History of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
History of Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Timeline | ||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
French control | ||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
The history of Saint Pierre and Miquelon is one of early settlement by Europeans taking advantage of the rich fishing grounds near
There is evidence of prehistoric native inhabitants on the islands, but there is no record of native inhabitants at the time of European exploration. Europeans began to regularly visit from the early 16th century and their settlements are some of the oldest in the Americas. At first,
From the end of the 17th century, English attacks led to the island's French settlers abandoning Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and the British took possession from 1713 to 1763. France eventually reclaimed them, and French settlers returned to live peacefully for 15 years. France joining the American Revolutionary War against Britain led to a British attack and the deportation of the French settlers. Possession of Saint Pierre and Miquelon passed back and forth between France and Great Britain for the next 38 years, as the islands experienced continued invasions from both countries, voluntary or forced removal of the island's residents, and upheaval associated with the French Revolution.
France finally reclaimed the islands after Napoleon's second abdication in 1815, and there followed 70 years of prosperity for the French fishing industry and residents. However, political and economic changes led to a slow decline of the fishing industry after the late 19th century. There was a short 13-year economic boom on the island associated with the period of Prohibition in the United States, when Saint Pierre and Miquelon were prominent bases for alcohol smuggling. This boom ended with the end of Prohibition in 1933, and the economy sank into depression.
The islands were an overseas territory of the Nazi-controlled regime of
Prehistory
The Beothuk painted themselves with red ochre, which was the origin of the term "Red Indian". The Beothuk did not survive long after their first encounters with Europeans.
The Dorset culture preceded the Inuit or Thule people, and the last remaining Dorset tribes were destroyed by diseases when they encountered Europeans.
Some of the native artifacts found on the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon date back to 6000 BC. There is no record of native habitation of Saint Pierre and Miquelon by the time that Europeans arrived.
The Mi'kmaq, a group indigenous to Newfoundland and Canada's Maritime provinces, use the terms "Senpir" for the island of Saint-Pierre, "Mikliin" for the island of Miquelon, and "Wen'juikjikan" for the capital, Saint-Pierre.[1]
Exploration
The first map that showed Saint Pierre and Miquelon was the Mappa mundi of 1500 created by Juan de la Cosa, where they were labelled 'Illa de la Trenidat'. There are some who argue that the 'Green Islands' encountered during the two pre-1472 Portuguese expeditions under João Vaz Corte-Real and the 1501 Portuguese expedition under his son Gaspar Corte-Real were St. Pierre and the islands near it.[2] A map drawn by Johannes Ruysch published in 1507 depicts Miquelon, St. Pierre and the surrounding islands, and labelled as Barbatos.
Early European settlement
During the 16th century, the islands were used as a base for the seasonal
- 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
that is,
- We stayed to the so-called Saint-Pierre islands where we found several French and Breton ships, from St. Barnabe's day, 11 June, until 16th day of said month.
By this time, Basque, Breton and Norman fishermen had been fishing in the waters off these islands for over 30 years.
The first written evidence of year-round residents on the islands was in a report in 1670 by the first
British possession
After they took control of the islands in 1713, the British changed the name of Saint Pierre to Saint Peter. The British government commissioned two surveys of their new possessions between 1714 and 1716. A Newfoundland planter and merchant, William Taverner, surveyed the region west of Placentia Bay for the British Board of Trade. The British Admiralty asked Lieutenant John Gaudy to conduct a cartographic survey of the area in 1716.
Some of the French settlers swore allegiance to Britain, and remained, and for a while ships from Saint-Malo continued to visit the islands. However, this trade was illegal and eventually ceased. Slowly British and Anglo-American merchants and settlers started to move to the islands. In 1722, the island of Miquelon was sold to Capt. Diamond Sarjeant, a Massachusetts resident, who sold 2/3 of Miquelon to Samuel Cutt of New Hampshire in 1756, and sold the remaining 1/3 of Miquelon to Robert Trail of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1758.[6][7]
In the summer of 1763, after Britain had agreed to return the islands to French possession, James Cook mapped the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Cook wrote that:
- The Island is as subject to Fogs as any part in Newfoundland yes if we may credit the late Planters it is very convenient for catching and curing of Codfish.
