Some authors claim that Acadians and their school teachers did not possess a sense of identity or collective belonging before the awakening of the 1880s. It is not clear, however, on what facts those observations are based. Through the examination of petitions filed by the French minority in regard to the educational system, this paper tests the conclusion drawn by those academics. Different types of petitions filed throughout the years are studied in this article. These texts were produced on behalf of the community or supported by a great number of its members. Their content is also very informative insofar as they allow us to question the finding that the Acadians did not have a sense of identity or collective consciousness. They instead demonstrate relevant involvement in a domain considered important by all. All the documents discussed predate the Acadian National Conventions.