Biografía
He went to sea and became a Pilot, probably making at least one voyage to Brazil. One controversial theory places him in the 1524 North American voyage of Giovanni da Verranzzano. In 1534 he was appointed as ‘Captain and Pilot for the King’ and sailed from St. Malo on 20/04/1534 with two vessels. His goal was to search for a Northwest Passage to the orient.
He passed through the Strait of Belle Isle and named harbours on the coast of Labrador.
He found the area so desolate that the described it as 'the land that God gave to Cain'.
He crossed the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Magdalen Islands, Prince Edward Island and the mainland coast at the Bay of Chaleur. Here he traded for furs with First Nations people. On the Gaspe he formally claimed sovereignty in the presence of First Nations people by raising a cross bearing a French royal coat of arms. The two sons of Chief Donnacona were kidnapped and taken back to France. On the return voyage he sighted Anticosti Island. In 1535 he made a second voyage carrying the two sons of Chief Donnacona (Domagaya and Taignoagny) as interpreters.
He sailed with the Grande Hermine, the Pitite Hermine and the Emerillon.
He passed through the Strait of Belle Isle and crossed over to the Gaspe Peninsula.
He ascended the St. Lawrence River. At Stadacona, the site of the present Quebec City his two interpreters were re-united with their father.
He traveled with his men in long boats and proceeded up river to the village of Hochelaga. There he climbed and named Mount Royal.
He returned to Stadacona and wintered there. In the spring he kidnapped Donnacona and his two sons and eight others taking them back to France.
He promised to return them home but they all died in France. It is felt that Cartier’s attitudes towards First Nations people caused the later conflicts between the Iroquois and the French settlers. In 1541 he was Captain and pilot of a voyage under the Sieur de Roberval. Two of the five ships were Cartier’s reaching Stadacona. Because the people there were distrustful of him he traveled on to the mouth of the Cap Rouge River where he constructed a fort storehouse.
He collected barrels of rocks that sparkled and gave the impression of containing diamonds.
He traveled back to France that proved to contain mica. This sparked an expression in France that translates as 'false as the diamonds of Quebec'. Roberval also returned to France. The nation became embroiled in war with Emperor Charles V and exploration and colonization was pushed into the background
