Acadia: origins of its name
Cadie, Larcadie, Lacadie, Arcadie or Acadia? So many words to indicate the established site of the first French colony in North America, constituted today as New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. First of all, some claim that in 1524, the beautiful American coasts invoked Giovanni da Verrazano's memories of the beautiful region of antique Greece called Arcadia'. François I, whom da Verrazano worked for at the time, sent a note to the King of France, explaining this interpretation: "... that we named Arcadia, because of the beauty of its trees ". Other opinions abound, one of which the name "Arcadia" diverts from Amerindian terms such as "Algatig" – little game or place of camp, or "Quoddy" – Maliseet, fertile place. Then, the name Acadia or Lacadie was used for the first time in 1603, when Henry IV named Pierre Dugua de Mons, Lieutenant General of the region displayed as the 40th and the 46th North parallel. Samuel de Champlain also omitted the "r" in his written work. However, even today, historians do not concur with one another on the exact origin of the name "Acadia ".

Larcadie, on the other hand, is used mainly by the successors of da Verrazano. Indeed, on Gastaldi's 1548 maps and maps older than 1548, of Zaltieri's 1556 and Milo's 1570 map, this term is used to indicate the Nova Scotia of today. Arcadia is used again in 1575, this time by the French historian André Thivet.

The stakes were high between France and England when it came to the demarcation of Acadian territory, as both were looking to appropriate lands with the greatest potential for control and containing the most resources. The first establishment in Acadia was the Sainte Croix Island colony which lasted only a single winter. Indeed, because of the harsh winter conditions, the lack of food and the death of 35 colonists, Pierre Dugua de Mons and Champlain moved from the house on the Island to Port-Royal.

On several occasions, France gave up Acadia to England only to take it back a little while later:

1607 For lack of financing, the colony of Port-Royal is abandoned by France.

1613 Samuel Argall, a "pirate" who is working for the British destroys the French establishments.

1621 James I of England offers Acadian territory to the Scotsman William Alexander who then names the territory Nova Scotia.

1632 Acadia is ceded back to France by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

1667 England having seized the French colonies in North America in 1654, France then takes back Acadia thanks to the Treaty of Breda. The complete transfer of the territory to France is made three years later when the French Islands in the Antilles were given to the British.

1697 Treaty of Ryswick transfers Acadia back to France when Acadia was in the hands of the English.

1690 (League of Augsburg War) Port-Royal is capitulated in 1690, and attacked by 300 men commanded by William Phips.

1713 The Treaty of Utrecht ends the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714; England receives the North American French territories Acadia, Newfoundland, and the Hudson Bay.

1763 The King of France, Louis XV, signs the Treaty of Paris which marks the end of the cruel Seven Years War and who cedes definitively Acadia to the British Crown.