<P> In 1534 , Francis I of France sent Jacques Cartier on the first of three voyages to explore the coast of Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River . He founded New France by planting a cross on the shore of the Gaspé Peninsula . The French subsequently tried to establish several colonies throughout North America that failed , due to weather , disease , or conflict with other European powers . Cartier attempted to create the first permanent European settlement in North America at Cap - Rouge ( Quebec City ) in 1541 with 400 settlers but the settlement was abandoned the next year after bad weather and attacks from Native Americans in the area . A small group of French troops were left on Parris Island , South Carolina in 1562 to build Charlesfort , but left after a year when they were not resupplied by France . Fort Caroline established in present - day Jacksonville , Florida , in 1564 , lasted only a year before being destroyed by the Spanish from St. Augustine . An attempt to settle convicts on Sable Island off Nova Scotia in 1598 failed after a short time . In 1599 , a sixteen - person trading post was established in Tadoussac ( in present - day Quebec ) , of which only five men survived the first winter . In 1604 Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain founded a short - lived French colony , the first in Acadia , on Saint Croix Island , presently part of the state of Maine , which was much plagued by illness , perhaps scurvy . The following year the settlement was moved to Port Royal , located in present - day Nova Scotia . </P>
<P> In 1534 , Francis I of France sent Jacques Cartier on the first of three voyages to explore the coast of Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River . He founded New France by planting a cross on the shore of the Gaspé Peninsula . The French subsequently tried to establish several colonies throughout North America that failed , due to weather , disease , or conflict with other European powers . Cartier attempted to create the first permanent European settlement in North America at Cap - Rouge ( Quebec City ) in 1541 with 400 settlers but the settlement was abandoned the next year after bad weather and attacks from Native Americans in the area . A small group of French troops were left on Parris Island , South Carolina in 1562 to build Charlesfort , but left after a year when they were not resupplied by France . Fort Caroline established in present - day Jacksonville , Florida , in 1564 , lasted only a year before being destroyed by the Spanish from St. Augustine . An attempt to settle convicts on Sable Island off Nova Scotia in 1598 failed after a short time . In 1599 , a sixteen - person trading post was established in Tadoussac ( in present - day Quebec ) , of which only five men survived the first winter . In 1604 Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain founded a short - lived French colony , the first in Acadia , on Saint Croix Island , presently part of the state of Maine , which was much plagued by illness , perhaps scurvy . The following year the settlement was moved to Port Royal , located in present - day Nova Scotia . </P>
who led the first french effort to colonize the new world
who led the first french effort to colonize the new world
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier