The Atlantic Coast, Saint Lawrence River and Eastern Great Lakes 1609 to 1628

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Abstract

Between 1609 and 1628, European explorers charted more unknown waters along the Atlantic Coast, and also penetrated down the St. Lawrence River into the eastern Great Lakes. The routes of four explorers are shown on this map: Hudson (1609), Champlain (1609, 1613 and 1615 to 1616), Brûlé (1615 to 1618 and 1621 to 1623) and La Roche (1626). The map also shows the extent of territory known to Europeans in the period 1497 to 1650; and the navigation of all exploration routes during the period of the penetration of the Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Bay from 1600 to 1650. The historical names found on the map are derived from contemporaneous maps and written documents of the period.

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In 1628, the fledgling French colony on the St. Lawrence River was seized by the English bringing further exploration to a halt. When the colony was restored to France in 1632, the Jesuits were granted exclusive rights to missionary work on the St. Lawrence and in the interior by Cardinal Richelieu. In order to facilitate their missionary work, the Jesuits successfully managed to exclude all Frenchmen not directly under their control from the lands west of what is now Montréal. Consequently, the missionaries became explorers as they sought to open new missions or undertake trips to further French diplomacy into areas unknown. This phase and period of exploration came to an abrupt end in 1650 with the Iroquois wars which removed the French presence from the interior for the next four years.

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French exploration by canoe in Ontario in the 17th century

Voyages of Exploration

An audio description for each voyage of exploration shown on this map can be accessed from the list below or through the map using Get Statistics.

• 1609 Henry Hudson (English; for the Netherlands)
• 1609 to 1616 Samuel de Champlain (of Brouage, France; for France)
• 1615 to 1623 Étienne Brûle (French; for France)
• 1626 Joseph de la Roche Daillon (near Angers, France; for France)
• 1627 Anonymous (French; for France)

The descriptions of the voyages of exploration are based on research by C.E. Heidenreich, Department of Geography, York University. An audio version of each description can be played as the user follows the exploration route made by the explorer on the map.

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