Fact 2: When was Jacques Cartier born? He was born December 31, 1491

Fact 3: What was his country of origin and where was Jacques Cartier born? He was born in St. Malo, Brittany, France

Fact 4: Jacques Cartier married Catherine Des Granches in May 1520, but they had no children.

Fact 5: It was a good marriage as Catherine Des Granches was the daughter of Jacques Des Granches a chevalier du roi and constable of Saint Malo. The couple moved to Dieppe where Jacques Cartier met Giovanni da Verrazzano. Dieppe was the home to other famous explorers such as Samuel de Champlain, Jean Ribault and Jacques Cartier

Fact 6: In 1524 the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano was directed to make plans to explore an area around Florida and in Terranova, the "New Land" - Jacques Cartier accompanied him on the expedition and explored the northeast coast of North America

Fact 7: King Francois I of France received a recommendation from Giovanni da Verrazzano about the navigational skills of Jacques Cartier

Fact 8: Jacques Cartier was again recommended to the King in 1532 by the the bishop of Saint Malo. His reputation as a seaman was recognised in the highest court circles

Fact 9: In 1534 the King of France commissioned Jacques Cartier to "discover certain islands and lands where it is said there is a large amount of gold and other riches to be found."

Fact 10: He assembled 2 ships and a crew of 30 for each ship. The name of Jacques Cartier's ship was the Grande Hermine - see the above picture. the Grande Hermine was a small ship and measured about 70 feet long. The expedition sets out for North America in April 1534.

Fact 11: Jacques Cartier and the two small ships reach Newfoundland and sails on to and explores the coast of Labrador

Fact 12: The expedition then sailed inland, going 1,000 miles up the St. Lawrence River

Fact 13: The first voyage of Jacques Cartier lasted 137 days, after which time he returned to France.

Fact 14: The French king is pleased with the explorations of Jacques and commissions a second voyage

Fact 15: On May 26, 1535 Jacques Cartier leads a second voyage to Canada.

Fact 16: His second expedition across the Atlantic Ocean consists of three ships and 110 men

Fact 17: He reaches Montreal before returning to spend the winter at Stadacona (Quebec), near some friendly Native Indian villages

Fact 18: The second expedition sets sail for France on 1536 May 6, 1536 and arrives in Saint-Malo on July 16, 1536

Fact 19: Jacques Cartier reports back to the King and the French start to plan for the colonization of Canada.

Fact 20: In 1540 Jean Francois de la Rocque, Sieur de Roberval (1500-1560) was commissioned by the king to take charge of the colonization of Canada

Fact 21: Jacques Cartier was commissioned to make a third voyage to the New World in 1541 in advance of the expedition of Sieur de Roberval

Fact 22: He arrives safely in Canada but the freezing weather conditions in Stadacona (Quebec) were terrible and the decision was made to return to France.

Fact 23: On the voyage back to France he manages to rendezvous with Sieur de Roberval at the French landing point in Newfoundland

Fact 24: Jacques Cartier warns Sieur de Roberval not to go to Canada because of the bitterly cold weather conditions - but he ignores the warnings

Fact 25: Sieur de Roberval sails for Canada. His attempts to start a settlement fail due to the weather conditions and he is forced to return to France

Fact 26: Jacques Cartier reached home after his third voyage to the New World in 1542 and ends his voyages of discovery

Fact 27: He retires, and in 1545 publishes an account of his expeditions and voyages of exploration in Canada

Fact 28: September 1, 1557: Jacques Cartier dies on September 1, 1557 at his manor of Limoilou, near Saint-Malo