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May 20, 1524
Giovanni Verrazano Explores the Atlantic Coast
Sailing for France, Verrazano charted the area that would eventually make up much of the 13 colonies, from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Maine. His goal was to find a Northwest passage to Asia. On his third voyage, he explored Florida, Bahamas and the Caribbean. It's during this time he was killed and eaten by the Carib Indians. -
Jul 10, 1534
Jacques Cartier Claims Canada for France
Cartier sought a route to the Pacific through North America, but did not find one. He mapped the Gulf of St. Lawrence and explored the St. Lawrence River. He named Canada after "Kanata," which means village or settlement in the Huron-Iroquois language -
Pierre Dugua de Mons Helps Establish the French Fur Trade
De Mons and other French Protestants (called Huguenots) set up a trading post at Tadoussac, located northeast of the future Quebec City. -
Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City and New France
Since 1604, Champlain and de Mons have been founding a series of settlements. They founded Quebec City and established an alliance with the Huron Indians. Champlain mapped much of northeastern North America, including coast of Nova Scotia, down the coast to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard (Massachusetts), and later to Rhode Island. He discovered the lake named for him (Lake Champlain) -
Company of New France is founded
French minister Cardinal Richelieu established this organization for the purpose of creating agricultural settlements. It didn't work Settlers preferred to engage in the fur trade. -
Company of the West Founded
Louis XIV's finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, founded this company to maximize profits. It was structured like the Dutch West India Company. -
Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette Explore Mississippi River
Joliet and Marquette mapped and followed the Mississippi hundreds of miles south to Arkansas — far enough to confirm that it drained into the Gulf of Mexico. Marquette, a Jesuit missionary who spoke several Native American languages. sought to Christianize the Native Americans. -
Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle Reaches Gulf of Mexico
La Salle followed the Mississippi River all the way to the Gulf. He named the territory Louisiana, after King Louis XIV. He also explored the Great Lakes.
