HMS Victory

In the summer of 2010, I was on a trip through Portsmouth, England, and went aboard the HMS Victory ship that is preserved as a museum. The Victory was flagship in the battle of Trafalgar, commanded by Lord Nelson.

 

Of course, the battle of Trafalgar (1805) was a pivotal point in the war between England and the combined powers of both Spain and France (Napoleon). 27 British ships defeated 33 French/Spanish ships in the battle due to the superior tactics of Lord Nelson. Nelson himself was wounded and died on the ship. 

This established Britain's supremacy on the sea once and for all, and enabled the expansion of the British Empire at the expense of both the French and Spanish. Shortly thereafter, the British defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. 

How does this relate to Socials 10? Britain's control of the ocean of course affected Canada, because it is always better to be on the winning team. For example, the US quickly decided that invading Canada in 1812 was a poor decision because it meant challenging Britain's naval power in the Atlantic.