Introduction

Jacques Cartier sailed to explore North America in 1533. The king of France had ordered him to find gold, riches, and a short sea route to Asia. Between 1533 and 1542, Cartier made several trips. However he didn't find a route to Asia. However his voyages were not in vain. Cartier discovered the St. Lawrence River and claimed the land for France in what today is Canada. He called this territory New France. NF would soon grow to be a huge French empire in North America.

1. France Claims Land in the Americas

After Cartier failed to find gold, riches, and a route to Asia, France lost interest in North America for almost 50 years. Then, in the late 1500s and early 1600s, King Henry IV of France began to worry. England and other European nations were also exploring NA. The king of France wanted to protect his country's land claims in...