Return to France
By the end of the
Between 1763 and 1778, the islands became a place of refuge for
Trade grew between New England and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and then with the Newfoundland mainland in various goods. The Newfoundland community of Placentia Bay had a large fraction of Irish settlers, many of whom were Roman Catholic, which was illegal in Newfoundland until 1784. The Irish Catholics from Placentia Bay would travel to St. Pierre to have their weddings and baptisms performed by Catholic priests. Although the British tried to discourage the trade and contacts between Newfoundland and the islands, they were not successful.[8]
Attacks and deportations
In 1778 the islands were attacked by a force led by Newfoundland's Governor John Montagu and the colonists deported by Montagu's men after France joined the American Revolutionary War on the side of the United States. The settlers were sent back to France and their colonial settlements were burnt. France regained the islands in 1783 after the Peace of Paris and some residents returned to the islands.
The
In May 1793, after France had declared war on Great Britain as part of the War of the First Coalition, a British force attacked the islands under Captain William Affleck of Halifax. The seasonal fishermen and captured French military personnel were deported in 1793, followed by the 950 residents in 1794, who were shipped to Halifax and held for two years.
British fishermen took possession of the islands. Only 2 years later, French forces under
French restoration after Napoleon
Although the Amiens Treaty of 1802 specified that Saint-Pierre and Miquelon would again be returned to France, this agreement did not produce the promised restoration. The islands were finally returned to France after the second abdication of Napoleon in 1815. French fishermen again took up residence on the island in 1816.
The French fishing fleet again came to the islands for supplies and to dry and cure their catch. The residents of the islands did a good business, many working as armateurs, or outfitters, for the visiting fishing fleet. About 200 French vessels came to fish in the waters, and as many as 8000 French fishermen came to visit every year from
Although there were three large fires in St. Pierre, the islands prospered. A post office was created in 1854, a bank in 1889 ("Banque des Îles") and in 1866 the island administration began a newspaper, Feuille Officielle.
The shore areas of Newfoundland were increasingly frequented by French fishermen for drying their catch. Although the British had intended that the French not erect any permanent structures or live on Newfoundland, the terms of the treaty were ambiguous. French settlements sprung up on the northern coast of Newfoundland, which came to be known as the French Shore, as well on the southern and western coasts.[10]
Changing times
The increasing French presence on the French Shore led to tension between the French and British inhabitants, and extensive negotiations between France and Britain. These negotiations resulted in a convention in 1857 in which Britain agreed to allow French settlements on the French Shore and eventually their exclusive use of this territory. The
Submarine trans-Atlantic telegraph cables from France in the 19th century typically were routed from the French mainland through stations on Miquelon or St. Pierre, and then on to Nova Scotia or the United States. The first was laid in 1869 from the lighthouse at Le Minou on the north side of the entrance to the narrows leading to the Brest harbor in France to St. Pierre, and then on to Duxbury, Massachusetts.[11][12] Of the 12 French trans-Atlantic submarine telegraph cables laid between 1869 and 1897, 6 of them passed through Miquelon or St. Pierre.[13] The islands were becoming more closely connected to the outside world.
In 1903, American Senator Henry Cabot Lodge advocated that the United States should purchase the islands from France.[14] Lodge was concerned about the French influence on Saint Pierre and Miquelon, possible political or cultural effects on Canada and the United States, and the effect of French fishing fleets on New England fisheries. The economy of the islands had been in decline due to poor cod fishing seasons, and many residents were angry at France for insisting on approving all teachers on the islands.[15] For these reasons, many residents of the islands were in favor of becoming part of the United States,[14] reasoning that they could then sell their fish to the rest of the United States without import taxes, and that the United States would not interfere with their local educational system.[15] In response, some Canadians asked Great Britain to purchase the islands from France instead.[16] In an election for the islands' representative to the French Chamber of Deputies, one candidate was in favor of annexation while the incumbent candidate was not.[17] The incumbent candidate, who was against annexation, won reelection by a small margin in December 1903.[18] The islands were not purchased by either country, and they remained part of France.
