Cartier and canada Jacques Cartier(1491-1557 W vas a Fr rench explorer who led p three expeditions to Canada 1534,1535,and1541. He was looking for a route to the ICific through North America a northwest Passage)but did not find one. Cartier paved the way for French exploration of Cartiers Route North America, Cartier sailed land, going 1, 000 miles up North Europe the st, Lawrence River. He also America Asi tried to start a settlement Africa Quebec (in 1541), but it was South abandoned after a terribly cold America Australia winter Cartier named Canada anatameans village or ttlement in the huron Antarctica J Iroquois language.Cartier and Canada ◼ Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) was a French explorer who led three expeditions to Canada, in 1534, 1535, and 1541. He was looking for a route to the Pacific through North America (a Northwest Passage) but did not find one. Cartier paved the way for French exploration of North America. Cartier sailed inland, going 1,000 miles up the St. Lawrence River. He also tried to start a settlement in Quebec (in 1541), but it was abandoned after a terribly cold winter. Cartier named Canada; "Kanata" means village or settlement in the Huron￾Iroquois language