To find out how the name “Canada” came about, we must go back to the 16th century. At that time, the French dreamed of discovering and controlling more land, of expanding trade beyond their borders and of spreading their belief across the world. In 1535, Francois I, King of France, ordered a navigator named Jacques Cartier to explore the New World and search for a passage to India.
Cartier first arrived at the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which he wanted to explore. He did not know what to expect but he hoped that this gulf was just an arm of the ocean between two islands. If it was, he would soon be on his way to the Far East. So he sailed upstream along the St. Lawrence river. However, instead of reaching Asia he arrived at Quebec, or Stadacona, as the Indians called it. It was at this point that the term”Canada” entered the country’s history. Apparently the word “Canada” came from an Indian village in Quebec. What a huge “village” Canada is!
