Tag: Canada History

CCN > Thomas Button dispatched in search of Northwest Passage

Henry Hudson

Canadian Coin News feature this 2015 $200 gold coin celebrating Henry Hudson in their On This Day column. APRIL 14, 2017 OTD: Thomas Button dispatched in search of Northwest Passage On today’s date in 1612, Welsh Royal Navy officer Thomas Button sailed out of London in search of the Northwest Passage. The aim of the expedition, which was backed by the Prince of Wales and the Northwest Co., was to retrace “the now familiar route,” according to Lincoln Paine’s 2000 book, Ships of Discovery and Exploration. The previous expedition, which began in 1610, was commanded by English explorer Henry Hudson, who sailed…

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Jacque Cartier claims Iroquois land for France and calls it “Canada”

“On today’s date (September 14th)  in 1535, Jacques Cartier reached the Iroquois village of Kanata at “Kebec” on his second voyage up the St. Lawrence River. There, Cartier met Donnacona, chief of the village of Stadacona (present-day Quebec City)… In 1535, Cartier built a fort at the site, where he stayed for about a year, claiming the area for France and calling it “Canada”, which was an alteration of the Iroquois word “kanata,” meaning village or settlement.” Thank you Canada Coin news report on the Royal Canadian Mint’s 2013 $200 gold coin. In 2013, the Royal Canadian Mint struck a $200 gold…

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