Who was Cartier?

Answer 1

1491-1557 . French explorer and mariner, discoverer of the St. Lawrence River, born in Saint-Malo. Selected by King Francis I of France to lead an expedition to discover the Northwest Passage to China, he departed from St.-Malo with two ships in April 1534. He sighted Newfoundland after 20 days, and sailing through the Strait of Belle Isle, between Newfoundland and Labrador, he proceeded southward along the western coast of Newfoundland and rounded the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence. On this voyage he saw Prince Edward Island and the New Brunswick mainland, sailed into Chaleur Bay (Baie des Chaleurs), which he named, landed on the Gaspé Peninsula, and crossed the St. Lawrence River estuary. Much of the French claim to Canada is based on Cartier's explorations.

Again sailing on orders from King Francis in 1535, Cartier crossed Belle Isle for the second time and then sailed up the St. Lawrence River, which he named on this occasion, as far as the indigenous village of Stadacona, where modern Québec stands. He later proceeded up the river to the indigenous village of Hochelaga and climbed the hill behind the village to observe the Ottawa River and Lachine Rapids. Cartier called the hill Mont Réal (Mount Royal), from which the name of the city of Montréal is derived. After spending the winter in Stadacona, Cartier sailed for France on a course south of Newfoundland, and for the first time passed through what is now called Cabot Strait.

Beginning his third voyage in 1541, Cartier again sailed up the St. Lawrence, this time as far as Lachine Rapids. His purpose was to establish a colony in Canada, but the mission was not successful. He returned to France the following year. He settled in St.-Malo and wrote an account of his expeditions that was published in 1545.