Europeans Discover the St. Lawrence River
The discovery of the St. Lawrence River by Europeans marks a significant moment in the early exploration of North America. On June 9, 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier became the first European to navigate this vital waterway, which stretches nearly 1,000 miles from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Cartier's mission, commissioned by King Francis I of France, aimed to uncover gold, spices, and the Northwest Passage—the elusive sea route to Asia. Throughout his voyages, Cartier encountered various American Indian tribes, including the Abnake, Algonquin, Huron, Mohawk, and Montagnais, who had long inhabited the region.
During his expeditions, Cartier explored significant sites that would later become Quebec City and Montreal, although his attempts to establish a colony were ultimately unsuccessful. His explorations laid the groundwork for France's claims in Canada, which persisted for over two centuries until the territories were ceded to the British after the Seven Years' War. While the first permanent French settlement was established later in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Cartier's journeys were pivotal in shaping the early European understanding of North America's geography and resources. His published accounts of these explorations contributed to further interest and eventual colonization efforts in the region.
Europeans Discover the St. Lawrence River
Europeans Discover the St. Lawrence River
On June 9, 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. In so doing he became the first European to discover this major waterway in what is now eastern Canada.
The St. Lawrence River flows from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, traveling nearly 1,000 miles to reach the North Atlantic. American Indian tribes, including the Abnake, Algonquin, Huron, Mohawk, and Montagnais, lived along its length. In 1534 the king of France, Francis I, sent Cartier on a mission to find gold, spices, and the Northwest Passage, the legendary water route to Asia through North America. Cartier left in April of 1534 with two ships from his home town of Saint-Malo, where he had been born on December 31, 1491. He reached Newfoundland in three weeks and traveled southward, sighting what is now Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, in addition to discovering the St. Lawrence River. Cartier made a second trip to Canada in 1535, this time sailing up the river and reaching the sites of both modern-day Quebec City and modern-day Montreal. Because he found no gold or spices and no Northwest Passage, his third voyage in 1541 would be his last. Cartier sailed up the river as far as the Lachine Rapids and also tried to establish a colony, which failed, then returned to France in 1542. He wrote a book about his travels which was published in 1545. He died in St.-Malo on September 1, 1557.
Most of France's claims to Canada for the next two centuries were based on Cartier's voyages of exploration, until these territories were surrendered to the British after the Seven Years' War of 1756–63. The first permanent French settlement was established in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain at modern-day Quebec City. French fur trappers ranged far and wide into the interior of Canada and what is now the United States, and France would eventually have nominal title to vast territories. However, the substantial French presence was limited to the region of Quebec, since there was never any sustained and heavy emigration from the mother country to colonize what was called New France.