History Browser

Families from France first settled in Acadie in the 1630s. In the early 1680s, Pierre Melanson and Marguerite Mius d'Entremont and their children moved from Port-Royal to found Grand-Pré ...

Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada commemorates Grand-Pré area as a centre of Acadian settlement from 1682 to 1755 and the Deportation of the Acadians, which began in 1755 and continued until 1762.

The resumption of hostilities saw French privateers from Port-Royal attacking ships from New England. The British colonies made two unsuccessful attempts to take the French port before a final expedition supported by British troops and the Royal Navy succeeded in 1710.

Under both the French and the British, the residents of Les Mines exhibited a strong spirit of independence, made possible in part because of the distance separating them from the authorities at Port-Royal/Annapolis Royal.

Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst National Historic Site of Canada commemorates the first permanent European settlement on Prince Edward Island. Its history is recounted here as a colonial outpost in the Franco-British struggle for dominance in North America.

Through this difficult period, most Acadians adhered to the policy of neutrality, which had been recognized by the Nova Scotia authorities in a qualified oath of allegiance sworn before Governor Philipps in 1729 and 1730.

Description of a television episode on the Acadian Deportation. The British felt threatened by the presence of French settlers in Acadia - a peaceful population of Acadians who refused to swear an oath to the English King. The Acadian settlements were destroyed, their possessions confiscated, and the Acadians were sent into exile. This episode is part of the "Canada: A People's History" series. Includes links to educational resources, bibliography, games, puzzles, and video clips.