More European countries started claiming lands in the Americas. They had seen how rich the Spanish were becoming.
In 1534, Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River, which is now in Canada. He claimed that land for France. Cartier was one of the first Europeans to trade for furs with Native Americans. Europeans loved fur. Beaver furs were very valuable. They were used to make waterproof hats.
Early on, the French led the North American fur trade. The Native Americans did most of the trapping, so the French were friendly with them. Samuel de Champlain led the French to link up with many nations. These included the Wyandot (or Huron) people, the Algonquins, and other Native American groups.
