Dear Ms. Hicks,

I saw the handout about the Seven Years War which mentioned Louisbourg, Canada and became really excited (in a nerdy, history-teacher kind of way). I have been there several times, because my grandfather lived in that part of Canada. Two of my uncles even had summer jobs at Louisbourg. Here is some information about the town for your students.

-Mr. Wright

Where is Louisbourg?

It is on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada

The 411During the 1700s France and England were fighting for control of what is today Canada.

Louisbourg was an important French port town because it controlled access to the Saint Laurence River, the highway to Canada’s interior. To protect the town, the French built walls and installed cannons.

The French and Indian WarDuring the French and Indian War (aka the Seven Years War), the British needed to capture Louisbourg so they could move on to attack Quebec, the capital of French Canada.

The British besieged Louisbourg and captured it in 1758. Before leaving, they completely demolished the city. In the 1960’s a portion of the town was reconstructed on the ruins exactly as it was during the French and Indian War.

Here are some photos I found on the web…they are much better than my own personal photos.

Only a small portion of the original town was rebuilt

Notice the defensive walls around the town

The Governor’s Complex

View from across the harbor

French colonists did NOT wear sunglasses!

The American Revolution

To pay for the French and Indian War, the British start raising taxes on the thirteen colonies. This really angered people, and started them talking about independence.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Mr. Wright