John Cabot claims Cape Breton Island for Henry VII of England: John Cabot on May 2nd 1497 set sail from Bristol England on a ship named the Mathew and crossed the Atlantic. According to a Bristol merchant John Day, he probably landed in Newfoundland, Labrador and Cape Breton Island.

Cabot makes his second voyage to North America: he set out on another voyage to America but was lost somewhere at sea. He and his crew were never seen again.

A french explorer, Jacques Cartier, gave Canada its name when he mistook the Aboriginal word Kannata, meaning a collection of huts, for the name of the country. Jacques Cartier was born in the seaport of St. Malo, Brittany, France, in Little is known of his early history as a mariner until he appears as pilot of an expedition to America in His first voyage took him to Newfoundland, Labrador, and the Gulf of St.Lawrence. The second voyage, made in 1535 and 1536, is more significant than the first because Cartier penetrated to Stadacona (Quebec) and Hochelaga ( Montreal) This is the point where the province and territory of Canada begins

Martin Frobisher of England makes the first of three attempts to find the northwest passage, sailing as far as Hudson Strait. In the fall of 1576 he announces the discover of the North West passage and the potential discovery of gold. It was not difficult to gain support for another expedition and in the spring of 1577 he returns to Baffin Island to claim the land for England and mine for the gold. Upon his arrival in the Arctic he finds an abandoned Inuit camp with the clothes of his missing seamen. He searches for the Inuit and upon discovering another encampment he attacks and kills several of the Inuit people. He names this location bloody point.

Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec City. On July 3rd, 1608 Champlain landed with his settlers and established a new settlement named Quebec City. They began work immediately and built several multistory buildings. During the first year, once the deep snows of Quebec had fallen, the dreaded disease of scurvy and smallpox also set in. 20 of the twenty eight settlers who stayed for the winter died.

Quebec becomes a royal province. New France(Quebec) becomes a royal province under Louis XIV. The Sovereign Council is created to administer the colonies under the absolute authority of the King. Election of Jean-Baptiste Legardeur de Repentigny, the first mayor of Quebec City on October 17. Arrival of Augustin de Saffray de Mézy, first governor named by the King, Monseigneur Laval, royal commissioner Louis Gaudais-Dupont and 150 colonists and craftmen on September 15.