Jacques Cartier, a Frenchman was the first known white man to visit the shores of New-Bruswick,
in 1534. The land was inhabited by the Micmacs and the Malécites,then. He took possession of 
the new found land for the King of France.


In 1603, the French finally decided to settle in Acadia, now New-Brunswick, Nova Scotia, 
Prince-Edward-Island and Gaspé.Their main establishment was Port-Royal, on the north 
shore of what is now Annapolis Bassin, Nova-Scotia.


In the early days they came either as traders or as missionnaries. The missionary monks 
came to convert the Indians to christianity. The traders came to buy furs from the Indians. They
established trading-posts at various places. In many cases these trading-posts grew to be
settlements.


Between 1613-1713, Acadia changed hands six times from French to English and from English 
to French. It was with the Treaty of Utrecht that Acadia was given to Great Britain. Cap Breton
and Ile Saint-Jean (now Prince Edward Island) were left in the possession of the French.


For some years the British didn`t settle in New-Bruswick. They left it to the French and settled 
in Nova-Scotia, but they expected the Acadians to become British subjects.