The Europeans had known North America for centuries. Ancient Celtic legends told of crossing the Atlantic Ocean in search of "The Land of Promise". European fishers made trips to an area called the "Grand Banks" to fish. They would come ashore to dry and salt their fish before going back to Europe. Soon they made contact with Native groups and traded for things from their culture.

Giovanni Caboto(John Cabot) was an Italian explorer was sent by the English King Henry VII to claim land for England. He claimed land that is now Newfoundland. English fur traders wanted control of all trading in the area.
Jacques Cartier was sent by King Francis I of France to explore beyond Newfoundland. He was searching for a shortcut to Asia. He never found a shortcut, but he made contact with the Iroquois by the St. Lawrence River. Cartier took two Iroquois leaders back to France to convince the King that more exploration to North America was needed. On another trip, Cartier and his crew became sick with scurvy, but the Iroquois helped them with a cure they had found. They cure was boiling the bark of a birch tree. Between the years 1534 and 1543, Cartier had made three trips to North America. He tried to establish a colony but failed.

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This summarizes all of the information in the booklets we got for the Fur Trade in social.