18th Century Canadian History

1700
Population of Acadia is 1,400

1701
War of the Spanish Succession begins in Europe; spreads to North America (Queen Anne’s War) in 1702

1704
French forces destroy the English settlement at Bonavista, Newfoundland

1707
Port Royal is attacked twice by the English from Massachusetts

1710
The English take Port Royal and name it Annapolis Royal

1713
Treaty of Utrecht cedes French Acadia, Newfoundland, Hudson Bay and the “country of the Iroquois” to England

history1719
Construction of Louisbourg Fortress by the French begins on Ile Royale (Cape Breton Island)

1720
Lord Baltimore sponsors expedition to bring settlers to Newfoundland

1721
800 Acadians take oath of allegiance to the French

1744
France declares war on England (March 15)

1745
Louisbourg surrenders to English after six-week seige (June 17)

1748
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle returns Ile Royale (Cape Breton) and Ile Saint-Jean (Prince Edward Island) to French

1749
Halifax is founded by British to counter French presence at Louisbourg

1754
French and Indian War begins in North America; becomes Seven Years’ War when fighting spreads to Europe (1756)

1755
Expulsion of the Acadians begins. Many eventually relocated to New Orleans. This was a defining event for that city, with their historic French-Quarter.

1758
Louisbourg captured again by the British (July 27)

1759
British troops under Wolfe defeat French forces under Montcalm at Quebec; both generals are killed; Quebec falls

1759
Proclamation issued by Governor of Nova Scotia invites New Englanders to settle there

1760
Louisbourg Fortress demolished by the British

1763
Treaty of Paris gives Canada (New France and Acadia) to England

1769
Prince Edward Island becomes a separate colony

1774
Quebec Act guarantees religious freedom for Roman Catholic colonists

1776
American Revolution begins

1776
Quebec withstands American siege

1778
Captain James Cook anchors in Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island

majestic1783
Treaty of Versailles gives Americans fishing rights off Newfoundland, but not to dry or cure fish on land

1784
United Empire Loyalists arrive in Canada; New Brunswick becomes a separate colony to accommodate them

1786
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland allowed to import goods from the United States

1789
Alexander Mackenzie journeys to the Beaufort Sea, following what would later be named the Mackenzie River

1791
Constitutional Act divides Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada

1792
Captain George Vancouver begins his explorations of the Pacific Coast

1794
Jay Treaty allows U.S. vessels into British ports of the West Indies; British agree to evacuate Ohio Valley forts

1799
American competition for West Indies trade kills Liverpool, Nova Scotia’s merchant fleet