The Acadians, descendants of 17th-century French colonists, settled primarily in what is now Nova Scotia. Their unique cultural identity developed over generations, characterized by a pragmatic neutrality amidst ongoing imperial rivalries between France and Great Britain. Following the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, control of Acadia (renamed Nova Scotia) officially passed to the British Crown. Despite this change in sovereignty, the Acadians were initially permitted to retain their lands and practice their Roman Catholic faith, provided they swore an oath of allegiance to the British monarch. This oath, however, was often qualified by the Acadians to allow them to avoid taking up arms against the French or Indigenous peoples, a compromise initially tolerated by British authorities.

The precarious peace began to unravel by the mid-18th century as Anglo-French tensions intensified, especially with the approach of the Seven Years' War. British officials, wary of the Acadians' continued ties to French culture and their strategic location, grew increasingly suspicious of their qualified neutrality. Governor Charles Lawrence, among others, demanded an unconditional oath of allegiance, which would compel Acadians to fight for Britain. This demand was largely influenced by the perceived threat of Acadian collusion with French forces and their Mi'kmaq allies, who regularly resisted British expansion. The Acadians, fearing reprisal from the French and Mi'kmaq if they fully sided with the British, consistently refused to sign the unqualified oath, exacerbating the mistrust.

The British decision to forcibly remove the Acadians, known as the Grand Dérangement or Great Expulsion, was implemented with brutal efficiency starting in 1755. Under military orders, thousands of Acadians were rounded up, often with little warning, their homes and farms subsequently destroyed to prevent their return. Families were frequently separated during the chaotic deportations. Ships were then loaded with the dispossessed population, destined for various British colonies along the eastern seaboard of North America, including Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina. The aim was to eliminate any potential French sympathizers from a strategically vital colonial territory and to make way for British settlers.

The forced removal had devastating and lasting consequences for the Acadian people. Many perished during the arduous voyages due to disease, starvation, and overcrowded conditions. Those who survived faced hostile reception and struggled to re-establish their lives in unfamiliar territories. While some eventually made their way to Louisiana, becoming the ancestors of today's Cajuns, others returned to Nova Scotia decades later, only to find their lands occupied. The expulsion dispersed the Acadian community across the globe, fundamentally altering their social fabric and cultural continuity. Despite the immense suffering, the Acadian identity remarkably persisted, a testament to their resilience and cultural strength.

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