The decision to deport the Acadians was sanctioned by British Governor Charles Lawrence and the Nova Scotia Council amid the backdrop of the struggle for dominance between British and French forces in North America. For years, Acadians, descendants of French settlers in the region, had lived in relative peace, opting to remain neutral during the ongoing conflict. However, as military tensions escalated, particularly with the onset of the French and Indian War, British authorities viewed the Acadian population as a potential security threat. The fear was that their allegiance could sway towards the French, complicating military operations in the region.

On July 25, 1755, the Council met to formulate their strategy, culminating in the decision to forcibly remove the Acadians from their land. This directive led to the coordinated arrest and transportation of approximately 11,500 Acadians, an undertaking that was both ambitious and catastrophic. Families were separated, and their possessions were confiscated or destroyed. The deportees were dispersed to various British American colonies, with many ultimately relocated to distant places such as the Carolinas and the British West Indies.

The deployment of British military forces to carry out this order resulted in a series of violent confrontations, deeply impacting local communities and instigating a climate of fear and uncertainty among the Acadian population. The disruption of their agricultural lifestyle not only caused immediate suffering but also led to long-term repercussions for their descendants, who faced challenges in establishing new lives far from their ancestral homes.