, a spirit of innovation throughout American
history, and two….just having a huge domestic market. With the majority of Americans speaking English,
they have also had access to a worldwide market of more than two billion English speakers. The United States is more nationalistic. If you tell a Canadian about the Pledge of
Allegiance, many of them would be a bit confused, to say the least. Canada stopped making pennies. The United States still does, for some reason? Canadians generally do know a lot more about
the United States than Americans know about Canada. Americans party harder. I have no scientific evidence to back this
up, but it’s probably true. Ok, let’s try to wrap this up. Overall, most of the differences between the
two are subtle. Like
Canadians apparently call these pencil crayons but Americans call them colored pencils and
Canadians call these washrooms and Americans call them bathrooms or restrooms. But honestly, folks like J.J. McCullough argue those differences are overrated. Because both countries are so dang big and
because there are so many regional differences, it’s been really difficult making this video
since many of these generalizations are misleading. Undoubtedly, the United States remains a superpower
in the world, and Canada is often in its shadow. However, both continue to thrive and really
do depend on each other, and yeah they really are two of my favorite countries. I mean no surprise, right? Full disclosure- I am an American, in case
you hadn’t figured it out by now. But I’ve been to Canada multiple times and I
really love it up there. I did also have a Canadian friend who really loves
the United States read over the script. That’d be the amazing J.J. McCullough. Thank you, J.J., for reading over the script. Also, in the summer of 2019 I totally predicted I
would make this video eventually man, and asked one of my other Canadian friends, Tristan from Step
Back History, to give me his thoughts about the similarities and differences between Canada and the United States. Canada has a lot of this of this patriotic feeling inside because, in many ways, the example of the United States is really the way Canada has developed its own identity, so we developed these ideas of "how can we be not-American?" and find our own ways of doing things while at the same time being, let's be honest, more or less exactly the same in a lot of cases. The majority of my regular viewers are from
one of these two countries, so I know you have LOTS more to add in the comments. So comment away! Also, don’t forget to check out my friend
Mr. Betts’ video about the War of 1812 over on his new channel Drawn of History. Yeah, it's a new channel, but it's already one of the best history channels on YouTube. Period. Check it out and subscribe. I'm telling you. And finally, here’s my monthly shout out
to my Patreon supporters who donate at least $10 or more a month to my channel. Beginning with my biggest donors, Matt Standish,
Elcaspar, Sean Conant, Nik Everett, Alicia Solberg, Andrew B., Jacob Velasquez, Cody
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William Rousch, Thomas Oppenheim, Kyler James Reinhardt, Cal Stephens, and TheGeoScholar. Thank you all for donating, and thank YOU
for watching.
I like your videos, Mr. Beat.
Great vids!
Well done video. Bottom line for me after 22 minutes: the U.S. and Canada are much more alike than not, but I fully understand why Canadians desperately don't want to be in the shadow of their southern neighbor.