Nova Scotia History

1497 Nova Scotia was rediscovered by John Cabot and claimed for England.

1534 Jacques Cartier explored the northern shoreline.

1604–1605 DeMonts and Champlain established a settlement at Port Royal (present-day Annapolis Royal).

1621 The first attempts at British colonization were made; they failed.

1629 First settlements were made by the British at Charlesfort (near Port Royal) and at Rosemar.

1654 French settlements were seized by New Englanders.

1670 The Treaty of Breda gave lost territory back to France.

1686 Ninety French Acadian families were located at Port Royal.

1690 Port Royal was captured by New Englanders.

1713 Through the Treaty of Utrecht, France gave Acadia to Britain.

1749 Halifax was settled by the British.

1752 The first newspaper in Canada, the Halifax Gazette, was published.

1755 Most French Acadians were expelled by the British. Many returned later.

1758 Louisbourg was captured by the British.

1763 Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island were annexed to Nova Scotia.

1773 The first Scottish settlers arrived.

1783 American refugees of the American Revolution, who were also known as United Empire Loyalists, came to Nova Scotia. Cape Breton and New Brunswick enjoyed separate governments.

1815–1850 Some 55,000 immigrants, mostly Scottish and Irish, came to the province.

1818 Dalhousie University was founded in Halifax.

1820 Cape Breton was annexed to Nova Scotia.

1848 Nova Scotia was the first British colony where the principle of responsible government was recognized.

1867 The Province of Nova Scotia was formed, being one of the original four provinces to join the Confederation.

1876 The railway from Halifax to Quebec was completed.

1917 A French ship collided with a Norwegian steamer. The collision caused an explosion of TNT, explosive acid, and benzine. A large part of the northern section of Halifax was destroyed.