jacques cartier first voyage

The Ages of Exploration

Jacques cartier, age of discovery.

Quick Facts:

French navigator and explorer credited with naming Canada, exploring the St. Lawrence River, and Canadian areas that would become French territory

Name : Jacques Cartier [zhahk][kahr-tee-ey; (French) kar-tyey]

Birth/Death : December 31, 1491 - September 1, 1557

Nationality : French

Birthplace : France

Portrait of Jacques Cartier

Portrait of Jacques Cartier, French explorer who named Canada. The Mariners' Museum E133.C3 A4.

Introduction Jacques Cartier is best remembered for his exploration of parts of Canada. We even credit him with giving the country its name. Although Cartier named the land he traveled to “Canada,” the word actually comes from the Iroquois-Huron language. These natives referred to their village of Stacona as a kanata – which simply means “village” or “settlement”. 1 Cartier used this word to refer to all of the areas he explored, and soon would be used globally as more of the French came to explore the land.

Biography Early Life Jacques Cartier was born on December 31, 1491 in Saint-Malo, a port town of Brittany, France. His father was Jamet Cartier, and his mother was Geseline Jansart. 2 Almost nothing is known of his early life before his famous explorations. Saint-Malo was a fishing town in northern France. 3 So young Jacques probably learned navigational skills and seafaring early in life. Many scholars believe that Cartier took several trips across the Atlantic Ocean in his early years. Many agree that Cartier sailed on a voyage to Brazil as a young man. 4 However, there is no specific evidence to support this. In May 1519, Cartier married Catherine des Granches. Catherine came from a higher class than Cartier. 5 So when they married, Cartier’s social standing and position in society increased.

Cartier quickly became an experienced navigator and sailor. Many historians believe that Cartier joined Giovanni da Verrazzano on his voyages to the New World in 1524 and 1528. At this time, the Spanish and Portuguese were finding land, resources, and wealth in the New World. Other countries, like England and France, wanted to find new discoveries and wealth in the New World as well. So they sent out explorers to claim land for them. King Francis I of France wanted an expedition to go explore the New World for land and riches. He also wanted to find a Northwest Passage to Asia. Jacques Cartier was chosen to lead this venture.

Voyages Principal Voyage The voyage began on April 20, 1534 when Cartier departed from Saint-Malo with 2 ships and 61 men. After just 20 days of sailing, the expedition reached the area that is now modern day Newfoundland by early May. The fleet sailed north along the coastline for a short while, before turning around and heading south. Cartier continued to explore the western coastline of Newfoundland. After passing through the Strait of Belle Isle. Cartier and his fleet explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In June of 1534 he made his first major discovery when he came upon an area we know today as Prince Edward Island. 6 This is a large island that is still part of modern day Canada. After landing on Prince Edward Island, Cartier’s expedition explored the gulf and various inlets nearby in search of a passage to Asia. Failing to find the passage, they sailed onward. They explored Chaleur Bay, then headed northward. The final spot Cartier landed before returning to France was on the modern day Gaspé Peninsula. Here, they met the friendly Mimac (also spelled Mi’kmaq) natives who lived in the area, and traded furs and other items. 7 The expedition sailed around Anticosti Island before continuing out of the St. Lawrence Gulf. This made Jacques Cartier the first person to sail completely around the gulf. 8 They set sail to return home, and reached Saint-Malo, France on September 5, 1534.

After Cartier returned to France and met with King Francis, a second voyage to North America was funded. Both Cartier and the king were excited by Cartier’s findings during his first voyage and felt that his discoveries were promising. The king gave Cartier more ships and men for the voyage. They were tasked with exploring more of the mainland of the newly discovered places. Cartier and his men left France on May 19, 1535. Cartier had three ships – La Grande Hermine , La Petite Hermine , and L’Emerillon . 9 The expedition eventually reached Funk Island off of Newfoundland’s coast. On September 7, 1535, Cartier and his men reached the site of the present day city of Quebec. They stopped at a village called Stadacona, where they were greeted by the Donnaconna, chief of the Huron natives. 10 Several Huron natives went with Cartier as guides. They sailed up the St. Lawrence River, and on October 2, 1535, reached Hochelaga (now Montréal). The natives told Cartier of a place with riches called Saguenay, but it could not be reached by Cartier’s large ships. So he and his men returned to the mouth of the St. Charles River, to a fort they had previously built named Saint Croix. By November, the waterways were frozen. So Cartier and his men spent this winter here until April 1536. During winter, many of the men got sick with scurvy and died. Before returning to France, Cartier kidnapped Donnaconna and his two sons so he could tell King Francis I of the riches of Saguenay in person. May 6, 1536 Cartier set sail for France.

