Acadia 1621-1755Acadia 1621-1755

LG – To analyse the principal characteristics of the French and English colonial experience inCanada.

Success CriteriaSuccess CriteriaI can identify where the Acadians

lived.

I can identify who the Acadians are.

I can analyse the Acadians’ alliances, and collaborators.

I can evaluate the Acadians’ fate.

AcadiaAcadia

Acadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia’s Turbulent HistoryIn the early 17th century,

aristocratic French families fought over access to the fur trade and territory in New France.

Over Acadia’s 150 year history, there were frequent conflicts with French aristocrats, the Dutch, English, and English colonials.

Acadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia was an important colony

as far as cod-fishing was concerned ◦An important part of France’s

imperialistic economy.

It was not as glamorous as the West Indies (sugar, rum, and slaves) or Quebec (fur trade).

Acadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia’s Turbulent HistoryAs a result, Acadians became less

dependant on France.

Bonds between the Acadians and the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet grew quite strong.

The Acadian culture grew over the years, and became distinctly different from other French colonies.

Acadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia’s Turbulent HistoryFrom 1635-1645, Acadia was

controlled by two feuding French families ◦The La Tour and the d’Aulnay

families.

This family feud was like a civil war for the Acadians.

Acadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia’s Turbulent HistoryCharles d’Aulnay gained control of

Acadia, by taking Fort La Tour while La Tour was away. ◦ It was being controlled by his wife at the

time.

Madame de la Tour plead for the lives of her men. ◦They were all hanged. ◦She died 3 weeks later and La Tour fled

to Quebec.

Acadia’s Turbulent HistoryAcadia’s Turbulent HistoryIn 1650, d’Aulnay drowned and La

Tour returned to Acadia and married d’Aulnay’s widow Jeanne.

La Tour was governor of Acadia for another year until it fell to the British … again.

La Tour was sent to England as a prisoner.◦He returned to Acadia as a fur trader and

died in 1666 with Jeanne by his side.

Outside ThreatsOutside ThreatsBetween 1627-1763, Acadia

changed hands between the warring French and English and New Englanders 14 times.

Acadians had found more in common with the New Englanders than they did with French powers.◦New England became a major trading

partner for Acadia

Outside ThreatsOutside ThreatsIn 1713, France gave up its rights to

Acadia with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht.

As a result, Acadians became British subjects.

However, there were no confirmed borders which everyone agreed with.

Outside ThreatsOutside Threats1713, the Acadians had to swear

an allegiance to the British crown.

They could maintain their Catholic religion, but their priests would come from Quebec, not France.

The Acadians didn’t put up too much of a fuss, they figured that the change was temporary.

Outside ThreatsOutside ThreatsThe English needed the Acadians

to feed the English soldiers.

The English also benefited from the Acadians’ friendship with the Mi’kmaq.

What could possibly go wrong?

Expulsion of the AcadiansExpulsion of the Acadians

Hmmmm…..Hmmmm…..Another cultural genocide in

Canada?

Expulsion of the AcadiansExpulsion of the Acadians