History Essay

The earliest encounter between Europeans and Natives in Canada can be dated back the 1500’s. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Ottoman Empire, European powers like England, France, and Spain were forced to find different routes to Asia. All these countries had their own obstacles, between Europe and Asia was present day North and South America. But they soon realized that these continents had more than an obstacle but an opportunity. The earliest European and Native encounter could be dated back to the arrival of Englishmen John Cabot in 1497, when he landed in Newfoundland and encountered the Beothuk. Cabot noted that ““waters were filled with fish…and the land was covered with timber.” Soon after, France contracted Jacques Cartier; he would travel the St. Lawrence River landing in Stadacona and continued to Hochelaga. Cartier bring back two natives from in first voyage in 1534 and “led to the establishment of a French claim to Canada”, which would eventually become a French colony. In 1608, France founded the voyage of Samuel de Champlain, helping the French take over New France. But before a commercial relationship could be established, the natives had to agree to military allegiance. In 1625, Jesuits (or Black Robes)