Exile, Migrations, and Communities: The Acadian Experience Franco-American Studies, FAS 250/ HTY 398 Online- Spring 2015 3 credit hours Instructor: Mary Okin, PhD [email protected]

Office hours: Available for email consultation. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will examine the history of the Acadian peoples, beginning with a brief overview of the founding of the Acadian colony in the early seventeenth century. We will study the geographical boundaries of the colony, which included present-day Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and parts of New Brunswick and Maine, and briefly survey the history of the Acadians prior to the British conquest of Acadia. The course will then examine the tragic Deportation of the Acadians from their homelands beginning in 1755. and the patterns of exile and migration of the Acadians who were dispersed by the British, including the pockets of Acadian communities that developed in the American colonies, in present-day Quebec, and in Europe, and the gradual migrations that led many Acadians back to the Maritimes. We will also study the Acadians who settled in Louisiana and established a unique culture there. A large part of the course will focus on the pockets of Acadian culture that reformed and still exist to this day throughout the Maritimes and in the St. John River valley in Northern Maine. We will also look at the strategies that the Acadians have used in order to maintain cultural survival first as exiles and then as minorities in Louisiana, in the Maritimes, and in Northern Maine. Additionally, we will explore the Acadians who left the Maritimes in the late 1880s and early 1900s for New England in search of job opportunities, and the ways in which they maintained their sense of Acadian identity as American immigrants. We will explore the “Acadian Renaissance” that began in the mid 19th century as Acadians began to become more proactive in asserting their rights as a distinct people, a movement that included the founding of the National Society of the Assumption in 1881 and the adoption of an Acadian flag in 1884. We will also examine the Acadian cultural revival that occurred in the Maritimes, in Louisiana, and in Franco-America starting in the 1960s and 1970s, which was evidenced by a flourishing of the arts, literature, music, and other ways of celebrating Acadian identity. Some of the other themes that will be touched upon will include the role of the Catholic Church, education in French, and the role of literature and the arts in fostering Acadian “survivance” (cultural survival), political awakenings within Acadian communities, the role of women in Acadian society, the Acadian sense of place and connection to their historical homeland, and the various elements of the unique Acadian identity that transcend current geopolitical borders. We will also examine the various ways in which the Acadian peoples of the Post-Deportation Diaspora have maintained their cultural identity in diverse environments. TECHNICAL FORMAT:

This course will occur “on-line” through the FirstClass conference system. You are expected to have a FirstClass account set up and you should make sure that you have the class icon on your desktop a week before class starts. If you do not have the icon prior to class starting, please contact the instructor or CED tech help at [email protected]. The class will basically run on a Mon/Wed schedule with journal postings generally due on the readings each Monday and Wednesday of the semester. COURSE EXPECTATIONS: *Students will post their weekly journal postings by 9:00 am each Monday and Wednesday that they are due. Assignments should be posted on time. *Students will complete all the assignments that are listed on this syllabus on time. Late assignments will not be accepted. *The instructor will provide feedback for all written assignments within one or two days of receiving the assignment. *All written work, including journals should be well written with attention to grammar. Please write your own journal before reading other students’ journals. If your journal is very similar to one posted before yours, you may not receive credit. *Please review University of Maine codes for what is considered civil conduct and etiquette for the online classroom. ACADEMIC HONESTY/ PLAGIARISM: Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism and all forms of misrepresentation in academic work, and is unacceptable at The University of Maine. As stated in the University of Maine’s online undergraduate “Student Handbook,” plagiarism (the submission of another’s work without appropriate attribution) and cheating are violations of The University of Maine Student Conduct Code. An instructor who has probable cause or reason to believe a student has cheated may act upon such evidence, and should report the case to the supervising faculty member or the Department Chair for appropriate action. ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES: If you have a disability for which you may be requesting an accommodation, please contact Ann Smith, Director of Disabilities Services, 121 East Annex, 581-2319, as early as possible in the term. CONTINGENCY PLAN: In the event of the disruption of normal classroom activities, the format of this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event, you will be provided with an addendum to this syllabus that will supersede this version.

