French settlers came to Canada and settled in Acadia, also known as the present-day East Coast colonies, during the 17th century. The name given to French settlers upon their arrival in Canada was “Acadians”. The Acadians of France continued their formal lifestyle by farming, fishing, and maintaining a close family culture in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. The Acadians had created a thriving agricultural economy until the late 18th century, when there was a colonial power struggle between the French and the British. The British had conquered Port Royal and the Acadians refused to recognize British rule, wanting to maintain their religious freedom and not wanting to be forced to bear arms in the event of war. In this essay, I will show that the impact of English colonial rules led the Acadians to be deported and that they then made the decision to settle in the southern United States. This research essay will discuss why they settled in the Maritime Provinces, conflicts arising for the British to exile them, and why they chose the American South to settle in the 17th and 18th centuries . First, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick had fertile lands full of many resources that the Acadians took advantage of and allowed them to continue their old life. The Acadians came from Europe in the 17th century to become an autonomous people. They farmed and raised livestock on swamp land in order to be independent. In order for the Acadians to continue their normal way of life, they had to become independent and learn how to create a thriving economy in the East Coast colony...... middle of paper ...... they conquered. Works Cited " Acadians. Radio-Canada. CBC News. December 13, 2003. http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/acadians/ (accessed February 21, 2012). Chiasson, Pere A and Nicolas Landry. History of Acadia." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historical Domination. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/history-of-acadia (accessed February 18, 2012). Acadians in Louisiana.” Helium. February 10, 2011. http://www.helium.com/items/2090176-the-history-of-acadians-in-louisiana (accessed February 19, 2012). Robert, Jean C. “The Deportation of the Acadians: 1755-1762. Canada in the Making. 2005. http://www.canadiana.ca/citm/specifique/deportation_e.html#boundaries (accessed February 20, 2012). Historica. 2009. http://www.histori.ca/peace/page.do?pageID=275 (accessed February. 17, 2012).