Placentia Bay
Encyclopedia
Placentia Bay is a body of water on the southeast coast of Newfoundland
, Canada
. It is formed by Burin Peninsula
on the west and Avalon Peninsula
on the east. Fishing grounds in the bay were used by native people long before the first European
fishermen arrived in the 16th century. For a time, the French
controlled the bay. They built their capital at Placentia on the east coast. The British gained Placentia during the Treaty of Utrecht
in 1713. The town and nearby Castle Hill
are national historic sites. English
settlement followed in the bay and today the main communities are Burin
, Marystown
, and Placentia
.
On 14 August 1941 NS Argentia
located in Little Placentia Sound
was the site of the Atlantic Conference for the Atlantic Charter
, where Winston Churchill
and Franklin D. Roosevelt
met face to face for the first time since both took office and the start of World War II
.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is formed by Burin Peninsula
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
on the west and Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
on the east. Fishing grounds in the bay were used by native people long before the first European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
fishermen arrived in the 16th century. For a time, the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
controlled the bay. They built their capital at Placentia on the east coast. The British gained Placentia during the Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
in 1713. The town and nearby Castle Hill
Castle Hill, Newfoundland and Labrador
Placentia, known as Plaisance then, was designed to protect the French fishing interests in Newfoundland and the approaches to New France.- History :...
are national historic sites. English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
settlement followed in the bay and today the main communities are Burin
Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador
Burin is a town on the Burin Peninsula in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Burin Peninsula is often affectionately nicknamed "The Boot" due to its resemblance to the footwear when seen on a map, with the town of Burin located near the "heel". Burin is approximately 318 km...
, Marystown
Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador
Marystown is a Canadian town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador with a population of 5,436 . Situated 306 km from the province's capital, St. John's, it is on the Burin Peninsula. Up until the early 1990s, its economy was largely based on shipbuilding, and it is due in part to this...
, and Placentia
Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador
Placentia is a town on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland and Labrador, consisting of the amalgamated communities of Jerseyside, Townside, Freshwater, Dunville and Argentia...
.
On 14 August 1941 NS Argentia
Naval Station Argentia
Naval Station Argentia is a former base of the United States Navy that operated from 1941-1994. It was established in the community of Argentia in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland, which later became the tenth Canadian province .-Construction:Established under the British-U.S...
located in Little Placentia Sound
Little Placentia Sound
Little Placentia Sound is a small natural bay located within Placentia Bay on the Avalon Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
was the site of the Atlantic Conference for the Atlantic Charter
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a pivotal policy statement first issued in August 1941 that early in World War II defined the Allied goals for the post-war world. It was drafted by Britain and the United States, and later agreed to by all the Allies...
, where Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
met face to face for the first time since both took office and the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.