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Jan 1, 1534
Cartier Arrives in Newfoundland
Cartier is sent by King Francois I to find a shipping route between France and the Orient, and to find precious gems and metals to make the French rich. -
Jul 1, 1534
Cross at Pointe-Penouille
Cartier puts up a cross at Pointe-Penouille on the Gaspe penninsula, and meets Chief Donnacona. Chief Donnacona's sons go to France. -
Jan 1, 1535
Cartier Explores
Cartier travels along the St-Lawrence river. He goes to Hochelaga (Montreal) and meets another Iroquois tribe. He names the Lachine rapids because he thinks China is near. He spends the winter in Stadacona and 110 crew become sick with scurvy. The Iroquois give them tea to cure it. -
May 1, 1536
Cartier Captures Chief Donnacona
Cartier prepares to sail to France. He captures Chief Donnacona, his sons and several other Iroquois and brings them to the king in France. All the Iroquois except for one die in the next few years. -
Jan 1, 1542
Cartier's Final Voyage
Cartier's final voyage to New France. Relations with the First Nations people not good. He finds what he thinks are diamonds. He returns to France and finds out they are quartz. He never explored for France again. -
Samuel de Champlain begins exploring New France
Champlain crosses Atlantic ocean. He maps out the Atlantic coast. Champlain founds first European settlement at Quebec. -
Champlain joins Hurons in battle against the Iroquois.
Champlain forms an alliance with the Hurons. He joins them in a battle against the Iroqois. First time a shotgun is used in an Aboriginal battle, killing 2 Iroquois Chiefs. The Huron win the battle. -
Samuel de Champlain dies
Samuel de Champlain dies. We now call him the "Father of New France" because of his tireless work on building a successful colony in New France. -
People of the Church
Taught/converted Aboriginal people to Catholicism. They helped those less fortunate.Many taught in schools or set up schools. They taught First peoples, and children of the settlement. -
Women of New France
Filles du roi came from France where they were orphans. The king offered to pay their dowry and settlement fee if they went to New France. They were needed because there were more men than women. These women helped build the colonies. Some women were herbalists, housewives, midwives, farmers, gardeners, or teachers, Some worked with the church and helped the less fortunate. -
People of the Seigneury
People living in the seignery, called habitants, would gather on May 2 for a big celebration on the seigneur's land. They worked as farm labourers in exchange for living on the land. They would pay rent to the seigneur, usually in crops and in labour. The habitants built churches, mills, houses and other buildings, and some would trade fur or shoes or textiles. -
Townspeople of New France
Townspeople had many different types of jobs:
shoemakers, farmers, builders, blacksmiths, clerkks, businessmen. Clerks would help in the fur trade, in shops or would work for businessmen. Businessmen would work to build up the town and to do this he would recruit people from France for specific jobs needed in the settlement. -
Soldiers of New France
Many soldier were also farmers, hunters or coureur de bois.Most soldiers were not trained formally. Some soldiers stayed behind after their tour to settle the land and have families. Soldiers were responsible for protecting the colonies against the British and against some Aboriginal tribes