Subsequent Voyages Cartier was given permission to take a third voyage to find the land of Saguenay. But it would be five years before the expedition left. This time, a man named Rocque de Roberval would be in charge. Roberval’s team was to meet Cartier’s expedition in North America the following year after a settlement was begun. May 23, 1541, Cartier, with his men and five ships, left Saint Malo, France. The goal of the expedition was to establish a settlement in North America. They arrived in Stadacona on August 23, 1541, and established a settlement named “Charlesbourg-Royal” (near modern day Quebec City). They began exploring the area. Soon, Cartier and his men believed found stones that looked like diamonds and gold. However, it turned out that the diamonds were actually pieces of quartz, and the gold was iron pyrite – better known as “fool’s gold.” 11 Cartier and some of his men went back to Hochelaga. Some Huron natives then went with Cartier’s team to find Saguenay. But they never found it, so Cartier and his men returned to Charlesbourg-Royal where they spent winter. By spring, the native’s and the French relations turned hostile. The French abandoned the settlement, and left in June 1542.

Later Years and Death After leaving Charlesbourg-Royal, Cartier’s fleet met Roberval in St. John’s harbour in Newfoundland. He had with him barrels of the “diamonds” and “gold” which he would later find to be worthless. Roberval ordered Cartier and the settlers to turn around and go back to the settlement. But they refused. Cartier and the colonists slipped away one night, and headed back to Saint Malo. They reached home in October 1542. Cartier’s exploration career came to an end after his third voyage to North America. He remained in France during the last years of his life managing his estate. He died September 1, 1557 at the age of 66.

Legacy Jacques Cartier is credited with discovering and claiming the land now known as Canada for France. However, his treatment of the natives of the area was not always great. Throughout his three voyages, Cartier became the first European to explore the St. Lawrence Gulf and St. Lawrence River. Although his attempt to establish a French colony near modern day Quebec City was a failure, his discoveries led to further European exploration through the 16th and 17th centuries. The French would go on to colonize the area, and establish a rich fur trade. Several places in Canada honor him, including the Jacques Cartier Bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to Quebec. And a statue of the explorer stands at the explorer’s birthplace of Saint Malo, France. 12

Meg Greene, Jacques Cartier: Navigating the St. Lawrence River (New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2004), 54.
James Phinney Baxter, Jean François de La Roque Roberval, and Jean Alfonce, A Memoir of Jacques Cartier, Sieur de Limoilou: His Voyages to the St. Lawrence, a Bibliography and a Facsimile of the Manuscript of 1534 with Annotations, Etc. (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1906), 11.
Jeff Donaldson-Forbes, Jacques Cartier (New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2006), 5.
Donaldson-Forbes, Jacques Cartier , 6.
Baxter, et. al, A Memoir of Jacques Cartier , 12-13.
James Stuart Olson, Historical Dictionary of European Imperialism (New York: Greenwood Press, 1991), 118.
Kristin Petrie, Jacques Cartier (Edina: ABDO Publishing Company, 2004), 9.
Alan Day, Historical Dictionary of the Discovery and Exploration of the Northwest Passage (Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2006), 46.
Day, Historical Dictionary , 46.
Richard E. Bohlander, ed., World Explorers and Discoverers (New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1992), 101.
Bohlander, World Explorers and Discoverers , 103.
Jennifer Lackey, Jacques Cartier: Exploring the St. Lawrence River (New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006), 30.

