Who was the French explorer who claimed Canada?
navigator Jacques Cartier
French navigator Jacques Cartier sailed into the St. Lawrence River for the first time on June 9, 1534. Commissioned by King Francis I of France to explore the northern lands in search of gold, spices, and a northern passage to Asia, Cartier’s voyages underlay France’s claims to Canada.
Which French explorer claimed most of Canada for France?
Jacques Cartier

Jacques Cartier | |
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Born | 31 December 1491 Saint-Malo, Duchy of Brittany |
Died | 1 September 1557 (aged 65) Saint-Malo, Kingdom of France |
Occupation | French navigator and explorer |
Known for | First European to travel inland in North America. Claimed what is now known as Canada for the Kingdom of France. |
What explorer claimed Quebec for the French?
French navigator Jacques Cartier becomes the first European explorer to encounter the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec, Canada. In 1534, Cartier was commissioned by King Francis I of France to explore the northern American lands in search of riches and the rumored Northwest Passage to Asia.
What was the name of the French explorer who claimed land for France from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico?
René-Robert Cavelier
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier | |
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Died | March 19, 1687 (aged 43) present day Huntsville, Texas |
Nationality | French |
Occupation | explorer |
Known for | exploring the Great Lakes, Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico |
Who claimed Canada?
Between 1534 and 1542, Jacques Cartier made three voyages across the Atlantic, claiming the land for King Francis I of France. Cartier heard two captured guides speak the Iroquoian word kanata, meaning “village.” By the 1550s, the name of Canada began appearing on maps.

When did Jacques Cartier claim Canada for France?
1534
French mariner Jacques Cartier was the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, and his explorations of the river and the Atlantic coast of Canada, on three expeditions from 1534 to 1542, laid the basis for later French claims to North America. Cartier is also credited with naming Canada.
What did La Salle claim for France?
French explorer, Rene-Robert Cavelier de La Salle, sailed from the Great Lakes up the St. Lawrence River, through the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, to the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1682. There he raised a French flag and claimed all the lands drained by the Mississippi for France.
Did Jacques Cartier discover Canada?
French mariner Jacques Cartier was the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, and his explorations of the river and the Atlantic coast of Canada, on three expeditions from 1534 to 1542, laid the basis for later French claims to North America. Cartier is also credited with naming Canada.
Who owned Canada first?
In 1604, the first European settlement north of Florida was established by French explorers Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain, first on St. Croix Island (in present-day Maine), then at Port-Royal, in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia). In 1608 Champlain built a fortress at what is now Québec City.
Did Christopher Columbus discover Canada?
Christopher Columbus did not discover Canada. While he technically discovered North America, he only visited the islands of North America found in the… See full answer below.
Who were the first explorers to Canada?
Frenchman Jacques Cartier was the first European to navigate the great entrance to Canada, the Saint Lawrence River. In 1534, in a voyage conducted with great competence, Cartier explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence and claimed its shores for the French crown.
Who was French explorer?
Jacques Cartier, (born 1491, Saint-Malo, Brittany, France—died September 1, 1557, near Saint-Malo), French mariner whose explorations of the Canadian coast and the St. Lawrence River (1534, 1535, 1541–42) laid the basis for later French claims to North America (see New France).
What was Robert de La Salle known for?
René-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, (born November 22, 1643, Rouen, France—died March 19, 1687, near Brazos River [now in Texas, U.S.]), French explorer in North America who led an expedition down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers and claimed all the region watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries for …
Was Canada founded by the French?
The first official settlement of Canada was Québec, founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. The other four colonies within New France were Hudson’s Bay to the north, Acadia and Newfoundland to the east, and Louisiana far to the south….Canada (New France)
Canada | |
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King | |
Governor | |
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• French territorial possession | 1535 |
When did Jacques Cartier discover Canada?
Jacques Cartier made three voyages to Canada. On April 20, 1534, accompanied by approximately 60 sailors who were to handle two ships of about 60 tonnes each, Cartier set sail from Saint-Malo. Crossing the Atlantic went smoothly; after 20 days, he entered the Strait of Belle Isle.
Who was the famous French explorer?
1. Jacques Cartier – Canada. In 1534, a Frenchman named Jacques Cartier set off from Saint-Malo on the west coast of France to discover a western passage to the wealthy markets of Asia.
Who was the French explorer?
Samuel de Champlain, (born 1567?, Brouage, France—died December 25, 1635, Quebec, New France [now in Canada]), French explorer, acknowledged founder of the city of Quebec (1608), and consolidator of the French colonies in the New World.
Who explored Canada and claimed it for France?
It was Jacques Cartier that explored Canada and claimed it for France. When arriving in the region the area was then known as Newfoundland. It was in 1534 when Jacques Cartier arrived in the area now known as Canada. The man who explored and claimed Canada for England was .?
Which country claimed Canada first?
France claimed much of what is now Canada and MississippiFrance and Britain claimed Canada. Who claimed eastern Canada for France? Jacques Cartier was the French explorer who claimed eastern Canada for France. The territory was later colonized and became New France. What country first claimed Canada?
What did Jacques Cartier discover about Canada?
Jacques Cartier. Jacques Cartier was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named “The Country of Canadas “, after the Iroquois names for the two big settlements he saw at Stadacona (Quebec City) and at Hochelaga (Montreal Island).
How did Canada get its name?
Thereafter the name Canada was used to designate the small French colony on these shores, and the French colonists were called Canadiens until the mid-nineteenth century, when the name started to be applied to the loyalist colonies on the Great Lakes and later to all of British North America.