Harriet J. Bauman and John C. Warner
We have developed a unit of a littleknown people, the Acadians. This unit is designed to supplement the existing French curriculum of the New Haven Public Schools. We feel that this unit will be beneficial to New Haven students as it is culturally enriching to learn about other peoples and their ways of life. It will also afford our students, who generally have a limited perspective of cultures other than their own, the opportunity to see similarities and differences in the lifestyles of various cultural groups.
The Acadians or “Cajuns” are a unique people. As a group, they are part of American heritage and history, yet are not often found in history books nor discussed in U. S. History classes. However, a literature class might study “Evangéline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a romanticized version of the Acadian’s flight from Nova Scotia to Louisiana. For this reason, our unit might lend itself to an interdisciplinary approach.
The unit will examine the French influence on the United States through an historical study of the Acadians, as well as their lives today. Culturally, today, the “Cajuns” of Louisiana stand out from other ethnic groups in the United States because of their traditions, customs, celebrations, and their pride, which help to keep their culture alive.
The project is designed to be used in both Junior and Senior High School. For the Junior High, we recommend an overview of the Acadian experience in North America, beginning with their departure from France and ending with their settlement in Louisiana. As we will discuss below, this overview might include studying geography, learning about important events in Acadian history, and introducing the daily life and customs of the “Cajuns.” The acquisition of information would take the form of activities designed to capture and utilize the exuberance of 1013 year olds. We have found, in the past, that students of junior high school age are more willing to participate in “handson” activities.
In the Senior High Schools, a more specific and concentrated study of the Acadians could take place. The lessons taught at this level would build on the knowledge acquired in Junior High. The focus would be on the “Cajuns and their lives today: the cultural and historical basis as well as how this ethnic group has influenced life in Louisiana. We will explore topics such as folklore, traditions, architecture, the arts, and festivals.
Activities designed for the Junior High student will be listed separately from activities recommended for high school students. We recognize the fact that some students in high school will not have been exposed to this material in junior high. For this reason, some of the materials included in the high school section will be of an introductory nature. It is up to each teacher to evaluate the use of included materials for his/her own classes.
Planned activities might include speakers, filmstrips, movies, oral and written reports, threedimensional projects like dioramas, visual projects like montages and collages, and a culminating event such as an Acadian festival. It might be worthwhile to have high school students present a program to junior high students or to have them participate in an activity together.
Some of the topics to be considered might include: daily life, customs, holidays, dress, architecture, folklore (songs, dances, games, toys, folktales), food and similarities and differences with English-speaking colonial life.
The length of the unit could be anywhere from one to two marking periods depending on the ability level of the classes and the interest engendered by the activities.
IMPORTANT EVENTS IN ACADIAN HISTORY
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1534
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Jacques CARTIER discovers Canada and Newfoundland.
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1543
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JeanFrancois de la Rocque de Roberval leads an expedition further into Canada.
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1603
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Samuel D. Champlain reaches Tadoussac and continues explorations trying to find places about which the Indians tell stories.
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1604
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Pierre Du Gua De Monts lands at La HEve, penetrates to La Baie Francaise (Bay of Fundy) and founds a colony in Acadia (Nova Scotia) with PontGravé and Champlain.
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1605
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De Monts and Champlain explore the coasts more fully and find Cape Cod; they found a new colony, PortRoyal.
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1606
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De Monts has been sent more men and provisions as well as Louis Hébert, an apothecary, and Marc Lescarbot, a lawyer.
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1607
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The colony cannot exist without a monopoly on trade so they return to France.
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One of the leaders of Jamestown colony, Samuel Argall, on a fishing trip, attacks the fort of San Sauveur recently founded by the Jesuits. It surrenders. He brings most of the inhabitants back with him as prisoners. Sir Thomas Gates orders Angall to return and destroy all of the French establishments. Saint Sauveur and Port-Royal are razed.
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1614
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Poutrincourt returns and sees what has happened. He returns to France with some of the colonists. Some others decide to stay with Biencourt, son of Poutrincourt.
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1618-1623
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The fur trade loses its importance.
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1621
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James I of England gives all of the territory north of SainteCroix River to Sir William Alexander, a Scotsman. This territory includes the maritime provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula.
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1624
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Sir William offers the title of Baron to whomever sends six men and enough food and supplies for two years.
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Biencourt dies.
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1625-1631
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Sir William creates 85 baronies. The territory now has a name, Nova Scotia (New Scotland).
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1627
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RICHELIEU founds the Compagnie de la Nouvelle France (The Company of New France), which claims Acadia as well as Canada belongs to France.
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1629
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Captain Charles DANIEL destroys an English settlement on Cape Breton Island.
