Halifax

Harbour deep, history deeper ⚓

The history of Halifax, Nova Scotia , begins with its founding by the British in 1749 on territory gained from a war with the French. It was part of the traditional territory of the Mi'kmaq and settled by French Acadians. The new settlement was named for head of the British Board of Trade, Earl of Halifax, who authorized the settlement, becoming the colonial capital. Its location was chosen for its deep harbour. A permanent navy base, the Halifax Naval Yard was established in 1759. The city's fortunes were tied to the military presence. With the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, the French were no longer a threat and military personnel were deployed elsewhere. Nova Scotia was the fourteenth British colony on the Atlantic seaboard, and with political resistance on the southern Thirteen Colonies that led to the American War of Independence (1775-1783), the importance of Halifax to the British Empire increased.