"Where France Meets North America": A View from Anse à Bertrand, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Summary

Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, long viewed as a peripheral French settlement was in fact essential to colonial expansion throughout the Atlantic World. Indeed, the historic salt-cod fisheries constitute one of the oldest persistent landscapes to hold economic significance for European nations in the New World. Saint-Pierre et Miquelon represents a unique facet within this maritime landscape considering it was seasonally occupied at the beginning of the 17th century and that it would become the only French permanent settlement within the Newfoundland region following the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Additionally, this small archipelago is the only territory of Colonial New France that remains under French governance to this day.

Based on the study of 17th-19th century occupations at Anse à Bertrand (Saint-Pierre), this research investigates the role of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon’s habitants within the region and subsequently enriches our current understanding of the French presence in Northeastern North America.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Archaeology of the French in the New World   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 457