Travel Brochure
Objective
Explore and discover the regions that were developed when the Acadians returned after the Deportation by creating a travel brochure that will feature three Acadian and Francophone municipalities of eastern Canada.
Background information for the teacher
- Founded by France in 1604, Acadie was a territory very much coveted by Great Britain. At the time of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Acadie became a British possession and was renamed Nova Scotia. However, the Acadians continued to live on the territory, and develop their villages. In 1755, colonial authorities in Halifax, N.S. decided to get rid of the Acadian population in the name of His Majesty King George II of Great Britain. The Deportation was the first signal of the upcoming Seven Years' War between France and Great Britain. With the Treaty of Paris in 1763, France relinquished the majority of its North American possessions to the British Crown.
- As early as 1764, after the Deportation, colonial authorities in Halifax allowed Acadians to return to Nova Scotia and, eventually, Prince Edward Island (formerly île Saint-Jean) and Cape Breton (formerly île Royale). However, they had to follow certain rules: not only were they to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown, but they had to find themselves new land (because for the most part, their old land had been taken over by British settlers) and agree to separate into small groups.
- A new Acadie was emerging as Acadians named the territory on which they resettled, Acadie. New villages were being established, such as Saint-Basile and Grande-Digue in New Brunswick, Malpec and Rustico in Prince Edward Island, Pointe-de-l'Église and Petit-de-Grat in Nova Scotia, and later on, Cap Saint-Georges in Newfoundland and Labrador. These villages were the foundation for a new Acadie which continues its dynamic development today. Other villages have been established around the outskirts of the Atlantic Provinces, for example, in Gaspé, Québec and Maine, U.S.A.
Preparation
- Present the intended learning results.
- Present the proposed activity:
- Start-up question for students:
- The Société Nationale de l'Acadie wants a new travel itinerary for tourists to allow them to learn more about the history and culture of eastern Canada's Acadians and Francophones. As a consultant, what itinerary would you suggest?
- Task:
- Choose three municipalities from the Families section: Towns and Villages and create a travel brochure featuring their main characteristics.
- Choice: This activity can be done in groups or individually. The teacher will determine the ideal amount of paragraphs for this activity.
- Activate previous knowledge. Start-up question:
- Does Acadie exist?
- What do we call the "New Acadie"?
- What is Acadie in relation to the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador? In relation to Québec and Maine, U.S.A.?
- Do you think that the Deportation has had an impact on the population distribution of Francophone and Acadian towns and villages of Atlantic Canada and elsewhere?
- Do you know Atlantic Canada's present Francophone and Acadian regions well?
- Essential resources needed for the activity:
- Optional resources:
- Other Web sites, especially those of the towns and villages chosen (some won't have any)
- Web site: Francophonies canadiennes: Identités culturelles, Acadie section: Constellations.
How-to
- Ask the student to:
- Learn about the towns and villages established after the Deportation (see Families section: Towns and Villages) and choose three municipalities from the same region to create a travel brochure (if needed, assign the regions to eliminate two groups working on the same area).
- Consult the texts and videos available in the Families section: Towns and Villages to start a file on each municipality. The elements available on the Web site should be sorted into those concerning the region's founding and history, present-day development and folklore. It is also possible to find other pertinent Web sites that will provide additional information for each file.
- To plan and prepare a travel brochure (slogan, images or drawings, short informational texts) showcasing each community's main characteristics. The brochure can be in digital format or not.
- If you have time, organise a small exhibit so that everyone can share their work and what they have learned with their classmates.
Integration
- Review the concept of the new Acadie:
- Did the Deportation stop the development of the Acadians and the Francophones?
- Were there any big differences in Acadie before and after the Deportation?
- Are the students able to better define what the new Acadie is?
- Review what was learned about the different Francophone and Acadian regions of Atlantic Canada. Have the student become aware of the importance and particularities of each region. Some students may have personal knowledge of certain regions; have them discuss this.
- Make the student realize what he/she has learned and the method that has led to this new knowledge.
Essential and optional resources
Essential resources
- Material seen in class
- Web site: 1755: The History and the Stories
Families section: Towns and Villages
Optional resources