Jacques Cartier
French explorer who mapped the Gulf and St. Lawrence River, naming the region 'Canada'.
Chronology: 1491-12-31 – 1557-09-24
Origins & Early Life
Jacques Cartier (Breton: Jakez Karter; 31 December 1491 – 1 September 1557) was a French maritime explorer from Brittany. 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 "Canada" after the Iroquoian names for the two big settlements he saw at Stadacona (Quebec City) and at Hochelaga (Montreal Island). Jacques Cartier, author of now-lost maps and accounts of his voyages, was the first European to describe and name this region and its inhabitants—at a time when the Spanish had already settled in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, and were beginning their conquest of Peru. == Early life == Jacques Cartier was born in 1491 in Saint-Malo, the port on the north-east coast of Brittany.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
Cartier, who was a respectable mariner, improved his social status in 1520 by marrying Mary Catherine des Granches, member of a leading aristocratic family. His good name in Saint-Malo is recognized by its frequent appearance in baptismal registers as godfather or witness. == First voyage (1534) == In 1534, two years after the Duchy of Brittany was formally united with the French crown in the Edict of Union...
Enduring Legacy & Impact
The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.
Source: Wikipedia