the first french settlers came to canada in 1608.
the first french settlers came to canada in 1608.
when did the first french settlers come to canada?
1608
due to various migrations throughout human history, founder effects are somewhat common among humans in different times and places. the french canadians of quebec are a classical example of founder population. over 150 years of french colonization, between 1608 and 1760, an estimated 8,500 pioneers married and left at least one descendant on the territory. following the takeover of the colony by the british crown in 1760, immigration from france effectively stopped, but descendants of french settlers continued to grow in number mainly because of high fertility rate. intermarriage occurred mostly with the deported acadians and migrants coming from the british isles. since the 20th century, immigration in quebec and mixing of french canadians involve people from all over the world. while the french canadians of quebec today may be partly of other ancestries, the genetic contribution of the original french founders is predominant, explaining about 90% of regional gene pools, while acadians (descended from other french settlers in eastern canada) explain 4% and british 2%, with native american and other groups contributing less.
founder effect
after the last fall of louisburg in 1758, when ile royale became cape breton under the english, the english government's policy of expelling all acadian and french settlers was extended to the island. however, this phase of the expulsion was less successful than that carried out on the mainland from 1755 on, because the acadian and other french settlers on cape breton knew what had happened on the mainland. therefore, when the settlers saw british man-of-war navy ships or any other ship flying a union jack flag coming into sight, they fled into the woods, if they could do so, and remained there until the ships and any british soldiers had gone. only a small number were captured and expelled. the others, however, could not always return to their farms, for farms along the river inhabitants were burnt by the british on their way to lay siege to louisbourg. from riviére des habitants the british took all the animals and stored food crops to supply their siege against louisbourg. all the settlers or descendants of the settlers, who were burnt out, had to spend their winters in the lodges of the mi’kmaq, who were their friends, and often relatives. the next spring the settlers would leave their hosts and go to ile madame. on that island the acadian and the french settlers were not being expelled. the french huguenots, like the bourinots, levescontes, ameys and georges, who were allies of the british and used the catholic acadians as workers, requested that their workers not be expelled, and were granted that request. there the refugees would blend in with the population. after the threat of expulsion, had passed, they and their descendants were able to settle back on the main island of cape breton at places like louisdale, river bourgeois, etc.
lower river inhabitants, nova scotia