1755–1764 - Acadian Expulsion

In 1755, the British began forcibly removing Acadians from their settlements and dispersing them to various British colonies, England, and France. The Mi’kmaq fought alongside the Acadians, with whom they had formed a close alliance based on mutual dependence and shared resistance to English expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Acadians relied on Mi’kmaq knowledge of the land and military support, while the Mi’kmaq benefited from trade, supplies, and spiritual solidarity through Catholicism. Together, buttressed by support from the French, they resisted British encroachment through coordinated raids and defense of shared territories. Their relationship was strengthened by intermarriage and cultural exchange, fostering trust and unity against a common enemy. During the Acadian Expulsion, the Mi’kmaq offered shelter and support to displaced Acadian families, seeing their suffering as part of their own resistance to British control. United by Catholic faith and mutual dependence, they fought to protect their communities and territories. However, after France’s defeat in 1760 during the French and Indian War, their alliance with the Acadians weakened and British power tightened across the region.

Basque, Maurice, Elizabeth Mancke, Barry Moody, Geoffrey Plank, John G. Reid, and William C. Wicken. The “Conquest” of Acadia, 1710: Imperial, Colonial, and Aboriginal Constructions. University of Toronto Press, 2016. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442680883, 86-100. 

Photo Credit: “Acadian Expulsion (the Great Upheaval),” https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/thedeportation-of-the-acadians-feature.