Which of the following responses best describes the main objective of the North American voyages of Jacques Cartier and Henry Hudson?

• A. To collect ethnographic information on American Indians
• B. To evaluate the timber and mineral resources of North America
• C. To discover a northwest passage to Asian markets
• D. To find suitable places for the settlement of surplus population

Answer: (C)

The main idea these voyages illustrate is the search for a Northwest Passage to Asia. European explorers of this era pursued a direct sea route to Asian markets to shorten trade routes and gain economic advantage. Jacques Cartier hoped to find a western passage through North America to reach Asia and expand French trade and claims, while Henry Hudson sought the same kind of route for English and Dutch interests. They did gather geographic and Indigenous knowledge along the way, but the driving objective was finding that water route to Asia for profitable trade. The other possibilities reflect secondary aspects, not the primary goal of these explorations.