Acadian Families After Expulsion
After the ‘War of the Austrian Succession’ ended in 1748 tensions continued between the French and the English. Attempting to remain neutral in conflict between Britain and France, the Acadians agreed to sign oaths of allegiance to the British, but not oaths that required them to fight against French or Mi’kmaq.
This was the excuse given to launch the Expulsion of the Acadians, which displaced 10,000 to 18,000 Acadians and killed thousands through starvation, drowning, and disease. Around 6000 people were deported. Families were torn apart and their homes were burned down. Most ended up in the New England area and along the Eastern seaboard up to Georgia. There were some who had escaped and were in Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or even stayed in Nova Scotia and hid with the Mi’kmaq. Some Acadians who remained behind, hidden by Mi’kmaq, were later captured and hired out to Planters to repair dykes or to farm. In the early 1760s, there were more Acadian prisoners at Fort Edward in Windsor than there were settlers there.
While most Acadian farms and orchards were burnt to discourage their return, in this area some buildings were left standing, and the first lands granted to the Planters were those that had been farmed by Acadians.
In 1763, Acadians were permitted to return but not to their earlier lands or communities. Today just over 3% of Nova Scotia’s population is Acadian. Dykes built by the Acadians in the early 1700s along the Avon River still protect the land from salt water inundation.
This was the excuse given to launch the Expulsion of the Acadians, which displaced 10,000 to 18,000 Acadians and killed thousands through starvation, drowning, and disease. Around 6000 people were deported. Families were torn apart and their homes were burned down. Most ended up in the New England area and along the Eastern seaboard up to Georgia. There were some who had escaped and were in Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or even stayed in Nova Scotia and hid with the Mi’kmaq. Some Acadians who remained behind, hidden by Mi’kmaq, were later captured and hired out to Planters to repair dykes or to farm. In the early 1760s, there were more Acadian prisoners at Fort Edward in Windsor than there were settlers there.
While most Acadian farms and orchards were burnt to discourage their return, in this area some buildings were left standing, and the first lands granted to the Planters were those that had been farmed by Acadians.
In 1763, Acadians were permitted to return but not to their earlier lands or communities. Today just over 3% of Nova Scotia’s population is Acadian. Dykes built by the Acadians in the early 1700s along the Avon River still protect the land from salt water inundation.