Bibliography

Baxter, James Phinney, Jean François de La Roque Roberval, and Jean Alfonce. A Memoir of Jacques Cartier, Sieur de Limoilou: His Voyages to the St. Lawrence, a Bibliography and a Facsimile of the Manuscript of 1534 with Annotations, Etc. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1906.

Bohlander, Richard E., ed. World Explorers and Discoverers . New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1992.

Day, Alan. Historical Dictionary of the Discovery and Exploration of the Northwest Passage . Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2006.

Donaldson-Forbes, Jeff. Jacques Cartier. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. , 2006.

Greene, Meg. Jacques Cartier: Navigating the St. Lawrence River . New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2004.

Lackey, Jennifer. Jacques Cartier: Exploring the St. Lawrence River . New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006.

Olson, James Stuart. Historical Dictionary of European Imperialism . New York: Greenwood Press, 1991.

Petrie, Kristin. Jacques Cartier . Edina: ABDO Publishing Company, 2004.

"Jacques Cartier," Jacques Cartier and His Four Voyages to Canada: An Essay, with Historical, Explanatory and Philological Notes, 1890

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Jacques Cartier

Article by Bernard Allaire

Published Online August 29, 2013

Last Edited July 9, 2020

Jacques Cartier, navigator (born between 7 June and 23 December 1491 in Saint-Malo, France; died 1 September 1557 in Saint-Malo, France). From 1534 to 1542, Cartier led three maritime expeditions to the interior of the Gulf of the St. Lawrence River . During these expeditions, he explored, but more importantly accurately mapped for the first time the interior of the river, from the Gulf to Montreal ( see also History of Cartography in Canada ). For this navigational prowess, Cartier is still considered by many as the founder of “Canada.” At the time, however, this term described only the region immediately surrounding Quebec . Cartier’s upstream navigation of the St. Lawrence River in the 16th century ultimately led to France occupying this part of North America.

Voyages to the Americas

Jacques Cartier’s early life is very poorly documented. He was likely employed in business and navigation from a young age. Like his countrymen, Cartier probably sailed along the coast of France, Newfoundland and South America (Brazil), first as a sailor and then as an officer. Following the annexation of Brittany to the kingdom of France, King François 1 chose Cartier to replace the explorer Giovanni da Verrazano . Verrazano had died on his last voyage.

First Voyage (1534)

Jacques Cartier’s orders for his first expedition were to search for a passage to the Pacific Ocean in the area around Newfoundland and possibly find precious metals. He left Saint-Malo on 20 April 1534 with two ships and 61 men. They reached the coast of Newfoundland 20 days later. During his journey, Cartier passed several sites known to European fishers. He renamed these places or noted them on his maps. After skirting the north shore of Newfoundland , Cartier and his ships entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Strait of Belle Isle and travelled south, hugging the coast of the Magdalen Islands on 26 June. Three days later, they reached what are now the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick . He then navigated towards the west, crossing Chaleur Bay and reaching Gaspé , where he encountered Iroquoian lndigenous people from the region of Quebec . They had come to the area for their annual seal hunt. After planting a cross and engaging in some trading and negotiations, Cartier’s ships left on 25 July. Before leaving, Cartier abducted two of Iroquoian chief Donnacona’s sons. They returned to France by following the coast of Anticosti Island and re-crossing the Strait of Belle Isle.

Second Voyage (1535-6)

