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A
bit of History
Recent
discoveries...
According
to recent archaeological discoveries, the islands
were used a seasonal base for over 8000 years by
many native peoples including the Beothuk and the
Paleo Eskimo.
The
Discoverers
The
European fishery on the Grand Banks began over
500 years ago when explorer
Giovanni Caboto claimed all that was needed to harvest
codfish was to lower a basket into the sea.
The
islands of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon were baptized
the Eleven Thousand Virgins by Joao Alvarez Faguendes
of Portugal in 1520, the Green Islands by the Corte
Real brothers and the Island of Saint-Pierre by Jacques
Cartier in 1536. By 1579, the island of Miquelon was given its name by Basque fishermen.
"Nous
fumes ausdictes yles sainct Pierre, ou trouvasmes
plusieurs navires, tant de France que de Bretaigne,
depuis le jour sainct Bernabe, XIe de juing,
jusques au XVIe jour dudict moys" - Jacques
Cartier, June 1536
The
Merchants of Saint-Malo
The
French Merchants of Saint-Malo settled in Saint-Pierre
in the late XVIIth century and established a very
large curing and salting operation for codfish. The
tribulations of war between France and Britain would
put an end to the French colonies in Placentia Newfoundland
and Saint-Pierre et Miquelon and The treaty of Utrecht
of 1713 forced Saint-Pierre's inhabitants into exile
in Isle Royale (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia).
"The
Ifland is as subject to Fogs as any part in Newfoundland
yes if we may credit the late Planters it is
very convienient for catching and curing of Codfish" -
James Cook, 1763
Treaties,
war and deportation
The
treaty of 1763 returned the islands of Saint-Pierre & Miquelon
back to France, and despite the subsequent
deportations of 1778 and 1793, the islands
were once again returned to France in 1816.
"The
French, it seems, are determined to lose no
time in settling a colony at Miquelon and St
Pierre." - the LONDON GAZETTE, June 5
1783
The
Golden Age of the Fishery
For
the next hundred and eighty years, Saint-Pierre & Miquelon's
main industry remained the Cod Fishery.
"St
Pierre was once the liveliest fishing port in
the world. The eighties of the last century beheld
its greatest prosperity. In those days seven
to eight thousand fisheman from St Malo, Fécamp,
St Brieuc, and Dieppe, and the arrival of the
Terre Neuves, the vessels and crews from France,
was a wondrous, treasure producing event. The
French and St Pierre armateurs, or outfitters,
reaped golden harvests indeed." - Isles
of Romance, George Allan England, 1929.
The
World Wars
During
both World Wars, the inhabitants of Saint-Pierre & Miquelon
showed a very strong sense of sacrifice. Over a quarter
of Saint-Pierre & Miquelon's conscripts
died in World War I, and in World War II,
the islands rallied De Gaulle's Free French
in 1941.
Prohibition
Prohibition
in the United-States caused a short lived period
of prosperity and wealth for Saint-Pierre & Miquelon.
The
Fishery today
Today,
the Fishing Industry is changing and adapting itself
to new realities. A young and dynamic population
is dedicated to ensuring the future of this French
enclave in North America.
For more information on the history of Saint-Pierre
and Miquelon, we recommend the GrandColombier website
(in French).
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