By: Phillip Vercellone

January-18-2013

Jacques Cartier was born 1491 in Saint-Malo, France. Not much was know about his childhood but some people think he sailed with Giovannida Verrazano. He was interested in navigating.

When king Francis the First heard about Spanish and Portuguese’s voyages and the land of gold and silver he sent Jac to explore. Francis gave Jac 2 ships and 61 men to go the Newfoundland to claim that wealth. Francis also wanted Jac to find a passage to Asia In the north.

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Cartier crossed the Atlantic in 1534 and met a strait and Jac named it The Strait of Belle Isle and raised the cross

claiming the land for France. Jac sailed south to what is now Prince Edward Island. Then cruised to a open bay witch he named Chaleur bay because of the hot day they found it on. There they met a tribe called the Micmac's and they traded

with Jac. Then Jac departed and sailed to the north to what is now Gaspe Bay when the anchored they raised the cross claiming the land for France. the Hourn Indians from Stadacona were troubled about this ceremony when some fishermen saw the

ceremony. The chief Donnaconna, thought they were claiming the land and told them that this was his land. Jac eased

Donnaconna ‘s tribe tension and persuaded him to give him his 2 sons, Taigoagny and Domagaya to bring them to France to

learn French and be their translator. Then sailed to the Gulf of St. Lawrence then sailed to France returning on September.

In 1535 Jac was set to sea once more to the Newfoundland this time with 3 ships and 120 men. They reached Newfoundland in 50 days in August he reached a bay that he named after a saint. Later mapmakers named a river, gulf, and a seaway after Saint Lawrence. Jac reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence river. They sailed to Stadacona, home of the Hurons. After reuniting Donnaconna with his sons, Jac sailed farther south to what is now Montreal( then called Hochelaga) and was greeted by 2,000 Indians. The people of Hochelaga told him of a city of wealth called Saguenay, they said it should be down river but Jac couldn’t move because of fierce rapids. Before Jac left the Hurons showed him a mountain witch he named “Mount Royal” or Montreal.

Jac did not voyage to the Newfoundland until1541. King Francis wanted Jac to find a French colony. we choose Jac as chief navigator but not the leader the roll as captain went to Jean-Francois de la Rocque de Roberval. In May 1541 Jac left with 5 ships and 1,500 men. They carried 2 years of food and only person died that was in the Huron tribe. When Jac saw the new Huron chief Agona, he said that there old chief has died and that the other indians were live the time of there lives married in France.

The colonist found a settlement at a place called Charlesbourg Royal, near Stadacona. They searched for the city of wealth but were unlucky when they saw gold and diamonds it turned out to be fools gold. When they returned to the colony they found it in complete chaos. A few colonist were killed by what they thought was the Hurons. Jac decided to go back to France in 1542, on there jurny back they found Roberval and his ship. Roberval demanded Jac to go back to he settlement but Jac disobeyed and traveled back to France in the night.

Jac returned to France and never step on a boat again. No one ever punished him for disobeying but in less then a year Roberval’s settlement was a failure and returned with the crew. Jac stayed in his estate in Saint-Malo. He wrote a book and it was published in 1545. he died in his own estate in 1557 ( to make it easier) Jac was 66.

Web sites:"Jacques Cartier." Biography for Beginners--World Explorers. 2003: 106-112. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 22 Jan 2013.

Books:Donaldson-Forbes, Jeff. Jacques Cartier. New York: PowerKids, 2006. Print.

Petrie, Kristin. Jacques Cartier. Edina, MN: Abdo Pub., 2004. Print.