Right over Here! :)

 The Mi’kmaq were the traditional people of Acadia and called their home territory Mi’kma’ki.  In the 1600s, French settlers started farming and living in Acadia.  The British and French fought over it and control of Acadia went back and forth several times.  By 1713, Acadia was a British colony. They won it in a war against the French.  Britain changed Acadia’s name to Nova Scotia.

 The Acadians had been farming and living in Acadia since  The French and the Mi’kmaq never fought.  Some Mi’kmaq and Acadians had even married.  The Acadians created their own way of life based on fishing and their unique way of farming.

 In 1720, France built a fortress called Louisbourg on what is now Cape Breton Island.

 Britain responded by building its own military base in 1749: Halifax.

 By 1750, Acadians lived on the shores of the Bay of Fundy.  Britain wanted to populate Acadia with English-speaking people.  The Governor of Nova Scotia, Charles Lawrence worried that the Acadians might take sides with the French in any future conflicts.  The Acadians had always refused to swear loyalty to the British Crown.

 Charles Lawrence gave the Acadians an ultimatum: Swear your loyalty or lose your land !  The Acadians wished to remain neutral and they refused. This lead to le Grand Derangement – the Great Upheaval.

 CGmyC7sC8 CGmyC7sC8 Episode 3-35:48

 Territories Disputed: Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines.  Superpowers involved: Britain, France, Spain, Prussia (Germany-ish), Austria. Other countries were involved too.

 Louisbourg was captured by Britain in Summer, The fortress was surrounded and its supplies was cut off.  In Spring 1759, General James Wolfe led a fleet up the St. Lawrence to Quebec. The battle lasted for three months.  The French commander was the Marquis du Montcalm. His plan was to hold off until winter so Wolfe would have to retreat.

 Wolfe was attacking a well- defended French fortress.  Quebec could not be surrounded like Louisbourg to cut off its supplies.  Wolfe needed to draw out the enemy so they could fight!

 Montcalm was on the defense.  He thought he was safe in his stone fortress.

 The French and British fought for nine weeks.  Quebec was in ruins.  It was almost wintertime…

 Wolfe’s plan: The British Soldiers would secretly go to a farmer’s field behind the fortress called The Plains of Abraham and attack the French while they were weak.  Around midnight on September 12, 1759, the British snuck up a steep hill to the field.  When the French woke up, they were surprised to see thousands of British soldiers.

 Quebec was left in ruins.  The remaining French soldiers fell back to Montreal.  The French surrendered on September 8,  The Canadiens had created farms, roads, fur trading networks, churches and much more. They had laid the foundations for Canada.

 First Nations fought in the wars with the British and the French. They even kept fighting the British after the French surrendered.

 Pontiac was an Odawa First Nation who convinced other First Nations to fight a war against the British for the Ohio Valley (west of the 13 colonies).

“Englishmen, although you have conquered the French, you have not conquered us! We are not you r slaves. These lakes, these woods, and mountains were left to us by our ancestors. They are our inheritance; and we will part with them to none.” -Pontiac used the words of Mineweh, an Anishinabe leader, to motivate First Nations to fight.

 He lay siege to Fort Detroit, first with 300 then 900 First Nations. He was unsuccessful but inspired other First Nations to fight against the British.

 Montreal was surrendered in 1760, ending the fighting over New France.  In 1763, Britain and France signed a treaty in Paris. France gave up its claims in North America.  France got to keep Guadeloupe (in the Caribbean) and St. Pierre and Miquelon (near Newfoundland).

 New France became the province of Quebec.  Quebec was much smaller.  The interior was set aside for First Nations.  British Laws and courts replaced French systems.  The government would be an appointed governor and a council of advisors.  The Catholic Church could no longer tithe and Catholics could not have senior jobs in government.

 The Canadiens couldn’t be “made” British just because the King said they were.  They couldn’t be assimilated.  The people in the Thirteen colonies were getting restless and Britain didn’t want a rebellion in Quebec too.  Thus, Quebec Act of 1774!

 Quebec became bigger in size.  Much of the land given to First Nations was now part of Quebec.  French language rights were recognized (the beginnings of bilingualism ).  The seigneurial system stayed in place.  Catholics were given freedom of religion and could have government jobs.  French civil law would be used.  The Roman Catholic Church could tithe again and hold property.