REQUIRED TEXTS: 1. Postcards from Acadie: Grand Pré, Evangeline, and the Acadian Identity by Barbara Le Blanc 2. A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the Acadians from their American Homeland by John Mack Faragher 3. Explanatory Map of Acadia, produced by the Canadian American Centerr

All the articles and book chapters listed on this syllabus (for example from Jean Daigle's book Acadia of the Maritimes) will be posted to the class folder on FirstClass or available through electronic reserves. LEARNING OUTCOMES: It is expected that at the end of this course students will gain a significant understanding of the history of the Acadian peoples, from the establishment of the Acadian colony to their tragic deportation from their homeland to the gradual reestablishment of pockets of Acadian culture in diverse geographies. Students will also identify and examine the geographic regions in which Acadians resettled as well as the political awakenings and cultural revival that occurred within various Acadian communities. It is also expected that students will: -

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Have a solid understanding of Acadian history and of the uniqueness of Acadian cultural identity. Recognize the role that the Deportation played in scattering Acadian communities and giving birth to new expressions of Acadian culture, for example in Louisiana. Be able to recognize and analyze the diverse expressions of Acadian identity in both Canada and the United States, including in Louisiana, New England, and the St. John Valley, and recognize the impact Acadians have had in the history of the Maritime region, in Louisiana, and in Franco-America. Comprehend the concept of “survivance,” or the cultural survival of the Acadians and the strategies that were used to maintain that survival in diverse geographic regions, including language rights, religion, political action, and a sense of identity and of Acadian “nationhood” that transcends current geopolitical boundaries.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 1. Weekly journal postings: The course will center on our readings. Each student is expected to do journal postings on Monday and Wednesday of each week of the semester to the First Class conference folder with a summary and discussion of the readings for the day, including any questions about the readings and personal reactions to the material. Students are expected to briefly summarize the authors' arguments in the readings and then offer their own analysis, thoughts, and perspective on the material. Students are also expected to read each others' journal postings as well and respond to each other as appropriate. This is meant to take the place of class discussion and is an opportunity to see what others thought about the readings. Your journal should be one to two pages long. The journal postings will not be graded each week, but an overall grade will be given at the end of the semester based on timeliness of journal entries and their quality. Another note on your journals- please copy and paste your journal directly into email instead of posting attachments. Many students have trouble opening certain attachments. Please also note that journal postings are due by 9:00 am on the day they are due- so please plan ahead. 2. Research Project: In this course, students will be asked to identity a specific theme or topic related to Acadian history and culture that they will research in more depth. Students will then write a 5-6 page paper on the topic that will be due at the end of the semester. Instructor will help students to identity possible topics. Students will be expected to email a proposal of their project directly to the instructor in the first few weeks of the semester, and the instructor will provide feedback on research project ideas. On the day they are due (at the end of the semester), students will also be expected to post their final projects to a class folder and will be asked to read each others' research projects and comment on two other students’ projects. 3. Final Exam: There will be a take-home (open-book) Final Exam that will be posted to the conference during the last week of the course and will be due by Wed. at 9 am of final exam week. The exam will consist of answering some specific questions from the readings, some short answers and essay questions. The exam will be posted to the folder and students will be expected to email their completed exams directly to the professor.

COURSE EVALUATION: Weekly Journal Responses/ Participation Research Project Final Exam

33.3% 33.3% 33.3%

COURSE SCHEDULE: Please note: In the event of an extended disruption of normal classroom activities,

the format for this course may be modified to enable its completion within its programmed time frame. In that event, you will be provided an addendum to the syllabus that will supersede this version. Jan. 12 Introductions and the Establishment of Acadia. Reading: Le Blanc, Barbara pp. 19-34, Faragher, pp. 313-325, and a brief overview of the history of Acadia at: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/history-of-acadia One page journal response due by 9:00 am, summarizing and reacting to the reading. In your response, please also introduce yourself to the class, telling us what year and major you are and of any prior exposure you have had to Acadian history or Franco-American Studies. Jan. 14 The Deportation Reading: Faragher, pp. 325-364 Journal post due by 9:00 am. Jan. 19 Exile and Migration Reading: Faragher, pp. 365-392 Read and study the Explanatory Map of Acadia produced by the Canadian American Center, especially side 2. No journal post due (Martin Luther King Day) Jan. 21 Exile and Migration Reading: Faragher, pp. 393-441 Journal post due by 9:00 am, responding to all the reading and maps from Jan. 19 and Jan. 20. Jan. 26 Exile and Migration Reading: “Acadian Exiles in Virginia” by Elliot Dow Healy, “The Fate of the Exiled Acadians in South Carolina” by Marguerite B. Hamer, and “Acadian Exiles in Pennsylvania” by Wilton Paul Ledet (articles posted to class folder). No journal post due. Jan. 28 Exile and Migration Reading: “Massachusetts and the Acadians” by Richard Lowe, “The Acadian Migrations” by Robert LeBlanc (posted to the class folder), and “A New Acadia: The Acadian Migrations to South Louisiana, 1764-1803” by Carl Brasseaux (on e-reserves). Journal post due by 9:00 am responding to all the readings for Jan 26 and Jan 28.

