Amelia Catherine Butman
WST 301 – Rhea Cote Robbins
Final Paper
12/16/09


Acadians of the Early Settlements
&
Le Grand Dérangement

Slide1
Acadians have a historical background that influences much of the rest of Canada and the United States. From the early exploration of the land to the Deportation of 1755 to their present-day culture, Acadian women have played a significant role in North America’s history.
European colonists from west-central France first established the St. Croix Island in 1604, before Jamestown was established in 1608. However, the settlement was moved to Port Royal in 1605 due to a harsh winter and several deaths caused from scurvy.
The fur trade industry was thriving because of the immense role women played between the white settlers and the native men. Native women would marry European settlers to gain influence and status within their own native societies. “Because of their sex, Indian women were able to become an integral part of fur trade society in a sense that Indian men never could. As country wives of the traders, Indian women lived substantially different lives when they moved within the forts. Even within the tribes, women who acted as allies of the whites can also be observed; certain circumstances permitted individual women to gain positions of influence and act as “social brokers” between the two groups” (Kirk 42). These Acadian women, and Indian women alike, were seen as “women in between,” the direct connection to link the newly established New France and Europe. The outcome of these relationships was so immense that they could influence either side, the white settlers or the Indian natives, to create an economy that would benefit them best. “The Indian woman valued the economic advantage brought by the traders” so much that they were able to manipulate the trade system to gain the best materials and goods their native societies needed (Kirk 42).
Slide2
The marriage alliances greatly benefited the Indian tribes both through social and economic resources. European settlers seemed to benefit in high regards because of the domestication of Indian women. “Not only did [European settlers] fill the sexual void created by the absence of white women, but they performed such valuable economic tasks as making moccasins and netting snowshoes that they became an integral if unofficial part of the fur trade work force” (Kirk 42). While this was an excellent point for the settlers, Natives saw that “the martial alliance created a reciprocal social bond which served to consolidate his economic relationship with the trader” (Kirk 42). However, there are several negative factors the marriage alliances had on Indian women. Indian women were “more exposed to diseases, [and] the Indian wives of traders suffered more in childbirth than they had in the primitive state” (Kirk 50). Taboos quickly started in regards to the sexual activity of Indian women, “and evidence suggests that Indian men regarded their European counterparts as very licentious” (Kirk 50).
Slide3
Apart from this thriving industry, King Henry rescinded the royal fur monopoly of le Sieur de Monts forcing the last of the Acadians to leave Port Royal in August of 1607. King Henry’s excuse for revoking the monopoly was because he believed “that the income was insufficient to justify supplying the colony further” (Acadia). King Louis XIV confiscated the Acadians’ land and all the rights to it and the minerals found there would belong to Nicolas Denys, appointed by the King in 1674. The Dutch West India Company once again sought after Acadia in 1678 as a paper claim. Luckily, this claim was never successful. After the British defeated the French in King William’s War of 1690-1697, the British returned the land to the French in a peace treaty. However, the British recaptured it during Queen Anne’s War of 1702-1713. In 1713, the Acadian residents were given one year to pledge British allegiance or to leave the country. The Acadians stood their ground, though, and were prepared to establish Fortress Louisbourg on present-day Cape Breton Island. This caused the British to be weary of the Acadians and suspect disloyalty among the Natives.
Slide4
At the onset of the French and Indian War in 1755, the British attacked Acadian homes because they saw them as disloyal and for taking the French side. This led to the Great Deportation. Acadians who did not take the oath were forced to flee from Nova Scotia to France or other British American colonies. However, some maintained their French roots and escaped to the French-controlled part of Canada or into the Atlantic Canadian wilderness where they established French settlements, such as L’Acadie in Quebec. Some Acadians fled even further to Louisiana where the name “Acadian” had been progressed into “Cajun.” Britain did let some Acadians back into Nova Scotia, but they had to stay in small groups in former settlements, like Port Royal. Below is the proclamation given by Charles Lawrence through John Winslow:
