The Eastern Townships has undergone a series of settlement phases throughout its history, which has contributed to the diverse and unique culture and landscape of the region. Now made up of Missisquoi, Brome, Stanstead, Compton, Shefford, Sherbrooke, Richmond, Drummondville, Wolfe, Arthabaska, Megantic and Beauce townships, the area is a mosaic of different peoples. The Abenaki Peoples were the first inhabitants of the Eastern Townships and were later followed by the Americans, British and French. Each group had a different reason for settling in the region, and each suffered hardships along the way. From the first attempts at settlement, it was clear that the Eastern Townships would be both valuable and devastating to many different cultures.