The British Colonies in Atlantic Canada

EVENTS IN EUROPE AFFECT THE COLONIES

The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 Conflict over succession to the Spanish throne

resulted in a coalition of several European countries, including England, which waged war against France from 1701 to 1714. In North America, British troops seized Port Royal, in Acadia, in 1710. By signing the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the French King, Louis XIV chose to preserve the integrity of his European kingdom, including the cities and provinces he had recently conquered. Of his possessions in New France, the King ceded to England the Hudson Bay basin, Acadia (inhabited by 2,000 settlers), Plaisance (Placentia) and his other Newfoundland possessions, with the exception of certain fishing rights; the territory of the Iroquois Confederacy became an English protectorate. France retained Louisiana and the St. Lawrence Valley up to an undetermined western boundary. France decided almost immediately to rebuild French Acadia on Cape Breton Island (renamed �le Royale). In 1715, it began the construction of a fortified town at Louisbourg, bringing in settlers from Plaisance (Placentia) and encouraging Acadians living under British rule to move there or to �le Saint-Jean (Prince Edward Island).

The Affects of the Treaty of Utrecht

The French Treaty

Shore came into

existence with the

ratification of the Treaty

of Utrecht (1713). This

provided that the French

could fish in season on

the Newfoundland coast

between Cape Bonavista

and Point Riche - an

area that had been

frequented by fishermen

from Brittany since the

early 16th century, and

which they called "le

petit nord".

Newfoundland

THE CREATION HALIFAXChebucto – ‘the biggest harbour’

In The Beginning

In 1759, Britain

decided to

tighten its control

over the former

French colony.

The British

planned to build a

town and fort in

Nova Scotia at a

place called the

Mi’kmaq called

Chebucto,

meaning ‘the

biggest harbor’.

In the Beginning

Sixteen ships

sailed into the

harbor with 2600

soldiers and

colonists on

board.

They called the

settlement

Halifax, after the

British official in

London who

oversaw the

project.

George Montague Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716-1771), 'The Father of the Colonies'

•aided founding of

colony of Nova

Scotia

•Nova Scotia, was

named after him in

1749

•Numerous places

are named after him

because of his

position as

president of the

Board of Trade and

Plantations.

Halifax

The houses and

buildings spread

out along the

waterfront at the

base of a hill.

At the top of the

hill, the British

built a military

fort.

The Fort at Halifax

The Fort at Halifax

Active Citizenship in HalifaxThe government in Halifax included a

governor, a council of advisors, and an elected assembly.

The citizen of the colony voted in 1758, it was the first elected assembly in British North America.

Citizenship involves much more than voting in elections.

Halifax residents who contributed to their society by working, paying taxes, volunteering or abiding by the law were also active citizens

Active Citizenship