European Exploration
This year with be the 150th year celebrating Confederation - the birth of Canada. Of course without the explorers and people who risked their lives to journey across the sea, we would not be able to celebrate this!
The Irish Monks and the Vikings
The Irish Monks reached Iceland well before the Vikings. St. Brendan wrote descriptions of his little ox-hide boat and the ice floes that are strikingly similar to the icebergs off Newfoundland. He also wrote about talking whales and an island where the birds sang in Latin. The monks were searching for a place of solitude to practice their beliefs.
The Norsemen (A.K.A - Vikings) were Scandinavian who fought, traded, and explored many lands. Eric the Red led the first Viking expedition to Greenland and set up a colony there 4 years later.
His son, Leif, would go beyond, sailing west to Baffin Island. He named the area Vinland (Land of Wine). Leif returned to Greenland with a ship full of lumber.
Leif's brother, Thorvald, returned to Vinland and set up temporary camps. They ran into the locals, they called skaelings ("Barbarians"). Many conflicts began and fighting resulted in this clash. The Vikings eventually abandoned their Vinland colonies, though they continued to visit North America for hundreds of years.
"They came, they saw, they went home."
Information used from Ferguson, W. (2005) Canadian History for Dummies (2nd ed.), Missisauga, Ont.: John Wiley & Sons Canada.
The Norsemen (A.K.A - Vikings) were Scandinavian who fought, traded, and explored many lands. Eric the Red led the first Viking expedition to Greenland and set up a colony there 4 years later.
His son, Leif, would go beyond, sailing west to Baffin Island. He named the area Vinland (Land of Wine). Leif returned to Greenland with a ship full of lumber.
Leif's brother, Thorvald, returned to Vinland and set up temporary camps. They ran into the locals, they called skaelings ("Barbarians"). Many conflicts began and fighting resulted in this clash. The Vikings eventually abandoned their Vinland colonies, though they continued to visit North America for hundreds of years.
"They came, they saw, they went home."
Information used from Ferguson, W. (2005) Canadian History for Dummies (2nd ed.), Missisauga, Ont.: John Wiley & Sons Canada.
Why Explore?Imperialism = a policy or decision on the part of a ruler or government of one territory to dominate other territories.
Mercantilism = a term that refers to a country accumulating wealth in gold and silver. In developing countries, this was done through the sale of raw materials and marketing finished goods. Ultimately the goal of exploration was to build an empire. How does one do this? Through the 3 G’s: Glory, God, Gain. Glory - Explorers started out on their expeditions seeking glory for their country. They wanted power, fame, and honor of claiming the most land throughout the world. (Imperialism) God - Some explorers were determined to bring Christianity to the people of the “new land”. Roman Catholic religion in New France. Priests and nuns were encouraged to come to the new land and set up orphanages, schools, churches, and hospitals to help people. Gain - Countries became wealthy by selling finished goods to other nations. The largest profit was made by countries who spent the least on raw materials and sold the finished goods for as much as possible. (Think Fur Trade!) (Mercantilism). Some explorers lied to their Kings about riches in the new land so they could continue to be financed by them and become rich and famous. |
European Explorers
The 3 Big C's:
John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) - explored for the British
Jacques Cartier - explored for the French
Samuel de Champlain - explored for the French
John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) - explored for the British
Jacques Cartier - explored for the French
Samuel de Champlain - explored for the French
John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto)
- John Cabot was also known as Giovanni Caboto and was born in Genoa, Italy.
- Along with Christopher Columbus, John Cabot came to the conclusion that the world was round and that by sailing west you would eventually circle around and reach Asia.
- He went to England seeking money to finance his expedition west.
- King Henry the VII (7th) gave his royal approval for John Cabot to sail west (No money, just his approval! Ha ha!)
- John Cabot, trying to get to their Orient, got as far as Newfoundland, where he claimed the land for the King of England (not realizing until later that there were other people already there! The Mi'kmaq).
- He never did find a route to China, but he did find something quite valuable - FISH! (Cod to be exact!)
- After his discovery, soon hundreds of ships came to the area to fish.
- The Basques, who originated form Spain and France) had a whaling station on Newfoundland for more than 50 years!
- Still no one seemed interested in a permanent settlement in the area.
Jacques Cartier
- Jacques Cartier made 3 voyages to Canada. He explored for the king of France, King Francois the first.
- He was sent to find the passage to the Orient (Asia), and was also looking for gold. Ultimately, he wanted to be remembered (famous).
- First voyage: He made one important discovery right from the start: Newfoundland was in fact an island.
- He called Newfoundland/Labrador "the land God gave to Cain".
- Then, he discovered the island of P.E.I. calling it "the fairest land 'tis possible to see".
- He continued to sail up the coast of what is now New Brunswick where he met a band of Mi'kmaq. There, they traded goods with each other.
- Cartier followed the coastline to the Gaspe peninsula. Here, he made contact with a group of Haundenosaunee.
- In the presence of their chief - Donnacona, Cartier erected a cross with the words "Vive le Roi de France" and claimed the land for the french king.
- Donnacona was quite upset. Cartier told him the cross was a navigational marker, and not a tag of ownership.
- He kidnapped Donnacona's two sons and headed back to France. Don Agaya and Taignoagy (sons) were given language lessons and made to accept French dress and culture. They would act as interpreters on later voyages.
- On his second voyage, Cartier returned with Donnacona's sons sailing into the mouth of the St. Lawrence River and stopping at Stadacona (present-day Quebec City).
- Chief Donnacona's village was called "kanata". This was the birth of our country's name (Canada).
- When Cartier expressed interest in continuing his sailing up the St. Lawrence River, Donnacona became angry. The Stadacona people controlled trade along the St. Lawrence. Cartier went anyway and came across a larger village: Hochelaga (present-day Montreal).
- There Cartier climbed a hill he later named "Mont Royal", and saw the Lachine Rapids which was quite an obstacle. Disheartened, he returned to Stadacona for the winter.
- His crew suffered from scurvy (a lack of Vitamin C), but the Haundenosaunee provided a cure of boiled cedar. Cartier returned the favor by introducing more infectious diseases into their community.
- Cartier took Donnacona prisoner with a total of 9 other Haudenosaunee people and sailed back to France.
- The great chief Donnacona ("Lord of Canada") died in France, never returning to Canada.
- Cartier returned to Canada on his third voyage attempting to establish a French colony along the St. Lawrence, but he failed. He left back for France with a handful of gold and some "Canadian diamonds".
- The "gold" was actually iron pyrite ("fools gold") and the "diamonds" were quartz. This coined the term "fake as a Canadian diamond".
Samuel de Champlain
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