The Acadians: An IntroductionThe Acadians: An Introduction

DefinitionsDefinitions

• Find and write down the following Find and write down the following definitions of words.definitions of words.– ArchaeologyArchaeology– ArchaeologistArchaeologist– ArtifactsArtifacts– StrataStrata– DykesDykes– Aboiteau systemAboiteau system– Salt marshSalt marsh– TradeTrade

The AcadiansThe Acadians

• The Acadians originally came The Acadians originally came from France.from France.

• They came to many different They came to many different parts of the Maritimes, parts of the Maritimes, including Belleisle and Port including Belleisle and Port Royal.Royal.

• The Acadians that you will be The Acadians that you will be learning about lived in learning about lived in Belleisle in about 1720.Belleisle in about 1720.

ArchaeologyArchaeology

• Archaeology is one way of Archaeology is one way of studying the past. People who studying the past. People who live at a place leave clues in the live at a place leave clues in the ground. ground.

• An archaeologist is like a An archaeologist is like a detective, working carefully to detective, working carefully to discover more about the people discover more about the people who lived there.who lived there.

Archeology Archeology •Archeologists excavate (dig Archeologists excavate (dig

up) sites. up) sites. •When archeologists When archeologists

excavate a site, this is excavate a site, this is called an archeological dig. called an archeological dig.

•On these sties, On these sties, archaeologists find objects archaeologists find objects that are called artifacts.that are called artifacts.

Artifacts Artifacts

•Artifacts are anything Artifacts are anything made or used by people. made or used by people.

•Artifacts can tell us where Artifacts can tell us where people lived, how long ago people lived, how long ago they lived there, and what they lived there, and what their daily lives were like.their daily lives were like.

Finding ArtifactsFinding Artifacts•Artifacts are found in layers Artifacts are found in layers

of earth called strata.of earth called strata.• Each layer has its own color Each layer has its own color

and texture and its own and texture and its own story to tell about what story to tell about what happened at the site.happened at the site.

• Lower layers are usually Lower layers are usually older than the ones above.older than the ones above.

ArtifactsArtifacts

• Once the artifacts are taken Once the artifacts are taken out of the ground, they are out of the ground, they are cleaned, catalogued, and cleaned, catalogued, and studied.studied.

• They then often are put on They then often are put on display in museum exhibits.display in museum exhibits.

What type of artifacts can be What type of artifacts can be found?found?

• Quill penQuill pen

• Stoneware mug Stoneware mug

• Clay buttonClay button

• Wooden toolsWooden tools

The Aboiteau SystemThe Aboiteau System

• The Acadians built dykes. The Acadians built dykes.

• Dykes are a mound of earth Dykes are a mound of earth higher than the level of the higher than the level of the tide. They keep the seawater tide. They keep the seawater out of the meadows that they out of the meadows that they wanted to farm.wanted to farm.

The Aboiteau SystemThe Aboiteau System• The aboiteau system permits fresh The aboiteau system permits fresh

water, like rain water, to drain from water, like rain water, to drain from the meadows at low tide, and that the meadows at low tide, and that prevents salt water from flooding prevents salt water from flooding the meadows at high tide. the meadows at high tide.

• The dykes are usually built in salt The dykes are usually built in salt marsh area. A salt marsh is a wet, marsh area. A salt marsh is a wet, muddy, land covered with salt muddy, land covered with salt water, usually from the tides of the water, usually from the tides of the surrounding body of water.surrounding body of water.

The Aboiteau SystemThe Aboiteau System• There are 2 main parts of the There are 2 main parts of the

aboiteau system.aboiteau system.• 1) sluice – a hollowed out log 1) sluice – a hollowed out log

covered by a plank and opened at covered by a plank and opened at both ends, which allows fresh both ends, which allows fresh water to flow out to sea.water to flow out to sea.

• 2) clapper – a gate, located inside 2) clapper – a gate, located inside the sluice, which allows salt water the sluice, which allows salt water to flow out to sea and which to flow out to sea and which prevents salt water from reaching prevents salt water from reaching the meadows.the meadows.

The Aboiteau SystemThe Aboiteau System

• The clapper can only swing 1 way. It The clapper can only swing 1 way. It opens and permits water from the opens and permits water from the meadows to flow out at low tide. At meadows to flow out at low tide. At high tide, it closes and prevents high tide, it closes and prevents seawater from reaching the meadows.seawater from reaching the meadows.

• It takes 2 to 4 years to wash away the It takes 2 to 4 years to wash away the salt out of the meadows that were salt out of the meadows that were created and protected by dykes.created and protected by dykes.

Acadian Food and AgricultureAcadian Food and Agriculture

• Acadians produced almost all of Acadians produced almost all of their own food.their own food.

• They had large kitchen gardens. In They had large kitchen gardens. In these gardens, they grew beets, these gardens, they grew beets, carrots, turnips, onions, and carrots, turnips, onions, and cabbage.cabbage.

• They planted apple trees, and grew They planted apple trees, and grew raspberry and blueberries as well.raspberry and blueberries as well.

Acadian Food and AgricultureAcadian Food and Agriculture

• The Acadians grew grains in The Acadians grew grains in the meadows, such as wheat, the meadows, such as wheat, oats, barley.oats, barley.

• With these grains, they baked With these grains, they baked bread, pancakes, donuts,and bread, pancakes, donuts,and cookies. cookies.

Acadian Food and AgricultureAcadian Food and Agriculture

• They caught trout and salmon They caught trout and salmon in the river.in the river.

• They hunted moose, rabbits, They hunted moose, rabbits, and and bears in the forest.

• The Acadians raised many domestic animals, including sheep, pigs, chickens, and cattle.

Acadian HousesAcadian Houses

• The following description is The following description is based on the excavation of one based on the excavation of one house site in Belleisle.house site in Belleisle.

• The house was made of wood. The house was made of wood. The inside walls were covered The inside walls were covered with white clay, which looked with white clay, which looked like plaster.like plaster.

• There is 1 large room on the There is 1 large room on the main floor.main floor.

Acadian HousesAcadian Houses• At one end of the main floor At one end of the main floor

was a fireplace with an oven. was a fireplace with an oven. This is where the Acadians This is where the Acadians cooked their meals. This cooked their meals. This fireplace also heated the fireplace also heated the house.house.

• The house had a small attic The house had a small attic where people slept. The beds where people slept. The beds were stuffed with straw.were stuffed with straw.

Acadian HousesAcadian Houses

• The people would climb a The people would climb a ladder to get into the attic.ladder to get into the attic.

• The house had windows, which The house had windows, which let light in. Candles were also let light in. Candles were also used for light.used for light.

• There was no indoor plumbing. There was no indoor plumbing. The people had to go to a well The people had to go to a well or a river for water. The or a river for water. The washroom was an outhouse washroom was an outhouse located near the home.located near the home.

Acadian LivingAcadian Living

• The Acadians had many types The Acadians had many types of jobs.of jobs.

• Some were farmers, fishermen, Some were farmers, fishermen, loggers, or worked in other loggers, or worked in other trades.trades.

• A trade is a kind of skilled A trade is a kind of skilled mechanical work.mechanical work.