The history of Cape Breton Island is a multicultural one. At one time or another, it has been dominated by First Nations' Mi'kmaq, French, British, and later predominantly Scottish peoples. When Europeans arrived in the region, Mi'kmaq-speaking natives occupied the coastal areas of Gasp? (now part of Quebec) and the Maritime provinces east of New Brunswick's Saint John River. Artifacts from what are believed to be former Mi'kmaq camps have been found in coastal sites in Cape Breton. Before European colonization, the Mi'kmaq frequented various river estuaries along the Atlantic coast, living primarily on abundant fish, clams and other shellfish. European settlers were attracted to these same areas, drawn by the fisheries and the presence of deep harbours from which timber and fish could be shipped. In the early 1500s, long before European settlement, the Canso area was an important fisheries post, as Nova Scotia's closest land to the great North Atlantic fishing grounds. Road winding along the Cabot Trail Following the sighting and identification of Cape Breton Island by European navigator John Cabot in 1497, it remained unsettled until France staked a claim and fortified it between 1713 and 1758. In 1763, Cape Breton was ceded to Great Britain and remained part of the colony of Nova Scotia until 1784 when it became a separate colony. A large influx of Scottish Highlanders began settling on Cape Breton Island after 1820, when the island rejoined Nova Scotia. By 1840 more than 20,000 Scots had flowed into the area, making Gaelic the third most common language spoken in Canada in the late 1800s.
We should read up on our history I see lol.