Jacques Cartier

1491 - September 1^st, 1557

French navigator and explorer

Jacques Cartier was a navigator, born in Saint-Malo, France. Commissioned by King François I, he led three voyages of exploration to the St. Lawrence region—in 1534, 1535, and 1541. He is generally credited with discovering Canada, the name he gave to the region of Québec during his 1534 expedition. He was the first explorer to penetrate the Gulf of St. Lawrence and most certainly the first to map out the river of that name, the discovery of which, in 1535, opened up the North American hinterland   to the French occupation.