Feb. 2 The Acadians in Louisiana Reading: “Letter by Jean-Baptiste Semer, an Acadian in New Orleans, to His Father in Le Havre, April 20, 1766” by Jean-François Mouhot and Bey Grieve (posted to the class folder), Chapter 8 from The Acadians: A People’s Story of Exile and Triumph by Dean Jobb “Louisiana Refuge” pp. 187-211 (on e-reserves), and “The Cajunization of French Louisiana: Forging a Regional Identity” by Cécile Trépanier (posted to class folder).

No journal post due. ***Proposal due for final project. Please email a onepage description of the proposed research project directly to instructor. Instructor will offer feedback on your proposal. Feb. 4 The Acadians in Louisiana Reading: “Legislation and Language: The Politics of Speaking French in Louisiana” by James J. Natsis, “From "Acadien" to "Cajun" to "Cadien": Ethnic Labelization and Construction of Identity” by Jacques Henry, and “Acadian Pride, Anglo-Conformism: The Acadian Bicentennial Celebration of 1955” by Shane K. Bernard (articles posted to class folder).

Journal post due by 9:00 am, summarizing and responding to all the readings for Feb. 2 and Feb. 4. Feb. 9 Historical Overview of Acadia Reading: “Acadia from 1763 to 1990: An Historical Synthesis,” by Léon Thériault from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 45-86. (available on e-reserves) Journal post due by 9:00 am. Feb. 11 The Deportation in Acadian Memory Reading: Faragher, pp. 443-480 Journal post due by 9:00 am. Feb. 16 Acadians of the Maritimes: Acadian Identity Reading: “Perceptions of Acadians: The Importance of Tradition” by Naomi Griffiths (on e-reserves) and “Acadian Identity: The Creation and Recreation of Identity” by Naomi Griffiths (on e-reserves) Journal post due by 9:00 am. Feb. 18 Acadians of the Maritimes: Population and Language Reading: “Demography and Demolinguistics in Acadia, 1871-1991” by Muriel Roy from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 135-166 (available on e-reserves) and “Linguistic Schizophrenia: The Poetics of Acadian Identity Construction” by Irene Gammel and Paul Boudreau (posted to class folder). Journal post due by 9:00 am.

Feb. 23 Acadians of the Maritimes: Evangeline, the Power of a Myth, and the Development of Grand Pré

Reading: Le Blanc, Barbara, pp. 51-98, and "Longfellow's Evangeline: The Birth and Acceptance of a Legend" by Naomi Griffiths (on e-reserves), and listen to the song Evangeline: Acadian Queen on U Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JIYxjVKs9U Journal post due by 9:00 am. Feb. 25 Acadians of the Maritimes: Political Awakenings Reading: “Politics and the Acadians,” by Philippe Doucet from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 287-325. (available on e-reserves). Please also watch the video, slide show, and read through the McCord Museum (of Montreal) online version of their exhibit entitled The Acadian Renaissance: http://www.museemccord.qc.ca/scripts/projects/CH/animCH.php?tourID=GE_P2_2_EN&Lang=1 &type=quicktime

Journal post due by 9:00 am. Spring Break! Mar. 16 Acadians of the Maritimes: Political Awakenings and Rebuilding Community Reading: “Nation Building” pp. 99 -147 in Le Blanc and read through the Acadian Nation-Building Timeline in Le Blanc, pp. 179-185, and ''Rebuilding a Society'' by Sally Ross (posted to the course folder). Also, please view images of the Acadian National Flag and the Louisiana Acadian flag here: http://www.acadian-cajun.com/acflag.htm Journal post due by 9:00 am. Mar. 18 Acadians of the Maritimes: The Catholic Church Reading: “The Acadianization of Ecclesiastical Structures, 1758-1953” by Léon Thériault from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 415-447 (available on e-reserves). Journal post due by 9:00 am. Mar. 23 Acadians of the Maritimes: Language Preservation and Rights Reading: “The Linguistic and Cultural Rights of Acadians from 1713 to the Present” by Michel Bastarache et al from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 371-412 (available on e-reserves). No journal due. Mar. 25 Acadians of the Maritimes: Education in French Reading: “French Education in the Maritimes, 1604-1992” by Gilberte LeBlanc et al from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 523-560 (available on e-reserves). Journal post due by 9:00 am. Please respond to all of the reading for Mar 23 and 25 in your journal for Wed. Mar. 30 Acadians of the Maritimes: Literature and the Arts

