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Acadian Deportation. Far Asunder, on separate coasts, the Acadians landed…Friendless, homeless, hopeless, they wandered from city to city. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow , Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie.
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Acadian Deportation Far Asunder, on separate coasts, the Acadians landed…Friendless, homeless, hopeless, they wandered from city to city. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie
The Deportation, was the forced population transfer or ethnic cleansing of the Acadian population from Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and Cape Breton between 1755 and 1763. • It was ordered by British governor Charles Lawrence and the Nova Scotia Council.
Events Leading to the Deportation • The idea of solving the Acadian “problem” through full scale deportation, was not new. • It had existed since the late 1600s
Why in 1755? • War starts up again in 1756 – Seven Years War • The relationship between the French and the English had always been filled with animosity. • British worry Acadians will be disloyal, tried to make them swear an oath or be deported
In 1755 • That year, the British attacked the French Fort Beauséjour. • Within the walls of the fort, 300 Acadians were found. (forced) • Lost trust from Britain.
“Inveterate enemies” • Lawrence was raging mad over the amount of Acadians who had rallied to Beausejour’s defense. • He made sure that London found out about the 300 Acadians present at the Fort
One last chance • Governor Lawrence gave the Acadians one last opportunity to swear allegiance to the British Crown. • The Acadians again refused.
In the weeks that followed… • Lawrence, “Destroy all the villages….and use every other method of distress.” • John Winslow’s announcement in Grand Pre. • The men and boys of Grand Pre were startled to see their familiar churchyard transformed into an armed camp…Once everyone had assembled-418-had answered the summons-…Winslow, in his best brass-buttoned uniform, entered with a bevy of officers. The church fell silent. (Jobb 118).
Deportation of Acadians order, read by Winslow in Grand-Pré church
A Sad Fate • The British response was swift and unforgiving • Before 1755 was over, an estimated 6,000 Acadians - approximately three-quarters of their total population - were rounded up as prisoners and forced onto ships • Nearly half would die en route.