A History of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic to 1818
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by Shannon Ryan
Flanker Press, St. John’s, 2012.
280 pp., $19.95 paperback
The first Europeans to visit Newfoundland were Norsemen from Greenland who happened upon the rocky shores around AD 1000. They didn’t stay long, however, and they weren’t the only visitors in Newfoundland’s history to turn their boats around and return to the other side of the pond.
In A History of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic to 1818, Shannon Ryan explores the early evolution of European settlement in Newfoundland. Several European powers — namely, the French, Spanish, Portueguese, and British — were attracted by the cod fishery and competed for a piece of the lucrative industry.
Despite having this rich resource in its coastal waters, Newfoundland hosted a seasonal fishery on a first–come, first–served basis, with only a few permanent settlers. It wasn’t until the Napoleonic Wars that Newfoundland’s economy prospered and diversified, its population increased, and a formal colony emerged.
Ryan weaves together the theories of Newfoundland’s most notable historians and adds his own data, research, and perspective. Her comparison to other European colonies and commercial activities in North America helps to contextualize Newfoundland’s unique history.
— Joanna Dawson (Read bio)
Joanna Dawson is Canada's History Society's Acting Director of Programs.