Which of the following describes the path to independence of Canada and the United States?
Both Canada and the United States achieved independence from British rule through a combination of political resistance, armed conflict, and diplomatic negotiations. The American Revolution, which began in 1775, resulted in the United States declaring independence in 1776 and formally gaining independence in 1783 after the Treaty of Paris.
Canada's path to independence was more gradual, beginning with the Quebec Act of 1774, which granted religious freedoms to French Catholics in Canada and expanded the boundaries of the Quebec colony. Over the next century, Canada gained more autonomy through legislative reforms and the establishment of responsible government in the mid-19th century. Canada officially became a self-governing dominion within the British Empire with the passage of the British North America Act in 1867, which laid the foundation for the country's eventual independence and the creation of the Canadian Confederation. Canada achieved full independence with the passage of the Statute of Westminster in 1931.