Another severe blow to the economy of Saint Pierre and Miquelon was an agreement between Britain and France in 1904 over territorial issues, in which France traded their exclusive right to fishing in Newfoundland waters for considerations in Africa. The commercial advantages of language and tradition that Saint Pierre and Miquelon employed in their relationships with France and other countries was substantially weakened during this time. [citation needed]
Companies merged, and many of the residents left for greener pastures, as the economy withered to one-third of its previous size by 1914. The
Windfall from Prohibition
Starting in 1920, the US passed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which led to Prohibition. As a result, St. Pierre and Miquelon became the transshipment point for bringing illegal alcohol from Canada into the United States. Some Canadian provinces also experimented with prohibition as well, but alcohol manufacturers in Canada were still allowed to distil liquor for export. A French law forbidding the importation of foreign liquor was repealed in 1922, drastically increasing the alcohol smuggling operations. Canadian whisky, Caribbean rum and legally imported French wines and spirits were the main products smuggled into and then reshipped from the islands. [citation needed]
Many gangsters including
Local legend holds that Capone regularly visited Saint-Pierre, and a local bar displays a hat alleged to have been his.[19]
World War II
France was defeated in 1940 by Nazi Germany, and Northern France was occupied. Southern France was governed by Vichy France, which collaborated with Germany. Vichy France was nevertheless recognized as the legitimate government of France by neutral countries, including the United States.
Governor Gilbert de Bournat of St. Pierre adhered to Vichy France, but the islands were in a difficult situation. The islands were dependent on France for subsidies; it is estimated that in the first part of the 20th century, France spent 40 million francs supporting the economy of the islands. Also, a substantial fraction of the French fishing fleet decided not to return to Nazi-controlled France and remained in the harbor of St. Pierre. French General Charles de Gaulle created Free France, which was supported by Britain. Also, the UK and US worried that Saint Pierre and Miquelon under Vichy control could be used by the Axis to spy on Allied shipping, since there was a radio transmitter on St. Pierre that was thought to be sending messages to German submarines.
During the early years of World War II, the United States maintained formal relations with Vichy France. Under the Monroe Doctrine, the US was strongly opposed to any change in control of the islands by force. However, Canada (perhaps due to pressure from Winston Churchill) expressed worries about Vichy forces near Canada. De Gaulle realized that Canada might want to capture Saint Pierre and Miquelon (thereby eliminating French territory so close to Quebec), so he secretly planned its seizure by Free France. On Christmas Eve 1941, Free French forces (three corvettes and the submarine Surcouf, led by Rear-Admiral Émile Muselier) "invaded" the islands. The Vichy officials immediately surrendered.[21]
It became a major international incident, because the use of military force by Free France was contrary to the Monroe Doctrine and because the United States had just reached an agreement with Vichy France not to disturb its possessions in the Western Hemisphere. US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Churchill were incensed to learn that de Gaulle had ordered the landings without even consulting them. The United States and Canada both threatened armed intervention, despite Free France being an ally of both countries. However, US Secretary of State Cordell Hull then disclaimed any further US interest in the islands, and the islands were not critical to any Allied country.[22][23][24][25]
The Free French corvette Mimosa, crewed mainly from St. Pierre and Miquelon, escorted Allied convoys. On 9 June 1942, while escorting
Since World War II
At the end of the Second World War in 1945, Saint Pierre and Miquelon resumed its place as a center for codfishing. Other nations joined the French fleet to fish in the waters around the islands. The economy was not as prosperous as it had been, and by the 1960s French government subsidies constituted half the budget of the islands. This led to the reputation of the island residents as being "the world's most expensive Frenchmen".
In the late 1950s De Gaulle offered all French colonies political and financial independence. Saint Pierre and Miquelon chose to remain part of France.
A political leadership crisis in Saint Pierre and Miquelon erupted in 1965. France sent in an armed force of gardes mobiles. In response, the residents of Saint Pierre and Miquelon mounted a three-day general strike in protest of this interference in local affairs.
