The Causes Of The Acadian Expulsion

Essay by mjsousaUniversity, Bachelor'sB, March 2007

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The Acadian expulsion was perhaps the most unnecessary and inhumane act ever conducted on Canadian soil. The "Grande derangement" marks the victimization of Acadian people at the hands of feuding imperial powers. Their homes were burned, livestock slaughtered and eighteen thousand Acadians were dispersed amongst British colonies; those who resisted were hunted like animals. It is hard to believe that educated men, our government, could be capable of such cruelty. What could have lead to such a drastic action by the British government? Secondly, why did the English suddenly stop tolerating the Acadian presence? To fully understand the causes of the Expulsion we must first understand the Acadians themselves. The history of the Acadian people will be explored providing insight towards their choices throughout the process. Another concern (or problem) is what were the implications of the treaty of Utrecht and how did it affect the Acadian people? What caused the drastic shift of emphasis surrounding the Oath of allegiance? And finally, what factors lead to the sudden shift in English tolerance? Through answering said questions this paper will develop a clear understanding of the Deportation and the factors that caused it.

The history of the Acadian people, prior to the Treaty of Utrecht was confusing at best. In 1604, De Monts, Samuel do Champlain and Jean du Poutricourt ventured on an expedition to the New World to secure wealth for France and passage to China. Upon their arrival their first establishment at Île sainte-croix failed which lead them to establish Port Royal. During this settlement the Acadians befriended the two main aboriginal peoples of the region, the Mi'kmaq and the Maliseet. The Mi'kmaq became close allies to the French, even more so to the Acadian peoples. Although originally established for the fur trade, the Acadians had...