by Frances Stanford

Created on: June 24, 2009   Last Updated: January 24, 2010

"Acadian" is the name given to the French-speaking people of Atlantic Canada. These people have lived around the shores of the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in what are now New Brunswick and Nova Scotia for almost four centuries. They are the descendants of the first French settlers who came to New France in the 17th century with Pierre Gua du Monts and Samuel de Champlain.

The Acadian region is one that has seen many wars fought over the lands for many years. The battles between the France and England spread across the sea as the two countries fought over control of what is now Canada. The English colonies that were later to become the United States were closer to Acadia than they were to the other French settlements on the continent and many of the English settlers traded with the French-speaking people. In the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Britain was given control of the region.

The tiny colony of Acadia kept growing and as the numbers of settlers increased they began to spread out into the surrounding countryside establishing farms and communities. They built dykes along the marshlands of the Bay of Fundy in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. This made the land rich and fertile for growing crops. They harvested their own food from the land and kept herds of livestock. They traded for such products as molasses, tools and fabrics. They became a self-sustaining community.

Up until 1713, the leaders of the Acadian communities tended to be driven away with the British attacks. Because they had learned that they could not depend on help from the government in France, they learned how to survive without their help and so became very independent. Although they established their homes in this land, they considered themselves neither French nor English.

Soon after Britain gained control of Acadia in 1713, the British governors decided that they needed to try to live peacefully with this French-speaking people. The Acadians agreed to abide by the British laws but they refused to swear allegiance to the British crown and agree to fight against France should there be another conflict. The governors would not accept this and decided that they needed to be rid of the Acadians, calling the people "Acadian neutrals." Still they continued to live peacefully.

Several situations developed that would change this peaceful co-existence. In 1744, France attempted to regain control of the region and in 1749, the British established the city of Halifax. Many British

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