Until this great work is completed, our dominion is little more than a geographical expression - Sir John A. Macdonald

Travel through the eras of  history and the development of the various nations that make up Canada today.

The Vikings | Columbus | John Day | John Cabot | Martin Frobisher | Jacques Cartier | John Guy | Henry Hudson | Samuel De Champlain | Native Perceptions | Francis Drake | Humphrey Gilbert

Jacques Cartier was born in the seaport of St. Malo,
Brittany, France, in 1491. Little is known of his early
history as a mariner until he appears as pilot of an expe­
dition to America in 1534. His first voyage took him to
Newfoundland, Labrador, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The second voyage, made in 1535 and 1536, is more sig­
nificant than the first because Cartier penetrated to Stada­
cona ( Quebec) and Hochelaga ( Montreal). He returned
to Canada in 1541, but little is known of this voyage. The
extract given here from the narrative of the second voy­
age describes Cartier's arrival at Stadacona and Hoche­
laga.

. . . On [Tuesday], the seventh of the month [ Septem­
ber, 1535 ], being our Lady's day, after hearing mass, we
set out from this [Coudres] island to proceed up stream,
and came to fourteen islands which lay some seven or
eight leagues beyond Coudres island. This is the point
where the province and territory of Canada begins. One
of these islands is large, being some ten leagues long and
five leagues wide, and is inhabited by Indians who are
much employed in fishing for the many varieties of fish
caught in this river, according to the season. Mention
will be made of these fish farther on. After we had cast
 

Jacques Cartier