48 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



B. Sociological Factors. 



a. Govcnnncnt. Both the New England and the English immi- 

 grants were accustomed to representative government with a legislative 

 capital. This had heen fixed for all Nova Scotia, including New Bruns- 

 wick, at Halifax in 1749, and hence the question of a capital did not 

 affect settlement in New Brunswick in this period. 



6. Occupations. Nearly all the immigrants of the period were 

 farmers and hence their settlements were determined chiefly by the 

 distribution of the best accessible lands, as a comparison of the 

 soil map (Map îs'o. 4) with the accompanying Map No. 7 will show. 

 A few were traders in furs, in fish, which now became an article of 

 export, and in lumber, of which, however, but n single kind, nainelv, pine 

 trees for masts for the royal navy, was exported. There was a limited 

 trade in lime and in a very few minor commodities. Thus a few trading 

 settlements, at the favourable geographical centres, became of importance 

 in this period. 



c. Racial character. The New Englanders were dominated by the 

 pioneering spirit; they were bold, enterprisiing, adaptable, and extended 

 far into the wilderness or upon solitary islands with no fear and with 

 little loneliness. They had little attachment to the soil and moved 

 without hesitation to more promisiing localities. These characteristics, 

 combined with their occupation, acted dispersively upon their i^ettle- 

 ments, making them small and scattered rather than compact and 

 centralized. The English and Scotch immigrants, on the other hand, 

 manifested, and naturally, less tendency to spread, and preferred to settle 

 in villages or compact settlements as had been their custom at home. 



d. Religion. All of the immigrants of this period wore Protestants, 

 and hence, unlike their new fellow countrymen, the Acadians, wore not 

 influenced in their practical affairs by any church organization. Like 

 men of the same race to-day, a desire for material profit was their lead- 

 ing impulse, and their religion did not interfere appreciably therewith. 

 They extended their settlements where profit or pleasure led them and 

 subsequently organized churches in their new homes. Hence, religious 

 conditions produced no traceable effects upon the distribution of their 

 settlements. 



C. Environ men t((l Factors. 



a. Accessibility. The peculiar geographical relation of New Bruns- 

 wick to Nova Scotia, whereliy the sontbern coast of the province is of 

 easy access from New England while tbe north coast is remote and 

 hence difficult of access, greatly iiiflueiiced Ihe settlement of tbis period. 

 It is for this reason chiefly that all of the New England settlements 



