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What land did the French explorers claim?
Although France did not establish permanent settlements in the territory that became the United States, French explorers extended the frontiers around the Great Lakes (a chain of five lakes along the border of present-day Canada and the United States), along the Mississippi River valley, and around the Gulf of Mexico.
What area did Cartier explore?
French mariner Jacques Cartier was the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, and his explorations of the river and the Atlantic coast of Canada, on three expeditions from 1534 to 1542, laid the basis for later French claims to North America. Cartier is also credited with naming Canada.
Who were the French explorers and what areas did they explore?
Samuel de Champlain, the greatest of the French explorers, founded Port Royal (1605) and Québec (1608). Jean Nicolet (Nicollet), a companion of Champlain, explored Lake Michigan and surrounding areas in the 1630s. Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette conducted explorations of the Mississippi Basin in 1673.
What did France discovered in the New World?
France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America. Most colonies were developed to export products such as fish, rice, sugar, and furs.
Why did Cartier call the land he discovered New France?
In 1534, King Francis I of France sent Cartier — likely because of his previous expeditions — on a new trip to the eastern coast of North America, then called the “northern lands.” On a voyage that would add him to the list of famous explorers, Cartier was to search for gold and other riches, spices, and a passage to …
What did the explorers of New France do?
Informed and guided by Aboriginal peoples, these explorers ranged the territory, measured and mapped it, and described its characteristics and those of its occupants. By allowing France and Europe to discover North America, they prepared the way for its eventual colonization.