Jacques Cartier Biographical Essay
Jacques Cartier Biography Essay
French navigator Jacques Cartier is recognized as the European discoverer of the St. Lawrence River. Born in 1491 at St. Malo, Brittany, Cartier made three voyages to North America between 1534 and 1542. On the first (1534), he thoroughly explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence, claimed the Gaspe Peninsula for France, and took two Laurentian Iroquois home with him to learn French.
On the second voyage (1535-36), he used the two Indian interpreter-guides to pilot him up the St. Lawrence River to Stadacona (the site of modern Quebec). He continued to Hochelaga (Montreal) without them but was discouraged from continuing farther west by the rapids and cold weather. Wintering in Stadacona, 25 members of his crew died from scurvy before the discovery of a brew of white cedar saved the rest. He arrived back at St. Malo in July 1536.
On his third voyage (1541-42), Cartier was obliged to serve under the nominal command of Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval, although the latter did not sail with him. Cartier founded a settlement near Stadacona, discovered quartz he thought to be diamonds and iron pyrites he thought to be gold, and again traveled as far as Hochelaga. He wintered near Stadacona, where at least 35 members of his crew were apparently killed by Iroquois. Cartier died at St. Malo on Sept. 1, 1557. His account of his three voyages, variously published in French, English, and Italian between 1545 and 1600, stimulated later voyages of discovery.
F. J. Thorpe
Bibliography: Cartier, Jacques, The Voyages of Jacques Cartier, ed. by H. P. Biggar (1924); Hoffman, B. G., Cabot to Cartier (1961); Howard, Richard, Cartier of St. Malo (1968).