The expedition of 1535 was more important than the first expedition. It included 110 people and three medium-sized ships. The ships were called the Grande Hermine (the Great Stoat), the Petite Hermine (the Lesser Stoat) and the Émérillon (the Merlin). The Émérillon had been adapted for river navigation. They left Brittany in mid-May 1535 and reached Newfoundland after a long, 50-day crossing. Following the itinerary from the previous year, they entered the Gulf , then travelled the “Canada River” (later named the St. Lawrence River ) upstream. One of chief Donnacona’s sons guided them to the village of Stadacona on the site of what is now the city of Quebec . Given the extent of their planned explorations, the French decided to spend the winter there and settled at the mouth of the St. Charles River. Against the advice of chief Donnacona, Jacques Cartier decided to continue sailing up the river towards Hochelaga , now the city of Montreal . Cartier reached Hochelaga on 2 October 1535. There he met other Iroquoian people, who tantalized Cartier with the prospect of a sea in the middle of the country. By the time Cartier returned to Stadacona (Quebec), relations with the Indigenous people there had deteriorated. Nevertheless, they helped the poorly organized French to survive scurvy thanks to a remedy made from evergreen trees ( see also Indigenous Peoples’ Medicine in Canada ). When spring came, the French decided to return to Europe. This time, Cartier abducted chief Donnacona himself, the two sons, and seven other Iroquoian people. The French never returned Donnacona and his people to North America. ( See also Enslavement of Indigenous People in Canada. )

Third Voyage (1541-2)

The war in Europe led to a delay in returning to Canada. In addition, the plans for the voyage were changed. This expedition was to include close to 800 people and involve a major attempt to colonize the region. The explorations were left to Jacques Cartier, but the logistics and colonial management of the expedition were entrusted to Jean-François de La Rocque , sieur de Roberval. Roberval was a senior military officer who was responsible for recruitment, loading weapons onto the ships, and bringing on craftsmen and a number of prisoners. Just as the expedition was to begin, delays in the preparations and the vagaries of the war with Spain meant that only half the personnel (led by Cartier) were sent to Canada in May 1541 by Roberval. Roberval eventually came the following year. Cartier and his men settled the new colony several kilometres upstream from Quebec at the confluence of the Cap Rouge and St. Lawrence rivers. While the colonists and craftsmen built the forts, Cartier decided to sail toward Hochelaga . When he returned, a bloody battle had broken out with the Iroquoian people at Stadacona .

Return to France

In a state of relative siege during the winter, and not expecting the arrival of Jean-François de La Rocque , sieur de Roberval until spring, Jacques Cartier decided to abandon the colony at the end of May. He had filled a dozen barrels with what he believed were precious stones and metal. At a stop in St. John’s , Newfoundland, however, Cartier met Roberval’s fleet and was given the order to return to Cap Rouge. Refusing to obey, Cartier sailed toward France under the cover of darkness. The stones and metal that he brought back turned out to be worthless and Cartier was never reimbursed by the king for the money he had borrowed from the Breton merchants. After this misadventure, he returned to business. Cartier died about 15 years later at his estate at Limoilou near Saint-Malo. He kept his reputation as the first European to have explored and mapped this part of the Americas, which later became the French axis of power in North America.

St Lawrence

External Links

Watch the Heritage Minute about French explorer Jacques Cartier from Historica Canada. See also related online learning resources.

Exploring the Explorers: Jacques Cartier Teacher guide for multidisciplinary student investigations into the life of explorer Jacques Cartier and his role in Canadian history. From the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

Biography of Jacques Cartier, Early Explorer of Canada

Rischgitz / Stringer/ Hulton Archive / Getty Images

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B.A., Political Science, Carleton University

Jacques Cartier (December 31, 1491–September 1, 1557) was a French navigator sent by French King Francis I to the New World to find gold and diamonds and a new route to Asia. Cartier explored what became known as Newfoundland, the Magdalen Islands, Prince Edward Island, and the Gaspé Peninsula, and was the first explorer to map the St. Lawrence River. He claimed what is now Canada for France.

Fast Facts: Jacques Cartier

Known For : French explorer who gave Canada its name
Born : Dec. 31, 1491 in Saint-Malo, Brittany, France
Died : Sept. 1, 1557 in Saint-Malo
Spouse : Marie-Catherine des Granches

Jacques Cartier was born on Dec. 31, 1491, in Saint-Malo, a historic French port on the coast of the English Channel. Cartier began to sail as a young man and earned a reputation as a highly-skilled navigator, a talent that would come in handy during his voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.

He apparently made at least one voyage to the New World, exploring Brazil , before he led his three major North American voyages. These voyages—all to the St. Lawrence region of what is now Canada—came in 1534, 1535–1536, and 1541–1542.

