Summary And Analysis Of The Report On The Nature And State Of Nova Scotia

The chosen document is entitled ‘Document 8: Report on the Nature and State of the Province (Nova Scotia), ca. 1752. ’ The report gave an account of the state of Nova Scotia before the arrival of the British, specifically Mr. Cornwallis, who was a British military officer that was tasked with the establishment of Halifax as the new capital. The report gives details on the development of Nova Scotia and the nature of its inhabitants, especially the Indians, before the war against the British military officers broke out. Therefore, from the report it is clear that the indigenous Indians in Canada were hospitable, gullible and simple-minded, thereby allowing the French and then the British people to establish Nova Scotia as their colony. The report claimed that before the arrival of Edward Cornwallis, there were no British citizens living in Nova Scotia and there existed only one fortress, the Annapolis Royal, which affirmed the inhabitants’ right to the Bay of Pundy. A British official likely wrote the report because of the use of possession such as ‘in this vast Titular Dominion of ours’.

Nova Scotia was the first British colony in North America and the report gave an account of how the British settled and capitalized on the ignorance and hospitality of the Indians to establish their rule. Even though the source of the report is unknown, it details the lack of activity in Nova Scotia before the British settled. The report implied that the early inhabitants of Canada were not traders, as there were no ships seen besides the annual ones supplied food commodities and clothing. Communication between the French was limited, as the document did not report any useful intermarriages or interactions with the Indians. The document showed that the early Canadian inhabitants possessed the most fertile land but did not practice farming as they lived on corn, milk, and roots and reared animals thereby showing their lack of sophistication. Besides the French, the report also indicated the four Indian tribes that included St. John’s Indians, Mick Macks Indians, Cape Sable Indians, and the cape Verte Indians living in Nova Scotia. The Indians lived separately and were scattered all over Nova Scotia living off fish and wild game that they hunted in the winter, meaning they were pleasant people.

The report also described the Indians as active and hardy people that could withstand fatigue, hunger, and the cold weather. Additionally, the Indians also knew how to use arms and were not discouraged by their inferiority in number as they could wage guerrilla warfare on their enemies having a deep knowledge of their terrain. Even though the report was written by an unknown source, it seemed to have British a affiliation. After the Indians started mingling and intermarrying the French, they became civilized but were easily influenced by Papists to believe that serving God and the Grand Monarque were similar. The British had been convinced that Nova Scotia had a favorable climate, abundant resources that the early inhabitants had not exploited since they lacked hospitable people that would be influenced to contribute to the British Empire. The British had seen how the Catholic priests had manipulated the Indians by living amongst them and convincing them to commit murders on his behalf. The Indians had agreed to trade with the British, accepting gifts by Captain Howe and allowing the British to settle under the guise of fortifying the Island and establishing a fishing town. The document was reprinted in the year 1926 in the Northcliffe Collection. However, had the document been released in 1752 when it was written, it would have aggravated the war between the British and the French who were aided by the Indians. The document showed the grand plan of Britain to settle in the area by beguiling the Indians with presents and intimidating the French to surrender since Annapolis, under French leadership, had weaknesses that could easily be exploited.

Furthermore, the document portrayed the French as weak and relying on the assistance of the Indians to wage war. Monsieur De Luther would call together all the Indians when preparing for war and incite them against the British whom he claimed came to Nova Scotia to destroy the trade that had existed and their religion and heritage. This document adds more information on how both the British and French troops were aided by the Indians who even killed their own for monetary reward. Monsieur De Luther supplied the Indians with guns and ammunition and insured them rewards of heaven in the afterlife and in other instances rewarding them with money for the scalps that they delivered. The British had also managed to secure American Indians as allies during the French War and encouraged them to help fight off the French. Additionally, the document also showed how Halifax had grown to be the biggest urban area in Canada under the British influence thereby supplanting Annapolis as the capital. The construction of roads and a new port made the Indians realize that the British were keen to establish their own rule in Nova Scotia due to the ignorance and gullibility of the Indians.

The report on the nature and state of Nova Scotia gave an account of the French rule in the area and the steady establishment of the Island as a British colony. The report, written by an unknown British official, showed how the Island had many resources to be exploited but the land was left untilled as the inhabitants lived off milk, roots, and wild game. The British saw how the French had taken advantage of the Indians’ gullibility and simple-mindedness to drive their agenda. Monsieur De Luther, the mastermind of the Indians’ consciousness, manipulated them to commit murder and fight off the British for rewards in the afterlife. Therefore, the hospitality and gullibility of the Indians allowed the British to bring Nova Scotia under their rule.