Reading: “Acadian Literature” by Raoul Boudreau and Marguerite Maillet from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 679-717 (available on ereserves). Also, read the following links about Antonine Maillet: http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/antonine-maillet http://canadian-writers.athabascau.ca/french/writers/amaillet/amaillet.php No journal due. Apr. 1 Acadians of the Maritimes: Acadian Folklore and Popular Culture Reading: ''Acadian Folklore'' by Father Chiasson et al from Acadia of the Maritimes edited by Jean Daigle, pp. 625-676 (available on e-reserves). Also, listen to some Acadian songs on U Tube posted to class folder. Journal post due by 9:00 am. Please respond to all the readings for Mar 30 and Apr 1. Apr. 6 Acadians of the St. John Valley: Reading: The Acadians of Madawaska, Maine by Charles Collins, pp. 24- 61 (on e-reserves) and “Early French Migrations to Northern Maine, 1785-1850” by Béatrice Craig (posted to the class folder). Please also read through the links on this site: http://acim.umfk.maine.edu/identity.html

No journal due. Apr. 8 Acadians of the St. John Valley: Reading: Excerpts from The Land in Between by Béatrice Craig et al: Chapter 5 (pp. 57-69), Chapter 7 (pp. 86-99), “Education” (pp. 169-177), ''American Madawaska'' (pp. 310-317), “The Church and Public Welfare, 1870-1914” Chapter 24 (pp. 318-326), “The Acadian Renaissance and Madawaska” Chapter 25 (pp. 327-336) (all excerpts on e-reserves). Please also read the following news article and links on the upcoming World Acadian Congress to be held in the region of “Acadia of the Lands and Forests”: http://www.sjvalley-times.com/view/full_story/12974684/article-Council-joinsSoci%C3%A9t%C3%A9-Nationale-de-l%E2%80%99Acadie?instance=main_article

Please also read through the official link for the World Acadian Congress: http://cma2014.com/en

Journal post due by 9:00 am responding to all the reading for Apr 6 and 8. Apr. 13 Women in Acadian and Cajun Society Reading: “Women and the Acadian Renaissance” by Cécile Gallant, “Mother’s Helper? Factors Affecting the Feminization of Teaching in New Brunswick Acadian Publuc Schools. 1861-1881,” by Sheila Andrew from L’Acadie au féminin, and “Twentieth-Century Cajun Women, Agents of Cultural Presevation,” by Nicole Fontenot from L’Acadie au féminin. (Both articles on e-reserves) Journal post due by 9:00 am. Apr. 15 Acadians in New England

Reading: “The Acadian Background” by Mason Wade (from Steeples and Smokestacks), and “Acadians and Emigration” by Fernand Arsenault (from Steeples and Smokestacks) (both on e-reserves) Journal due by 9:00 am. Apr. 20 Acadians in New England Reading: “From Farm to Factory: Acadians in Fitchburg, Massachusetts (1880-1910) by Paul LeBlanc (from Steeples and Smokestacks), and “Acadians in New England” by Clarence d’Entremont (from The French in New England, Acadia, and Quebec). (both on e-reserves) No journal due. Apr. 22 Acadians in New England Reading: “Acadian Survival in New England” by Reverend Clarence J. d’Entremont” from Steeples and Smokestacks and available online at: http://www.acadian-home.org/acadians-new-england.html

Also, read about the move for a “New England Acadian flag” at: http://www.wquercus.com/acadie/flag.htm

Also, read a talk by Lucie LeBlanc entitled “Celebrating the Heritage of New England Acadians at Grand Pré”: http://www.acadian-home.org/newsletter-issue5.html#Celebrating%20the%20Heritage%20of%20New%20England%20Acadians%20at%20GrandPr%C3%A9

Journal post due by 9:00 am responding to all the reading for Apr 20 and 22. ***Final exam will be posted to the course folder. Apr. 27 Acadian Empowerment, Survival and Restitution Reading: Le Blanc, pp. 149-177 No journal due. **Final Research Project Due by 9:00 am, to be posted to the appropriate class folder. Please also read each others' projects and comment on at least two other students’ work. Apr. 29 Acadian Empowerment, Survival and Restitution- Last class Reading: Excerpts from The Acadians: A People’s Story of Exile and Triumph by Dean Jobb, pp. 213- 263 (on e-reserves) . Journal post due by 9:00 am commenting on all the readings for Apr 27 and Apr 29. Please include any final questions or comments on the course as a whole in your final journal. *****The Final Exam will be due by Wed. May 6th at 9:00 am. To be emailed directly to the instructor. Late exams will not be accepted. You will receive your corrected exam within one week. Have a great summer!