First Voyage

In 1534 King Francis I of France decided to send an expedition to explore the so-called "northern lands" of the New World. Francis was hoping the expedition would find precious metals, jewels, spices, and a passage to Asia. Cartier was selected for the commission.

With two ships and 61 crewmen, Cartier arrived off the barren shores of Newfoundland just 20 days after setting sail. He wrote, "I am rather inclined to believe that this is the land God gave to Cain."

The expedition entered what is today known as the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Strait of Belle Isle, went south along the Magdalen Islands, and reached what are now the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Going north to the Gaspé peninsula, he met several hundred Iroquois from their village of Stadacona (now Quebec City), who were there to fish and hunt for seals. He planted a cross on the peninsula to claim the area for France, although he told Chief Donnacona it was just a landmark.

The expedition captured two of Chief Donnacona's sons, Domagaya and Taignoagny, to take along as prisoners. They went through the strait separating Anticosti Island from the north shore but did not discover the St. Lawrence River before returning to France.

Second Voyage

Cartier set out on a larger expedition the next year, with 110 men and three ships adapted for river navigation. Donnacona's sons had told Cartier about the St. Lawrence River and the “Kingdom of the Saguenay” in an effort, no doubt, to get a trip home, and those became the objectives of the second voyage. The two former captives served as guides for this expedition.

After a long sea crossing, the ships entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and then went up the "Canada River," later named the St. Lawrence River. Guided to Stadacona, the expedition decided to spend the winter there. But before winter set in, they traveled up the river to Hochelaga, the site of present-day Montreal. (The name "Montreal" comes from Mount Royal, a nearby mountain Cartier named for the King of France.)

Returning to Stadacona, they faced deteriorating relations with the natives and a severe winter. Nearly a quarter of the crew died of scurvy, although Domagaya saved many men with a remedy made from evergreen bark and twigs. Tensions grew by spring, however, and the French feared being attacked. They seized 12 hostages, including Donnacona, Domagaya, and Taignoagny, and fled for home.

Third Voyage

Because of his hasty escape, Cartier could only report to the king that untold riches lay farther west and that a great river, said to be 2,000 miles long, possibly led to Asia. These and other reports, including some from the hostages, were so encouraging that King Francis decided on a huge colonizing expedition. He put military officer Jean-François de la Rocque, Sieur de Roberval, in charge of the colonization plans, although the actual exploration was left to Cartier.

War in Europe and the massive logistics for the colonization effort, including the difficulties of recruiting, slowed Roberval. Cartier, with 1,500 men, arrived in Canada a year ahead of him. His party settled at the bottom of the cliffs of Cap-Rouge, where they built forts. Cartier started a second trip to Hochelaga, but he turned back when he found that the route past the Lachine Rapids was too difficult.

On his return, he found the colony under siege from the Stadacona natives. After a difficult winter, Cartier gathered drums filled with what he thought were gold, diamonds, and metal and started to sail for home. But his ships met Roberval's fleet with the colonists, who had just arrived in what is now St. John's, Newfoundland .

Roberval ordered Cartier and his men to return to Cap-Rouge, but Cartier ignored the order and sailed for France with his cargo. When he arrived in France, he found that the load was really iron pyrite—also known as fool's gold—and quartz. Roberval's settlement efforts also failed. He and the colonists returned to France after experiencing one bitter winter.

Death and Legacy

While he was credited with exploring the St. Lawrence region, Cartier's reputation was tarnished by his harsh dealings with the Iroquois and by his abandoning the incoming colonists as he fled the New World. He returned to Saint-Malo but got no new commissions from the king. He died there on Sept. 1, 1557.

Despite his failures, Jacques Cartier is credited as the first European explorer to chart the St. Lawrence River and to explore the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He also discovered Prince Edward Island and built a fort at Stadacona, where Quebec City stands today. And, in addition to providing the name for a mountain that gave birth to "Montreal," he gave Canada its name when he misunderstood or misused the Iroquois word for village, "kanata," as the name of a much broader area.