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1632
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Treaty of St. GermainenLaye gives Acadia and New France to France.
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1635
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Issac de RAZILLY lieutenantgeneral of New France asks to be only in charge of Acadia. In the name of the CentAssociés, he distributes land. He brings 300 men and 3 Capucin monks. He designates Port-Royal as the capital. Has a fort built at Causeau. Establishes himself at Le HEve.
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1935
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de RAZILLY dies.
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1645
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Menon d’Adinay attacks the fort of St. Jean; uncontested head of Acadia. He alone has the privilege of the fur trade.
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1652
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War breaks out between England and Holland.
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1654
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Peace treaty between England and Holland. Robert SEDGWICK sets sail for Acadia to chase out the French who are rivals of New England in fishing and fur trade. [from Fort de St. Jean, de PortRoyal, de Pentagonet] SEDGWICK’s son-inlaw, John LEVERETT, is military governor of Acadia.
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1656
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CROMWELL concedes the Acadian territory to Thomas TEMPLE, William CROWNE, and Le Tour.
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1657
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France gives title of governor of Acadia to Emmanuel Le BORGNE, merchant and financier from La Rochelle. Nicolas DENYS is named governor of Cape Breton, St. Jean Island, and Madelaine Islands.
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1667
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Louis XIV, by a treaty with England, has all the Acadian territory returned to France.
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1670
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Le Chevalier de Grandfontaine finally gets control of Acadia.
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1673
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Louis JOLLIET AND Jacques MARQUETTE discover the Mississippi River.
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1678
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Robert CAVELIER de la SALLE continues exploration of the Mississippi River.
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1682
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Robert CAVELIER de la SALLE takes over Louisiana Territory in the name of Louis XIV.
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1684
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Le SALLE establishes a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
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1686
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d’IBERVILLE is part of the expeditionary force led by the Chevalier de Troyes
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1694
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d’IBERVILLE conquers the main fort on Hudson Bay Port Nelson.
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1696
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d’IBERVILLE attacks and destroys Fort Pemaquid in Newfoundland to keep the friendship of Indians and to protect the Saint Lawrence Valley. The English capture Fort Nelson.
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1697
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d’IBERVILLE and the French fleet retake Fort Nelson. The Treaty of Ryswick between France and England gives the Hudson Bay area to France.
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1698
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d’IBERVILLE discovers the mouth of the Mississippi River.
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1699
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d’IBERVILLE establishes the first fort on Biloxi Bay between the Mobile River and the Mississippi River.
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1706
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d’IBERVILLE dies of yellow fever.
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1712
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Antoine CROZAT has a commercial monopoly (valid for fifteen years) in the Louisiana Territory. Trade with the Spanish diminishes. Madrid forbids any trade between Mexico and Louisiana.
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1713
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England and France do not agree on the limits of ceded Acadian territory.
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1717
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CROZAT has to give up his trade rights. The Compagnie d’Occident (Company of the West) gets a monopoly on commerce for 25 years.
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Illinois is attached to the Louisiana Territory.
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1718
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BIENVILLE founds New Orleans.
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1720
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Governor Richard PHILLIPS warns the Acadians that they have four months to swear allegiance to England. If not, they will be forced to leave Nova Scotia.
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1722
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New Orleans becomes capital of Louisiana Territory.
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1729
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Indians attack the inhabitants of Louisiana.
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1730
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The governor (English) promises to respect Acadian neutrality.
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1731
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JeanBaptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, governor, does what he can to fortify the colony and to bring in more settlers.
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1744
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France declares war on England. Du Quesnel, commander of Louisbourg orders Joseph DUPONT and Sieur DUVIVER to destroy the principal English forts in Nova Scotia, IleRoyal, and Annapolis. The Acadian population stays neutral.
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1745
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Another attack on Annapolis takes place. A 47 day siege of Louisbourg by the English, led by Admiral Peter WARREN and William PEPPERRELL.
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1748
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Treaty of AixlaChapelle. Louisbourg is given back to the French, while they give Madras back to England. The English colonists and the Acadians are furious about the treaty.
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1749
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Charles des HERBIERS takes possession of Louisbourg. Three thousand Acadians are sent from Nova Scotia to continental Acadia.
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Major Charles LAWRENCE founds Halifax.
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1754
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New England wants Acadia conquered, while Virginia wants Ohio conquered. A congress is held in Albany about this situation. (Including New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland).
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1755
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Forts Beauséjour and Gaspareau surrender to the English. 67,000 Acadians deported from GrandPré.
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1758
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England conquers IleRoyal and IleSaint-Jean.
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1762
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The deportation ends.
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