They focus on Acadian history in Louisiana and Canada, covering periods such as the Colonial Period (1600–1775) and Louisiana history around 1765–1803, and addressing events like the 1755 deportation from Nova Scotia and later settlement in Louisiana.
Some use Longfellow’s Evangeline as a starting point, comparing the poem with real-life accounts (such as Emmeline Labiche) and family correspondence to reveal the families and events behind the verse.