Jacques Cartier: Explorer of the St. Lawrence
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Cartier was the first European to explore the St. Lawrence area. He made three voyages to the region.
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Jacques Cartier was a sea captain born in St. Malo, France in 1491. He was the first European to map, travel and attempt to establish a settlement in the northern St. Lawrence area. He was probably inspired by the voyage of Giovanni Verrazano (a Florentine navigator hired by the French) who reached the coast of South Carolina in 1524 and then traveled north to Nova Scotia. Verrazano gave the first account of North America, notably the landscape and he is assumed to be among the first Europeans to interact significantly with the native people. His mandate by the King of France was to find gold or other riches and try to find a passage to Cathay (China). Cartier sailed to the St. Lawrence region three times and kept records of each voyage. These records are among the first reliable and detailed documentation of European exploration in North America. It was the first penetration of the North American continent and provided major changes in the cartographic representation of the continent by Europeans.
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Cartier explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence in search of riches and a route to Asia.He met native peoples near Quebec city and heard tales of wealthy kingdoms up river. |
Cartier’s first voyage to the St. Lawrence region, funded by the King of France, was in 1534. He sailed from St. Malo with a small crew of two ships in search of riches and a passage to the Pacific. In 1534, Europeans had already explored much of North America’s East Coast, but no explorer had penetrated the continent. He followed the route taken by Cabot and by Breton fisherman exploiting the Newfoundland Great Banks and reached Newfoundland 20 days after. Cartier then traveled through the Strait of Belle Isle between Newfoundland and Labrador to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Anticosti Island, the Gaspé Peninsula and the Bay de Chaleur. He named the Baye de Chaleur (Bay of Heat) because he explored the area on a hot summer day. In this region he met groups of Iroquois and Micmac nations. The Iroquois lived in a settlement called Stadacona (near the present site of Quebec City). At this time, Iroquois villages dominated the St. Lawrence area from Gaspé to Lake Ontario. The Iroquois told Cartier many tales of wealthy kingdoms up the great Hochelaga River (St Lawrence River), such as Canada and the Saguenay. After a short visit, Cartier kidnapped two sons of the Iroquois chief Donnacona and returned to France. In his first voyage Cartier missed the entrance of the St. Lawrence, thinking it was a bay, naming it the baye de saint laurens. The width of the St. Lawrence made Cartier believe that he had effectively discovered a passage to the Pacific.
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Cartier established a base near Quebec City, explored the Saguenay River, sailed to Montreal and learned of the St. Lawrence river rapids.Cartier spent the winter in Quebec. His crew became sick with scurvy. |
French exploration now focused on the St. Lawrence region. Cartier’s second voyage to the area was in 1535. He traveled with three ships and 110 men, again in search of riches and a passage to Asia. He returned Donnaconna’s sons to Stadacona and brought gifts for the natives. On this voyage, Cartier established a base on the St. Charles River called Ste. Croix and a fort at the site of Quebec city, explored the Saguenay River, sailed to the village of Hochelaga (located at the current site of Montreal) and named Mont Royal. In Hochelaga, Cartier climbed Mont Royal to view the distant land and sea. He learned of great rapid on the St. Lawrence past Hochelaga and a series of nearby mountains. He named Lachine Rapids that way because he was actually thinking that past these rapids was China. Cartier stayed the winter in the Quebec City fort, but was unaware of the cold climate. The crew became sick with scurvy, 25 men died. The natives helped the Europeans regain their health. They boiled bark and needles of white cedar that is rich in ascorbic acid. In the spring Cartier returned to France along with the Iroquois chief Donnaconna (he would die in France in 1539) and several tribe members. This second voyage was very important because Cartier proved that Newfoundland was an island and that the St. Lawrence was a penetration corridor into an unknown continent that could even lead to China.
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Cartier's third voyage to Canada was led by Roberval.Cartier and Roberval attempted to establish a colony near Cap Rouge.
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Due to conflict in France Cartier’s next voyage to Canada was delayed until 1541. This time his goal was to establish a permanent colony in Canada and spread the Christian religion. Captain Jean Francois de la Rocque, Lord of Roberval, lead this voyage. They traveled with 10 ships, 400 sailors, 300 soldiers, tradesmen, women and livestock supplies. However, Cartier sailed one year ahead of Roberval in 1541 with 7 ships and created a new base near Cap Rouge. From there, Cartier went forward to explore the Saguenay to find out that this river was a dead end. Native peoples in the region harassed Cartier to the point that he left after one winter lacking supplies, men sick of scurvy and worried when Roberval did not arrive with supplies on the spring of 1542. Leaving the St. Lawrence he finally found Roberval in the harbour of St. John, Newfoundland who ordered Cartier to return to Cap Rouge. He refused and left with his ships that night never to return again in North America. Roberval decided to stay and to continue exploration but had limited knowledge of the harsh winter or the violent rapids of the St. Lawrence River. Fifty French men died of scurvy that winter (1542-43). In the spring Roberval tried to sail the St. Lawrence River rapids, but was not successful. Roberval had few resources remaining and was forced to return to France that summer. The first French efforts to settle North America was consequently a failure but provided large amounts of information about the St. Lawrence region. The only treasures Cartier found were pyrite and quartz which he brought back in France in large quantities thinking they were gold and diamonds. For instance, he named the cliff at Quebec "Cap Diamand", believing it contained a significant quantity of diamonds. Cartier died in September 1557 aged 66 years and still believing the St. Lawrence was leading to China. His legacy is important and gave France detailed accounts of the region and paved the way for colonization and further exploration.
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Copyright 1997, Department of Geography, Concordia University.
