Although Evangeline is a fictional character, the story of the expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia is based on a real event. The Acadians were originally from France. They began to settle in Acadie in the early 17th century. By the early 18th century, France had five colonies in North America, including Acadie. It was, however, the tragedy of the Acadians that they got drawn into the conflict between the two major colonial powers of the day.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, in which Britain and France were on opposite sides, the British captured Port Royal, which was then the Acadian capital, in 1710. After the war, Acadie was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713-14). The British sought to solidify control of the region by demanding that the Acadians swear allegiance to the British crown, but many Acadians refused. They also refused to fight against the French or any of the Indigenous tribes allied with the French.

By 1750, there were around 10,000 Acadians in Nova Scotia, according to one estimate. Friction between Britain and France continued to grow, and the French and Indian War began in 1754. This war pitted the British North American colonies against the French colonies.