Jacques Cartier was an explorer from France who ended up making three trips across the Atlantic between 1534-1542. His first voyage took him to what is now known as Newfoundland and eventually he discovered Prince Edward Island. He gave Canada its name based on the Huron-Iroquois word kanata which means settlement. Although, per the website History, it was an accident because he kept calling the whole region kanata instead of just the actual settlement. (Exploration, 2017) Cartier participated in the first recorded trading between France and the Native Americans when he was on Chaleur Bay. (The Explorers, 2017)

Cartier’s first encounters with members of the Iroquois tribe were friendly but as he continued erecting crosses along his journey the chief Donnacona was not pleased even though Cartier tried lying by saying the cross was an “insignificant landmark.” (The Explorers, 2017)

His second trip was focused around finding what is now the St. Lawrence River. This had a huge significance because of how far into Canada the river flowed, “so long that no man has seen its end”. As Cartier continued his explorations further inland until hitting rapids. He began heading back to uncover that the relationship with the Iroquois was further deteriorating. Cartier continued to have setbacks as the ships ran into the cold winter and bouts of scurvy. (The Explorers, 2017)

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Cartier was called back to France so that they could begin colonizing Canada. Cartier was originally supposed to lead this process but was passed over. A sad aspect of Cartier’s final journey to Canada was the passing of the large group of Iroquois that he had taken back to France. Cartier informed the remaining Iroquois of the passing of their chief in France but crafted a lie about how happy the others were. He told stories of marriages and lavish lifestyles, stating that no one else had wanted to return. (The Explorers, 2017) French settlements disbanded after about a year though and lost all interest in North American settlement for over 50 years. (Exploration, 2017).