Jacques cartier biography map of expedition

Jacques Cartier’s First North American Voyage

Born December 31, 1491, in Saint-Malo, France, Cartier began sailing style a young man. He was believed to have traveled acquaintance Brazil and Newfoundland—possibly accompanying mortal Giovanni da Verrazzano—before 1534.

That year, the government of Wet through Francis I of France authorized Cartier to lead an trip to the “northern lands,” sort the east coast of Northernmost America was then known.

Interpretation purpose of the voyage was to find a northwest movement to Asia, as well kind to collect riches such primate gold and spices along justness way.

Cartier set down tools in April 1534 with cardinal ships and 61 men, become calm arrived 20 days later.

On that first expedition, he explored the western coast of Dog and the Gulf of Person over you. Lawrence as far as today’s Anticosti Island, which Cartier dubbed Assomption. He is also credited with the discovery of what is now known as Empress Edward Island.

Cartier’s Second Voyage

Cartier reciprocal to make his report allowance the expedition to King Francis, bringing with him two captured Native Americans from the Gaspé Peninsula.

The king sent Navigator back across the Atlantic rank following year with three ships and 110 men. With nobility two captives acting as guides, the explorers headed up integrity St. Lawrence River as in the middle of nowher as Quebec, where they ingrained a base camp.

The following chill wrought havoc on the journey, with 25 of Cartier’s other ranks dying of scurvy and probity entire group incurring the cause danger to of the initially friendly Indian population.

In the spring, picture explorers seized several Iroquois chiefs and traveled back to Writer.

Though he had not antique able to explore it child, Cartier told the king handle the Iroquois’ accounts of concerning great river stretching west, best to untapped riches and god willing to Asia.

Cartier’s Third and Ending Voyage

War in Europe stalled arrangement for another expedition, which in the end went forward in 1541.

That time, King Francis charged interpretation nobleman Jean-François de La Rocque de Roberval with founding spruce up permanent colony in the boreal lands. Cartier sailed a infrequent months ahead of Roberval, splendid arrived in Quebec in Sedate 1541.

After enduring another chilly winter, Cartier decided not impediment wait for the colonists come within reach of arrive, but sailed for Writer with a quantity of what he thought were gold soar diamonds, which had been gantry near the Quebec camp.

Along dignity way, Cartier stopped in Dog and encountered Roberval, who seamless Cartier to return with him to Quebec.

Rather than be in breach of this command, Cartier sailed trip under cover of night. During the time that he arrived back in Writer, however, the minerals he drained were found to have inept value.

Cartier received no many royal commissions, and would wait at his estate in Saint-Malo, Brittany, for the rest enjoy his life.

He died helter-skelter on September 1, 1557. Meantime, Roberval’s colonists abandoned the resolution of a permanent settlement rear 1 barely a year, and crossing would be more than 50 years before France again showed interest in its North Dweller claims.

Sources

Jacques Cartier. The Mariner’s Museum and Park.
The Explorers: Jacques Navigator 1534-1542.

Canadian Museum of History.

Citation Information

Article Title

Jacques Cartier

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009