Acadia and the Great Deportation
Acadia was originally the Mi’kmaqs homeland until they established a trading partnership with the French and allowed them to settle on their lands. For both Britain and France Acadia was a good base for attacking each other and it was also good for protecting their colonies and trade routes. For the Mi’kmaq Acadia was just part of their homeland. The French and the Mi’kmaq got along well together. The two became allies together, but the Mi’kmaq did not consider themselves conquered by the French.
France had settlements in Acadia since 1604. These people called themselves the Acadians. They formed closely together with the Mi’kmaq and they had marriages between the two groups.
In 1713 Britain had taken control over Acadia. They won a war against the France in Europe (The war of the Spanish Succession).
Part of the deal was who ever won the war would gain control of Acadia. Britain did not want to make allies with the Mi’kmaq so they tried to push them off their land. They wanted the Acadians to leave within a year. But most Acadians did not want to give up their land so they stayed. In 1720, France built a huge military base, called Louisbourg. At the time it was part of Acadia that France said it still controlled. Britain responded 29 years later in 1749 with a military base of its own.
In 1730, Britain made the Acadian’s take an oath. The oath was that they required the Acadians to stay neutral if a war between France and Britain started. The Acadians accepted the oath. In 1755 they needed the Acadians to accept another oath. This time it was the “oath of allegiance”. The Oath required that the Acadians would fight for the Britain against the French. The Acadians refused and the British decided to deport the Acadians. Some Acadian’s escaped to New France and some found protection with the Mi’kmaq.
The Essay on Defence Of The Realm France Britain Canning
'Defence of the Realm' was the all-important pre-occupation for Castlereagh, but not for Canning. Castlereagh was successful at defending the interests of Britain at the Vienna settlement in 1815. However, it was Canning between 1822-27 who maintained the 'Defence of the realm, but simultaneously built a stronger trading foundation and demonstrated that Britain was able to go it alone. The ...
Between 1755 and 1763 Britain captured eleven thousand Acadians and sent them to the thirteen colonies, to England and France. The Acadians and the Mi’kmaq were friends and this affected the Mi’kmaq.
Focus Questions
1. Why did the Mi’kmaq let the French settle on their land?
2. Why did both France and Britain want control of Acadia?
In this picture the Acadians are being shipped away by the British.
Teacher’s Guide
1. The reason was because the Mi’kmaq beliefs were that they only took what they needed and they did not need all of the land so they shared it with the French. Also the French and the Mi’kmaq had an alliance together and they had formed a trading partnership.
2. Both Britain and France wanted to gain control over Acadia because it represented a good base for attacking each other, and it was also good for protecting their colonies and trade routes. Also it was by the land, there were a lot of resources and by the water so it was good for transportation.