Norse and John Cabot Exploration

A group of people who were known for their seafaring skills and exploration of the North Atlantic during the Viking Age.

Eric the Red settled in Greenland in the 980s. His son, Leif Eriksson, explored further and discovered Vinland, believed to be between Labrador and Florida.

The Norse established a settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. They traded with Indigenous people.

A driving force behind European exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries was the desire to find new lands and resources, as well as to find a shorter route to Asia for trade.

John Cabot was commissioned by King Henry VII of England to find a northern route to Asia and claim land for England. He reached Newfoundland in 1497.

Gaspar Corte-Real was commissioned by the Portuguese to find the Northwest Passage to Asia in 1500. He failed but captured Indigenous people to be sold as slaves.

King Francis I of France, inspired by Magellan's voyage, sent Giovanni da Verrazzano to explore the Atlantic coast of North America in search of the Northwest Passage in 1524.

Jacques Cartier, commissioned by King Francis I of France, set sail in 1534 to find the Northwest Passage and precious metals. He explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence and established a temporary settlement.

The fur trade was a significant economic and cultural impact of European exploration in North America. It involved trading goods for furs, primarily beaver pelts, which were highly sought after in Europe.

The arrival of Europeans in North America led to significant cultural exchanges and interactions with the indigenous peoples of the land. This included trade as well as competition for resources and territory.

The idea that Indigenous people traded with Europeans for cultural or religious reasons, rather than primarily for material gain.

The view that Indigenous people engaged in fur trade primarily for practical and economic reasons, with cultural or religious reasons playing a secondary role.

George Hammell argued that Indigenous people traded with Europeans purely for the spiritual significance they attributed to trade items in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Calvin Martin believed that many Indigenous people participated in the fur trade to exterminate fur-bearing animals whose spirits were responsible for European diseases.

Abraham Rotstein argued that the main reason for Indigenous trade was to establish military alliances. Trading with groups created a bond of mutual support.

Champlain's plan to establish towns and diversify the colonial economy in New France, including whaling, mining, and agriculture to enrich the French.

A group of merchants, government officials, aristocrats, and clergy established by Cardinal Richelieu in 1627 to control New France.

The establishment of a Catholic school for French and Native girls led by Marie de l'Incarnation in 1639.

A reserve established by Jesuits in 1637 for Montagnais and Algonquin Indigenous people near Quebec, intended to encourage nomadic lifestyles and farming to support themselves.

The Society of Our Lady for the Conversion of the Indian established a mission on the island of Montreal in 1642, driven by a strong religious zeal to convert Indigenous people.

Jacques Cartier's second voyage in 1535-1536 saw him return to Canada with Donnacona's sons as guides. He explored further inland, seeking the Northwest Passage, reaching Hochelaga (Montreal). He encountered Iroquoian villages and the rapids of the St. Lawrence River, marking the end of navigation.

Cartier's second voyage was marked by tragedy when most of his crew died from scurvy during winter. Indigenous peoples saved the remaining crewmen by teaching them to make a tea from cedar, source of vitamin C.

The Cartier-Roberval expedition of 1541-1542 was a military venture to establish a colony and take the mythical Kingdom of Saguenay by force, influenced by the Spanish conquest model. However, the expedition failed due to difficulties and lack of success, ultimately discouraging French ambitions in North America for decades.

The French's early attempts at establishing settlements in Canada in the late 1500s faced numerous challenges. These efforts failed due to various factors, including disease, harsh winter conditions, conflicts with indigenous peoples, and a lack of readily available resources. Despite these setbacks, the French continued trading activity in the region.

Samuel de Champlain's arrival in Canada in 1603 marks a significant turning point. He focused on establishing a settlement at Quebec in 1608, strategically located to control trade and prevent competition from rival European powers. Champlain's leadership and diplomatic skills, along with his alliances with indigenous groups, ensured Quebec's survival and the foundation of what would become 'New France'.

The Montagnais natives of Quebec formed a military alliance with the French in 1609-1610, granting them access to the region in exchange for trade goods and support against the powerful Iroquois Confederacy. Champlain played a pivotal role in this alliance, actively participating in battles to gain the Montagnais' trust and solidify the partnership.

The French sought to trade directly with the Huron, who lived inland, but the Algonquin served as valuable middlemen, controlling access to Huron territory. In 1615, Champlain was finally allowed to travel to Huronia to engage in a raid with the Algonquin against the Iroquois. The French eventually struck a deal with the Huron, allowing them to trade directly at Quebec with a small toll paid to the Algonquin.

The French presence in Canada was heavily influenced by the fur trade. Starting in the 1580s, French compagnies (trading companies) focused on securing furs as a primary source of wealth. Tadoussac became a major trading center where French goods were exchanged for furs, attracting indigenous communities and significantly impacting their economies and hunting practices.

The search for the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was a driving force behind early European exploration in North America. While explorers like Martin Frobisher, John Davis, and Henry Hudson failed to find it, their expeditions contributed to the mapping of the Arctic and the expansion of European knowledge about the region.