Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia — Said to have been visited, or at least sighted, by Erik, an Icelander, in 986, and by him named "Markland", meaning forest-clad land. It was referred to in 1516 as "Bac-caloes", said to be the Basque word for "codfish", but this name was a very general one for all places at or near the entrance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Afterwards it was known as "Acadia".

It was at one time also called "Arambec". The native Mi`kmaq knew Nova Scotia as "Megumaage", i.e. "Mi`kmaq Land", or "the home of the Mi`kmaq or true man". The Mi`kmaq applied this name to the Maritime Provinces generally.

It received its present name "Nova Scotia", i.e. "New Scotland", in the year 1621, when a deed or grant was given by King James the First of England and Sixth of Scotland, granting the Province under the present name to Sir William Alexander. Just previous to this date it was known as "Nova Francia". New Brunswick was included in it until 1784.

Scotland was at one time known as "Scotia Nova" or "New Scotland" to distinguish it from the whole or part of Ireland that was then called Scotland, i. e. "Land of the Scoti" or "Scots". Some of the Scots later left Ireland and settled in North Britain in the part now known as Scotland.

Some old maps bear the name "New Caledonia" for Nova Scotia and "New Alexandria" for New Brunswick.

The first representative Assembly, consisting of twenty-two members, was held in the year 1758.
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