“Gentlemen, - I have received from his Excellency, Governor Lawrence, the King's Commission which I have in my hand, and by whose orders you are conveyed together, to Manifest to you His Majesty's final resolution to the French inhabitants of this his Province of Nova Scotia, who for almost half a century have had more Indulgence Granted them than any of his Subjects in any part of his Dominions. Whatuse you have made of them you yourself Best Know. The Part of Duty I am now upon is what though Necessary is Very Disagreeable to my natural make and temper, as I Know it Must be Grievous to you who are of the Same Species. But it is not my business to annimadvert, but to obey Such orders as I receive, and therefore without Hesitation Shall Deliver you his Majesty's orders and Instructions, Vist:-
"That your Land & Tennements, Cattle of all Kinds and Livestocks of all Sorts are forfeited to the Crown with all other your effects Savings your money and Household Goods, and you yourselves to be removed from this Province.” (LeBlanc)
John Winslow had promised them his help and guidance in assuring that their belongings will be safe and secure. He told the Acadians, “I am Through his Majesty’s Goodness Directed to allow you Liberty to Carry of your money and Household Goods as Many as you Can without Discommoding the Vessels you Go in.” From this section, it seems as though Winslow wanted to aid the Acadians in any suffrage they might come upon. He leaves them with this, “[I] hope that in what Ever part of the world you may Fall you may be Faithful Subjects, a reasonable & happy people.” (LeBlanc)
Slide5
Known to the deportees as Le Grand Dérangement, the Great Deportation forced the Acadian population out of their rooted homeland to other British-controlled colonies between 1755 and 1763, such as the thirteen British North American colonies, France, Louisiana and Britain. Charles Lawrence the British governor and the Nova Scotia Council order the upheaval, leading to thousands of deaths. Both Canada and England had strong representation and criticism against the movement. Due to the Treaty of Utrecht on 1713, “tensions between the French and English that had existed in Acadia since the territory was ceded to the British” led to the Acadian removal. The British became weary of the loyalties the French held for the newly created colony of Nova Scotia, so they gave the native an ultimatum of swearing allegiance to Britain or be expelled from the region. After offering to swear neutrality, the loyal French population was cast out to succumb to the opinions and faces of regions that would not accept them. “Approximately 7,000 Acadians were deported during 1755” and about 2.700 Acadians died due to the poor health environment on the prison ships. Another 10,000 suffered severely in the winter of 1755-1756. According to British records, “There were approximately 23,000 Acadians before the deportation…, but only an estimated 10,000 survived.” (Expulsion of the Acadians)
The Mi’kmaq tribe in Quebec helped thousands of Acadians survive. Although they were being hunted, killed, and scalped by colonial rangers, the Mi’kmaq still helped hide the Acadians in the countryside to avoid deportation until everything settled down. The British seized their land and they were greatly reduced in numbers from the immigration wave of 1761. “Those Mi’kmaq who managed to elude the British provided crucial support to many refugee Acadians who were relatives.” However, the British colonies began passing laws “forbidding the groups [Acadians and Mi’kmaq] to speak or intermarry, but they were not successful in keeping the populations separated.” The Mi’kmaq aided the deportees in settling in New France colonies of Quebec and New Brunswick and others went back to Nova Scotia. During the American Revolution, however, the settlers would soon be relocated because of the Loyalist appearance. (Expulsion of the Acadians)
Slide6
New England, the Carolinas, Louisiana and several other ports soon filled with Acadian deportees. Louisiana at that time was controlled by Spain, who instantly greeted the Catholic Acadians. They settled around the Mississippi River and the prairies to the west, later renamed Acadiana. “During the 19th century, as Acadians reestablished their culture, ‘Acadian’ was elided locally into ‘Cajun’ ” (Expulsion of the Acadians). First arriving to the area, the Acadians wanted to develop a “New Acadia.” They asked Ulloa the Spanish governor for his support, but he urged them to wait. However, the Acadians, distraught and weak from disease and emotional distress, they went ahead and developed themselves further. Letters were sent to Acadians around the nation urging them to travel to Louisiana and settle there. “They were welcomed by authorities and offered land and assistance.” They region was filling up quickly, so Acadians that wanted to settle later were dispersed to areas around the Mississippi River “at key border points of the English/Spanish border. After all, the Spanish thought, there was no love lost between the Acadians and the English. They would make a good ‘buffer’.” (Herbert)
