The first historical contact of a European with Canada was when Norse Vikings landed in L'Anse aux Meadows, New Newfoundland at the turn of the 2nd millennium. It was not till Italian John Cabot 1497, sailing under the banner of King Henry VII of England, did another European come into contact with Canada. However, it was Jacques Cartier of France who was the first explorer to explore the Canadian wilderness in depth, and declared the area around the St.Lawrence River in the name of King Francis I in 1534. It was from Jacques Cartier that the first seeds of the French culture were planted within the Canadian countryside. French dominance in Canada did not last long as England began settling various other parts of current Canada, and began encroach
