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History

A Question of Allegiance

The French built a large fort at Louisbourg on Île Royale (now Cape Breton). In 1744, France and Britain were at war again. Neither side trusted the Acadians. The French thought the Acadians should move to Île Royale but the Acadians didn't want to leave their homes and farms. Just as construction was completed at Louisbourg in 1745, the fortress fell to a military force from New England. The English wanted the Acadians to sign an oath of allegiance to the British king, pledging to fight for England in time of war. The Acadians would not agree to fight for Britain.

In 1749, the English built a fort of their own, and announced that Halifax would be the new capital of Nova Scotia. The British mistakenly believed that the Acadian people were a threat to the colony. England and France were about to go to war again (Seven Years' War, 1756-1763) over who owned the colonies in New France.