The History of Acadia and Fort Louisburg

1. The History of Acadia and Fort Louisburg

2. Location Acadia started in the late 1600’s. It is a settlement located off the East Coast (Nova Scotia) along the St. Lawrence river. The location of it is key to its historical significance. Because the St. Lawrence was the main route of transportation for the French and also played a very important role in the fur trade the British and French both wanted this piece of land. It was constantly undergoing a change in ownership. Both the French and British also saw it as a good piece of land to have from a military point of view, if one or the other got permanent hold on it they could control all traffic going in and out of the St. Lawrence. For years the French and English fought over Acadia. Because they never had a secure government the Acadians learned to be more self sufficient then the other British and French settlers.

4. The Way of Life The Way of Life • ► they adapted to farming, livestock breeding, hunting and fishing as a way of survival • ►there main crops where wheat, fruit and vegetables • ►They had easy access to both the St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean so they used it to there advantage, they made dikes, which are man made ponds used to water farms • ►they secretly traded meat with the settlers in New England • ►they lived in log houses where the inside walls where covered in clay to fill cracks and keep the house warm • ►using there resources they made candles, soap and built furniture, • ►in the spring they would make maple syrup and beer, in the winter the spun wool and flax for clothes and tanned leather for shoes or harnesses • ►When someone in the community got married the whole village would help clear land and build a house

5. The People ■ Despite the ownership of Acadia constantly changing most of the settlers where French and spoke French, although some English settlers where accepted to the community ■ the Acadians where a very close community, when they where going through the constant change of leadership between French and Englis h they learned to lean on each other for support ■By 1671 the population of Acadia was only 400, by 1750 the Acadian population had grown by about 10,000

6. Control of Acadia • For years the British and the French fought over Acadia, constantly re-gaining control from the other just to have it taken back again. • In 1713 Britain got permanent control over Acadia. The Acadians weren't worried about the situation since they had experienced it many times before, but when conflicts with the English made life harder they started to get concerned. They knew they could abandon their homes quickly and flee into the woods if necessary. The Acadians knew the many trails and hideaways in the woods that the British didn't know. The British, after a few decades were uneasy with their French-speaking population, leading to a disastrous end result.

7. Fort Louisburg Fort Louisburg is an originally French fort built on an island at the entrance to the St. Lawrence in the 1720’s. Today the island is known as Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The French built the fort here for a very specific reason, they could control all traffic entering or leaving New France through the St. Lawrence in times of hardships or war. The English soon realized the potential of owning the fort and they wanted it, for years they fought and fought over it but in the end the British won. Facts and Flaws »it was built on a natural harbour »the walls where abut 3m thick and 10m high »they surrounded it by a moat, with only 3 gates and a few wharves to gain entry »it had the potential for 148 canons »because of the land many goods had to be imported for the settlers »because of the constant change of leadership from French to English they had to learn to live with both ways of life and just flop back and forth