The Acadian Diaspora: An Eighteenth-Century History

Oxford Studies in International History

by Christopher Hodson

Late in 1755, an army of British regulars and Massachusetts volunteers completed one of the cruelest, most successful military campaigns in North American history, capturing and deporting seven thousand French-speaking Catholic Acadians from the province of Nova Scotia, and chasing an equal number into the wilderness of eastern Canada. Thousands of Acadians endured three decades of forced migrations and failed settlements that shuttled them to the coasts of South America, the plantations of the Caribbean, the frigid islands of the South Atlantic, the swamps of Louisiana, and the countryside of central France.

The Acadian Diaspora tells their extraordinary story in full for the first time, illuminating a long-forgotten world of imperial desperation, experimental colonies, and naked brutality. Using documents culled from archives in France, Great Britain, Canada, and the United States, Christopher Hodson reconstructs the lives of Acadian exiles as they traversed oceans and continents, pushed along by empires eager to populate new frontiers with inexpensive, pliable white farmers. Hodson's compelling narrative situates the Acadian diaspora within the dramatic geopolitical changes triggered by the Seven Years' War. Faced with redrawn boundaries and staggering national debts, imperial architects across Europe used the Acadians to realize radical tropical settlements without slaves, expeditions to the unknown southern continent, and, perhaps strangest of all, agricultural colonies within old regime France itself. In response, Acadians embraced their status as human commodities, using
intimidation and even violence to tailor their communities to the superheated Atlantic market for cheap, mobile labor.

Through vivid, intimate stories of Acadian exiles and the diverse, transnational cast of characters that surrounded them, The Acadian Diaspora presents the eighteenth-century Atlantic world from a new angle, challenging old assumptions about uprooted peoples and the very nature of early modern empire.

Genres: History, Canada

274 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2012

Reviews

[MarkedWoman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This appears to be a very thorough history of the Acadians, a people the author says were used as the food producers underwriting French colonial settlement. There is a tendency for the book to get bogged down in details, and in some parts of the book are almost difficult to read. Quite a few historical maps are included in the book. For the most part, these maps did not reproduce well and are difficult to read. In order to read about the area near the Bay of Fundy I found it necessary to find a map from an external source for reference. If someone was interested in a well referenced volume documenting much of the Acadian history - much broader in geography than I anticipated - this would be a good one. If you are looking for Acadians prior to the Bay of Fundy, or the details of their sojourn to Louisiana, this is not the volume for you. The references at the end of the book might be helpful to begin your search no matter what part of Acadian geography you are pursuing.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent example of historical research and analysis. Christopher Hodson tells the story of the Acadians (French colonists) deported from Nova Scotia by the British in 1755 during the French and Indian War. The British really wanted the valuable land that the Acadians had converted from seemingly unpredictable tidal plains into rich agricultural property, but they claimed that the Acadians represented a fifth column threat to national security. The Acadians were dispersed throughout the British North American colonies (the future USA) where many were separated from family members and lived in squalor and poverty. Some integrated and remained in the colonies with Anglicized names, but the majority were returned to France. Although rocked by their loss to the British in the French and Indian War (Seven Years War) that cost them Canada and other colonies, and shocked by slave rebellions in the Caribbean, the French crown sought to use the Acadians as imperial shock troops for new imperial ventures. As such, Acadians were sent all over the world to Guyana, the Falklands Islands, Louisiana (the Cajuns are descended of the Acadians), Santo Domingo, islands off France, and even the Atlantic coast region of France. Hodson tells the story of how the Acadians influenced empire and how empire influenced them. Anyone interested in colonial history, human rights, or refugees will find this a worthwhile read.

[Sue Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good, easy reading for rather dry information. Used it for research into my Cajun husband's family tree. Very interesting to learn about how these people were spread around the world, and finally settled in Louisiana.

[Alan Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expansive look at this story and dates of a population dispersed by conflict between kingdoms.

Also in many regards a family history as not only am I a descendant of these Acadians dispersed from Acadia (Nova Scotia) but of English settlers that took up lands in Nova Scotia after the removal.

[Mesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone of Acadian heritage I'm glad I took the time to read this book and better acquaint myself with the Grand Dérangement.

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too much "in the weeds" for me. Disjointed and hard to follow.

[Heather G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent

Dry. And frustrating if French is not a language you know but informative and thorough. Certain parts were very engaging.

[Jenny Scheid]

Bought this to support my former HS classmate, who was an intellectual, even then. I've only gotten through a few chapters, since my tastes run more towards historical fiction. So far it's an interesting story, though I agree with other reviews that it is a little dry, though not unexpected knowing it was non-fiction. I had never heard of these people, and I'm interested to learn more of their story.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to be really honest with the reader of this review...this book took me roughly 3 weeks to read. It was an excellent book and I learned ALOT regarding a group I never even knew existed, but this book was painfully dry. Although this book was 240 pages(roughly)..I could only handle it in small doses, but the story/history kept me entertained enough that I couldn't see stopping reading it.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written, easy to read book about a fascinating piece of history I knew nothing about. I wish it was available as an audio book so I could hear the French pronunciation. It would also have cut the time it took me to "read" it in half. I really liked it and I'm bringing my copy for your autograph in July Chris!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A history that reads like a novel...wonderfully done

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good detailed information. Sometimes hard to follow. This is one of my genealogy titles and the one of the best overviews of I have gotten of where the Acadians were scattered to.