Unlike the other American colonies that have grown to develop their own patriotic identity, Nova Scotia still retained the identity of a colony. This was understandable considering that most inhabitants of Nova Scotia held direct family and economic ties with New England. This was from the fact that most inhabitants had been recent immigrants from New England. This was further complicated by the geographical terrain of Nova Scotia. Most inhabitants had preferred to settle along the peninsula. The challenge that came with this was that infrastructure was not highly developed. This meant that communication between the inhabitants from one region to the next was a huge problem. In any case, if any feelings of patriotism and rebellion were to be instigated, communication aimed at marshaling support was very important. How then could this be achieved while the infrastructure was so underdeveloped? It did not help that the British military maintained such a strong presence in the region that it is understandable if it scared off any person that may have held ideas of rebelling. As that, the people of Nova Scotia viewed themselves as an off shore extension to the crown as opposed to Americans being colonized by the crown.
While geopolitical factors did influence the people of Nova Scotia from rising up, the Great Awakening of Nova Scotia from 1760-1791 did transform the people of Nova Scotia into being politically neutral. The sociopolitical environment of Nova Scotia was such that the Christianity was the only unifying factor in the otherwise deeply segmented society. Understandably then, the people of Nova Scotia rallied behind religious leaders as opposed to political leaders. It is with this background that Henry Alline of the Congregational church began his rise to prominence. Through his charisma, confidence and ability to canvass through the rural Nova Scotia, Henry Alline was able to build a strong following in the colony. Most people loved his message and how he presented it with confidence and vigor. Put in mind that the inhabitants had little if any unity among themselves, this created a vacuum that Henry Alline through his preaching was able to fill. He in essence become a unifying factor in Nova Scotia and with that gained great political and social influence. Gradually, the identity and ideology of the inhabitants began to form around Alline and his teachings. As regards to the war, Alline’s teachings were simple; the war was a sinful act and people should refrain from it.
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Conclusion
In war, perception is matters if one seeks to garner support. While to the rest of the American colonies it was patriotic, to the people of Nova Scotia it was shameful to rebel. They strove to remain as a beacon of light in an otherwise violent world as based on the teachings of Alline.
