Acadians (America Done Right)

The Acadians (French: Acadiens), also known as the French Maritimers, are the descendants of the French who settled in Acadia (the present-day Maritimes, as well as parts of Quebec, New Maine and western Newfoundland) during the 17th and 18th centuries.

They are known for having a distinct culture from French-speaking Canadians and Americans, and are recognized as an ethnic group in both constituent countries of the Commonwealth of America. The Acadians are primarily descended from French-speaking Occitans, Poitevins and Saintongeais people.

The Acadians were expelled from Maritime Canada between 1755 and 1764 due to the British suspecting the Acadians' support for France in the Seven Years War. They were deported to British North America where they were put into servitude and forced labor.

After being expelled to France, many Acadians were eventually recruited to migrate to Louisiana, creating the Cajun culture. In time however, they returned to the Maritimes, resettling in New Brunswick, but did not resettle in Nova Scotia.

Languages
Acadians speak a variety of French called Acadian French, a combination of European French with Breton, Canadian English and Irish loanwords, Quebecois sacres (swear words inherited from Catholic liturgical terminology) and the sound inventories of American English and Occitan.

Many of those in the southeastern region of New Brunswick speak Chiac Acadian French and English. Their Louisianan Cajun descendants speak Cajun French, a close relative of Acadian French from Canada but influenced by Spanish and the West African languages.

Population
Most Acadians in Canada live in the Maritimes, parts of Southern Quebec, and the western coast of Newfoundland. In the United States, they live in northern New Maine and in Louisiana. An estimated 500 thousand to 2 million Acadians live in the Commonwealth of America, with 96,145 in Canada and 901,260 in the United States.