Newfoundland

Newfoundland
   An island off the east coast of Canada, first visited by Vikings, and in the modern era by John Cabot in 1497. Its fertile fishing grounds, especially on the grand banks, have long been known and exploited by fishermen from various Western European nations.
   The island was annexed to Great Britain by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583, but its exact dimensions remained unknown until its shores were mapped by James Cook in the 1760s.Newfoundland enjoyed prosperity during the Napoleonic Wars, in large part as a result of sales of fish to the army in the Peninsula War. Newfoundland was ruled by Admirals until 1825; an assembly was granted in 1832. Responsible government was effectively granted in 1855. Although entry into the Canadian confederation was discussed, a tentative agreement to that effect was repudiated by the island’s electorate in 1868. Charles F. Bennett, a leading opponent of confederation, became prime minister of the colony in 1869. Confederation was rejected because it was felt that the interests, particularly in regard to the fishery, of Newfoundland conflicted with those of the mainland Maritime provinces. Newfoundland’s politics in the late nineteenth century were dominated by fisheries disputes with France and the United States, and it was often felt that the imperial government represented the island’s interests without enthusiasm. In World War I, however, Newfoundlanders fought with distinction, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment being almost wiped out on the Somme, and many fishermen serving in the Royal Navy.
   FURTHER READING:
    Rowe, Frederick W. A History of Newfoundland and Labrador. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980.
   MARK F. PROUDMAN

Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800–1914. 2014.

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  • Newfoundland — usually refers to either: Newfoundland, the former name of Newfoundland and Labrador, a Canadian province in the eastern part of Canada Newfoundland (island), an island that forms part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland may …   Wikipedia

  • Newfoundland — • Located in Canada Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Newfoundland     Newfoundland     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Newfoundland — New found*land (?, often ?), prop. n. 1. An island on the coast of British North America, famed for the fishing grounds in its vicinity. [1913 Webster] 2. A Newfoundland dog. Tennyson. [1913 Webster] {Newfoundland dog} (Zo[ o]l.), a breed of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Newfoundland —   [ njuːfəndlənd, auch njuː faʊndlənd], deutsch Neufụndland, Provinz im Osten Kanadas, 404 212 km2, (1999) 541 000 Einwohner, fast ausschließlich britischer Abstammung. Hauptstadt und größte Stadt ist Saint John s. Die Provinz besteht aus der… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Newfoundland — → Terranova. Saint John s Newfoundland → San Juan de Terranova …   Diccionario panhispánico de dudas

  • Newfoundland — ► NOUN ▪ a dog of a very large breed with a thick coarse coat. ORIGIN named after Newfoundland in Canada …   English terms dictionary

  • Newfoundland — Newfoundland1 [no͞o′fənd lənd, no͞o′fəndland΄; nyo͞o′fənd lənd, nyo͞o′fənd land΄; no͞o found′lənd, no͞o found′land΄; nyo͞o found′lənd, nyo͞ofound′land΄] n. [after NEWFOUNDLAND2] any of a breed of large, muscular dog with a long, straight, often… …   English World dictionary

  • Newfoundland — (spr. njūfaundländ), s. Neufundland …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Newfoundland — er en ø på 110.000 kvadratkilometer …   Danske encyklopædi

  • Newfoundland — 1585, from NEWFOUND (Cf. newfound) + LAND (Cf. land) (n.). In reference to a type of dog, from 1773. Related: Newfoundlander. Colloquial shortening Newfie for the inhabitants or the place is recorded from 1942 …   Etymology dictionary

  • Newfoundland — /nooh feuhn leuhnd, land , feuhnd , nyooh ; nooh fownd leuhnd, nyooh /, n. 1. a large island in E Canada. 42,734 sq. mi. (110,680 sq. km). 2. a province in E Canada, composed of Newfoundland island and Labrador. 557,725; 155,364 sq. mi. (402,390… …   Universalium

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