Stuff You Missed in History Class: The Expulsion of the Acadians

Introduction

• Hosts: Tracy V Wilson & Holly Frye
• Highly requested topic: Expulsion of the Acadians from the maritime provinces of Canada and northern Maine starting in 1755.
  • Listeners asked about this topic since the podcast began.
  • Description: British expelled French-speaking Acadians, many ended up in Louisiana.

Background

Early History of Acadia

• Acadia: Region in Northeastern North America, home to First Nations and Native American peoples for thousands of years.
• European claims:
  • John Cabot for England (1498)
  • Jacques Cartier for France (1534)
• Acadia's first Europeans: Fishermen and trappers long before permanent settlements.
• 1604: Samuel Champlain founded the colony of La Cadie near the Saint John River.

Relationship with Indigenous Peoples

• Acadians and the Mi'kmaq:
  • Mi'kmaq taught settlers to hunt, fish, and use natural resources.
  • Acadians relied on Mi'kmaq support, traded, and allied with them.
• Cultural integration:
  • Many marriages between French colonists and Mi'kmaq women.

British-French Conflict

• Acadia frequently changed hands between Britain and France.
• Key conflicts:
  • King William’s War (1689-1697)
  • Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713)

Pre-Expulsion Tensions

• Treaty of Utrecht (1713): England gains Nova Scotia, Acadians can stay as British subjects or move.
• Acadians avoid unconditional loyalty oaths to Britain due to threat of fighting against French and Mi'kmaq allies.
• Continued British-French conflicts heighten tensions; Acadians labeled as "neutral French."

The Expulsion (1755)

• Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War) reignites tensions.
• Governor Charles Lawrence and Massachusetts Governor William Shirley decide to deport Acadians.
• Deportation plan: Disperse Acadians to prevent regrouping.
• Mass expulsion begins in 1755; Acadians rounded up and shipped out.
• Deportees face starvation, disease, and family separations; thousands die.

Consequences and Aftermath

• Dispersal locations: East coast, Caribbean, France, and eventually Louisiana.
• Discrimination and hardship for Acadians and their descendants (Cajuns).
• The culture continues, forming a key part of the Cajun identity in Louisiana.

Cultural Impact and Recognition

• "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1847) popularizes Acadian expulsion story.
• Modern acknowledgment:
  • 2003: Queen Elizabeth II's proclamation for a Day of Commemoration.

Conclusion

• Expulsion had a lasting impact on Acadian and Cajun identities.
• Ongoing efforts to recognize and preserve Acadian and Mi'kmaq culture and rights.

Additional Notes

• Acadian expulsion parallels other historical forced migrations.
• British-Massachusetts role in expulsion often overlooked.
• Historical narrative shaped by later interpretations and romanticizations.