Acadie, founded by France in 1604 and ceded to England in 1713 as Nova Scotia, became the site of the Grand Dérangement after British authorities in 1755 began the systematic deportation of Acadians, breaking apart families and communities and seizing their lands and possessions. Nearly 10,000 men, women, and children were forced onto ships and deported to the Anglo-American colonies, England, and France, while others escaped to French territory and formed a resistance. Over the following ten years, nearly half of the Acadian people were lost at sea or died from disease and famine. By 1765, only 1,600 survivors remained in Nova Scotia, where their fertile lands had been occupied by other settlers. Some families later returned, but most never saw Acadie again; many settled in Quebec and France, and in Louisiana they helped create the Cajun culture. Despite the upheaval, the Acadian presence endured in Atlantic Canada, where it remains French-speaking and culturally vibrant.