The salt-cod fishery was a mainstay of Newfoundland and Labrador's economy throughout the 19th century.

Newfoundland and Labrador's physical environment greatly influenced the ways settlers made a living during the 19th century. The richness of marine resources encouraged a pattern of coastal settlement and made the cod and seal fisheries central to local economies. In contrast, the relative scarcity of good soils and other terrestrial resources made large-scale farming operations impractical and discouraged year-round habitation of interior spaces.

Throughout the nineteenth century, Newfoundland and Labrador's economy centred on its ability to export goods to foreign buyers.

The first telegraph system in Newfoundland was established as part and parcel of a scheme to land a trans-atlantic telegraph cable in Newfoundland.

From the arrival of Europeans until the 20th century, Newfoundland was valued mainly for its rich marine resources, especially cod.

The first half of the nineteenth century saw changes in the markets for Newfoundland salt fish.

The cod fishery continued to dominate the Newfoundland and Labrador economy during the period of naval government despite dramatic changes.

The saltfish industry in Newfoundland, as a cyclical extractive industry dependent on an open-access resource, went through multiple periods of boom and bust.

Information about the structures and environments that were built by the people of Newfoundland.