Jacques Cartier

Hello from the sea! My name is Jacques Cartier, and I was an explorer. I was born around the year 1491 in a town called Saint-Malo in France. My home was a port, which means it was right next to the big, blue ocean. All day long, I watched tall ships with big sails come and go. I dreamed that one day, I would be the captain of my own ship, sailing to faraway lands to see what wonders I could find. My heart belonged to the sea, and I couldn't wait for my own adventure to begin.

One day, a very important person gave me a special job. The King of France, whose name was Francis I, called for me. In the year 1534, he told me he wanted me to sail across the giant Atlantic Ocean. My mission was to find a new, faster sea route to a place called Asia. The king also hoped I would find amazing treasures for France, like shiny gold and wonderful spices. I was so excited to finally begin my great journey for my king and my country.

In 1534, I set sail with my crew on my first big voyage. We sailed across the ocean for twenty whole days! When we finally saw land, it was a brand new place we had never seen before. We had arrived in what is now Canada. I spent time exploring the huge Gulf of St. Lawrence. While I was there, I met some of the first people of the land, the Iroquoians. They were very interested in our ships. Before I left, I placed a large wooden cross on the shore to show that this new land now belonged to the King of France.

I returned for a second voyage the next year, in 1535. This time, I sailed up a huge river that I decided to name the St. Lawrence River. My crew and I visited two large villages called Stadacona and Hochelaga. But soon, winter came, and it was much colder than we were used to. The snow was deep, and many of my men became very sick. We did not know what to do. Luckily, the friendly Iroquoian people showed us how to make a special tea from the leaves of a tree. The tea was full of vitamins and made us all healthy again.

During my time there, I learned the Iroquoian word for village, which was 'kanata.' I started to call the whole area 'Canada,' and the name stuck. Even though I never found gold or a new route to Asia, my voyages were very important. I made maps that helped other explorers who came after me. I lived to be 65 years old. Today, people remember me as one of the first Europeans to explore and map the great St. Lawrence River and the land that would one day become the country of Canada.