The islands became a full
Canada tried to reduce the codfishing around Newfoundland in the 1970s and 1980s, out of fear of seriously damaging the fish population. The French responded with the "Codfish Crusade" and fished in areas that were forbidden. The Canadian government inspected French fishing trawlers and jailed some fishermen. In 1994, France and Canada mutually agreed to reduce the fishing industry in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
To the consternation of law enforcement officials, there continues to be smuggling of alcohol and tobacco from Saint Pierre and Miquelon to Newfoundland. This illegal trade has a long history and tradition. It is partly driven by a depressed local economy.
At this point, Saint Pierre and Miquelon represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast
As a result of an agreement between the European Union and France, the Euro became the legal currency of the French overseas territories of French Guiana, Réunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Mayotte in 2002.
The COVID-19 disease outbreak has impacted Saint-Pierre and Miquelon in 2020-2023.
References
- ^ "Mi'kmaw Place Names".
- ^ "Encyclopédie de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon". Archived from the original on 14 May 2005. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
- ^ Placenames of the world: origins and meanings of the names for 6,600 ..., p. 328, at Google Books By Adrian Room
- ^ "French Presence in Newfoundland: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage". heritage.nf.ca.
- ^ There are writings about an island named Bacalao that was a destination of Basque fisherman in the 15th century, and was also mentioned in Portuguese documents. Some have suggested that Bacalao was Newfoundland
- ^ The British Period (1714–1764): Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage
- ^ CO194-26
- ^ "The Restoration to France (1763–1815): Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage". heritage.nf.ca.
- ^ Isles of Romance, George Allan England, The Century Co., New York, London, 1929
- ^ "The Issue of the French Shore in Newfoundland". marianopolis.edu. Archived from the original on 10 September 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
- ^ Cordelière – 10
- Porthcurnow in Cornwall, England were routed out of Brignogan, which is further north.
- ^ History of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine Telegraphy – French Cable Station, Orleans, Massachusetts
- ^ a b "Willing to Be Annexed: St. Pierre and Miquelon Would Like to Join United States". The New York Times. 23 November 1903. p. 6.
- ^ a b "Pierrons Favor Annexation: Last Remnant of French Empire in America Anxious to Become a Part of the United States -- The Two Principal Reasons for Dissatisfaction". The New York Times. 23 August 1903. p. 28.
- ^ "Annexation an Issue: St. Pierre Voters Stirred For or Against Union with America". The Washington Post. 14 December 1903. p. 1.
- ^ "Election in French Islands: St. Pierre and Miquelon Will Choose Member of French Chamber of Deputies". The New York Times. 27 December 1903. p. 2.
- ^ "Annexationist Defeated: Election in St. Pierre and Miquelon Shows Dissatisfaction Exists". The Washington Post. 29 December 1903. p. 4.
- ^ a b http://www.spmtours.com/dayandvacation.html Archived 3 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine and http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/1999/08/12/nf_capone990812.html
- ^ Wortman, Marc (17 January 2018). "This Tiny French Archipelago Became America's Alcohol Warehouse During Prohibition". Smithsonian. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "Over by Christmas." The Liberation of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- ^ Anglin, D. G. (1966) The St-Pierre et Miquelon Affaire of 1941. University of Toronto Press.
- ^ Chaline, E.; Santarelli, P. (1990) Historique des forces navales françaises libres. Service historique de la Marine, Marine Nationale, p. 463.
- ^ Aglion, Raoul. De Gaulle et Roosevelt. La France Libre aux États-Unis. PLON.
- )
- ^ FFL Mimosa (K 11), Uboat.net.
Further reading
- "Concern of the United States over the Seizure of St. Pierre–Miquelon Islands by Free French Forces". Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers. United States Department of State. 1962. pp. 654–670.
External links
- GrandColombier.com Project – Over 270 historical documents about Saint-Pierre et Miquelon.
- Saint-Pierre and Miquelon – Article from the public domain 1912 Catholic Encyclopedia.