Significant People in the Colonization of New France

Many people played significant roles in the contact and colonization of New France but none so much as the European leaders of expeditions and the chiefs of the native tribes. Though there are vast amounts native chiefs and European explorers who are significant to the contact and colonization of New France, the three I have decided to focus on are: Chief Membertou, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Columbus. This page will explain these three individuals in detail and explain their significance to the contact and colonization of New France.

Jacques Cartier

Jacques Cartier was born in St. Malo, France on December 31st 1491. Jacques Cartier is significant to the contact and colonization of New France because he led three main French expeditions in to what is called Canada and made many of the land claims French had at the time. He is the European credited with naming Canada from the First Nations word “kanata” which means village or settlement. He is significant to French colonization because he was the one who originally laid down French claims in North America. In 1534, Francis I of French commissioned him to explore the northern part of what is now Canada, to look for gold and spices. His first journey took him, two ships and a crew of 61 to the St. Laurence seaway where he stumbled upon a First Nations tribe on July 7th. The two groups talked and swapped items, with is the first recorded trade between the French and the North American First Nations. Though the relationship wasn’t all sunshine and roses between the French and the First Nations tribes! The relationship was tarnished when Cartier “claimed” Gaspé Bay, put up a 30-foot cross at Pointe-Penouille, lied to Donnacona, the Native chief in the area saying the cross was...

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... 1510 thru to approximately 1611, a centenarian which was even more uncommon in those days then in these days. He played a significant role in contact and colonization because it was his tribe was among the first to greet the Europeans when they first came to North America. He was significant because he was trusted by the French and the Mi’kmaq. The most significant thing Membertou ever did to aid in a smooth and peaceful European contact and colonization was to be first Mi’kmaq person to get baptized into the Catholic Church. This was extremely significant because Membertou was so highly respected in the community and his baptism inevitably led to the baptism of most of the native community. Very little is known about Membertou because the Mi’kmaq didn’t keep written records like the Europeans did. All we know is he was a smart, spiritual, kind and powerful man.