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Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick were scarcely settled by anyone from England before the American Revolution. There were a handful of military outposts, like Martello towers with a few soldiers, but that was it... the more populated British colonies took part in the American Revolution, whereas NB, NS and PEI didn't because there weren't enough civilians living there to do any rebelling.
After the American Revolution, the Loyalists to Britain, the losing side, became refugees and moved north into NB, NS and PEI (and also some ended up in Ontario). "British North America" developed a distinct identity apart from the USA after that point. Maritimers call themselves Maritimers, or Canadians, but never New Englanders. The interesting part, to me at least, is why New Englanders continued to refer to themselves as New Englanders after American Independence -- you would think that they would've been wanting to drop that identity!
Newfoundland was still officially a British colony until 1949, when they had a referendum vote on whether or not to stay as a British colony, or to become a Canadian province. The vote was very, very close. They became part of Canada, although Newfoundlanders do not refer to themselves as "Maritimers"... only people of NS, NB and PEI call themselves that.
Newfoundland is a different case altogether. More than a few Newfoundlanders -- particularly those of Irish Catholic stock -- do not think of themselves as Canadian at all.
YES, I known quite a number of them, who align themselves with the Irish and Norse forefathers.
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They also do not consider themselves to be New Englanders.
YES, I known quite a number of them, who align themselves with the Irish and Norse forefathers.
Newfoundlanders do not have Norse forefathers, reefhunter. The Vikings came, took a look around, stayed for a few years, and then got the heck out. They did not leave permanent, enduring settlements or populations that survive to this day.
Newfoundland's Old World roots are overwhelmingly English and Irish, with very small populations of French, Welsh and Scottish folks rounding it out. Any others in the province from places other than the British Isles or France likely jumped off a fishing boat or immigrated alone or in a small group as opposed to being part of one of the waves of people that Newfoundland received from either England or Ireland.
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Originally Posted by reefhunter
Why on earth would they?
You may want to check out the original poster's question.
I took the original question to be about the name of a region and not anything to do with nationality. I think it's a reasonable question as the area was setteled mostly by people from the British isles. The name Nova Scotia speaks for it's self though doesn't it. Being myself 100% Scottish decent I can tell you that they would not like to be known as anything "English".
Canadians don't even generally refer to the Appalachians as such when they enter Canada. Geographers do but the people don't and have their own name for the mountains. "Laurentions".
I took the original question to be about the name of a region and not anything to do with nationality. I think it's a reasonable question as the area was setteled mostly by people from the British isles.
I thought that he was likely asking the question for this reason, too.
Newfoundlanders do not have Norse forefathers, reefhunter. The Vikings came, took a look around, stayed for a few years, and then got the heck out. They did not leave permanent, enduring settlements or populations that survive to this day.
WRONG - THEY SETTLED THERE - The discovered it - I guess they were in the wrong place for 200 +/- years. before moving over to Greenland. But before they left, they lived with and intermarried Inuit native population. So you can't positively say they aren't any descendants.
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before moving over to Greenland. But before they left, they lived with and intermarried Inuit native population. So you can't positively say they aren't any descendants.
