The Acadian Expulsion: Le Grand Dérangement

Forcible Removal of French Colonists from Maritime Canada

The Acadian Expulsion (1755-1764), known in French as Le Grand Dérangement ("The Great Upheaval"), was the systematic forced removal of Acadian people by the British government from their homeland in present-day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Historical Context

Acadians were descendants of French settlers who had lived in the region (called Acadie) since the early 1600s. They developed a distinct culture, agricultural system, and peaceful relations with the Mi'kmaq people. After Britain gained control of the territory in 1713, tensions grew over Acadian neutrality and refusal to swear unconditional allegiance to the British Crown.

The Expulsion Campaign

• 1755: Lieutenant Governor Charles Lawrence ordered the deportation
• Method: British troops surrounded villages during church services, arrested men and boys, then forced entire families onto ships
• Destinations: Dispersed to British colonies along the Atlantic coast (Massachusetts to Georgia), plus England, France, and the Caribbean
• Scale: Approximately 10,000-12,000 Acadians expelled; thousands died from disease, drowning, and exposure

Aftermath and Legacy

Many Acadians eventually migrated to Louisiana (becoming Cajuns), while others returned to the Maritimes or settled in Quebec. The expulsion devastated a thriving community and remains a defining trauma in Acadian collective memory.

In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II issued a Royal Proclamation acknowledging the wrongs committed, establishing July 28 as "A Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval."

This event stands as a stark example of ethnic cleansing in colonial North America and profoundly shaped the cultural geography of eastern Canada and Louisiana.