Soon a rebellion occurred in 1768 to remove Ulloa as the Spanish governor. In February of that year, families sent to San Luis de Natchez, which upset Ulloa. “The new governor, O’Reilly, allowed the San Luis de Natchez Acadians to travel to the Acadian Coast in December of 1769.” Because of tension created by the Spanish-Acadian conflicts over settled areas and the instability after the 1768 rebellion, no new families came to New Acadia from 1768 to 1785. At the onset of the Acadian arrival, the letters sent around the nation finally made their way to Acadian families in France. Henri Peyroux, traveler from Louisiana to France, received the help from Acadian Olivier Theriot to persuade to travel to New Acadia. Because of their immense about of dedication to the thriving settlement, “about 1600 Acadians travelled to Louisiana on seven ships, courtesy of the Spanish government.” Once this new wave of immigrants arrived in New Orleans, settlement sites were inspected to see if they were suitable for housing. About 84% of the new families lived in the homes picked out for them. The others settled elsewhere.
“Four of the seven groups primarily settled in the Bayou Lafourche area. Two of the seven groups primarily settled along the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge. The seventh group primarily settled along lower Bayou des Ecores.” (Herbert)
However, due to a hurricane in 1794, the Bayou des Ecores settlement merged with the Bayou Lafourche region. Any Acadians that came after this final great wave settled into the Acadian melting pot of New Orleans. All kinds of Acadian culture blossomed in Louisiana during this time. Some of the old rituals and celebrations altered over time and deportation. Religion, however, was a strong hold all Acadians could connect to with one another to keep their culture thriving. (Herbert)
Religion had a large influence on the newly established Acadian settlements. “While Acadia was under French rule, all settlers were required to be baptized in the Roman Catholic faith” (Acadia). Men from France were recruited to work in fishing trading companies in Acadian commercial posts before 1654. Gradually, the settlements grew with fishermen to add to the small population of Acadians. “The original settlers were indentured servants and soldiers brought by the fur-trading companies” (Acadia). Only about 100 surnames existed within the original immigrants, however. Early settlers married Mi’kmaq women, who were converted to Roman Catholicism. Peasants from Europe migrated to Acadia where they were not seen as inferior, but as equals because they did not have the same goods as the wealthy people of Europe. Extended families played large roles in the new settlements. They built homes and barns, and cultivated and harvested crops. The settlers even went as far as to build dikes to support the economic stability. Economic and social advantages were directly related to relationships. Marriages were arranged to promote the society’s morale and trade status. Mothers and father had to agree to the marriage and have it recorded in the marriage deed. To continue to promote good welfare, divorce was prohibited in New France, but legal separation was offered, however rarely used.
As you can see, it was very difficult to find any useful information about Acadian women in the early establishments of Canada. When “Acadian women Canada” is typed into Google, a large majority of the links is about today’s Acadian families who have set up their own websites to provide information about their own families’ heritage. The cite I have provided about the women’s role in the fur trade business was a reading assignment in my Introduction to Canadian Studies class this semester. I have found that the most interesting and intriguing aspect of studying Acadian women was learning about how Native women used the fur trade business to gain social status within their own societies. It seems that these early feminists took advantage of the weak situation and molded it into something they could easily control and benefit from. I would like to research more on how these women took advantage of the trading industry after they were forced to flee from Nova Scotia. I would like to even more importantly learn more about how these women were treated in these marriages and what negative aspects they had to encounter to strive, thrive, and survive in such complicated arrangements.

Bibliography:
"Acadia."
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 19 Oct 2009, 20:15 UTC. 21 Oct 2009
<</span>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Acadia&oldid=320862441>.

“Expulsion of the Acadians.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 30 Nov 2009, 20:14
UTC. 13 Dec 2009. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsion_of_the_Acadians>

Herbert, Tim. “Exile Destination: Louisiana.”
Acadian-Cajun Genealogy & History. 13
December 2009. < http://www.acadian-cajun.com/exla.htm>

LeBlanc, Lucie. “The Great Diaspora of 1755.”
Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral
Home. 13 December 2009. < http://www.acadian-home.org/deportation.html>

Van Kirk, Sylvia. “Women in Between: Indian Women in Fur trade Society in Western
Canada.”
http://docutek.ursus.maine.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=1341&page=docs#