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Barely 15 000 years old, the St. Lawrence River is the world's youngest seaway!
When out in the middle of the river, you feel you are
at sea, and when close to shore, the physical traces
of this waterway's birth and evolution can be read on its rocky shoreline. The
St. Lawrence originates in the Great Lakes, but the waters from several other
rivers that flow into the seaway contribute to its powerful current. Learn about
the fascinating natural phenomena that create
the magic of the St. Lawrence River.
The St. Lawrence River originates from the Great Lakes. As it flows towards the
Atlantic, it increases in size due to the runoff from many streams and rivers
in Quebec. The river flows through a variety of landscapes: flatlands and marshes,
beaches and sand dunes, rocky shorelines and reefs, each with its own species
of plants and animals. Humans have founded cities and villages along the St. Lawrence
for millennia. Unfortunately, humans and beautiful natural environments do not
always make the best neighbours…
Cities and villages
Bird's eye view of the St. Lawrence River
If you have ever flown over the St. Lawrence Valley, you undoubtedly
noticed the houses and villages stretched along the length of the
river like a long, winding road. And this is exactly what the French
colonists intended when they first settled in Quebec. At the time,
the only way to travel quickly inland was to take a boat up the St.
Lawrence River. It made sense that each colonist had easy access to
this "moving roadway"; no sense dragging a canoe or rowboat
through the woods when you can tie it at the end of a dock. Later
on, those living along the river built a special type of water craft
for travelling along the St. Lawrence: a flat-bottomed schooner called
a goélette.
Each colonist had a lot that started at the edge of the river and
went deep into the woods. In this way, everyone could use the river
for transportation or to go fishing and use the forest to hunt game,
gather firewood or get logs to build a home. Villages were often founded
at the mouth of river, where a flour mill could be built. In the 1800s,
rivers were used to float logs from the hinterland to the St. Lawrence.
The particular layout of the colony also allowed for speedy communication.
As modern forms of technology such as the telephone or radio did not
exist, news could be easily spread from house to house and village
to village, all the way to Quebec City, where the governor lived and
the troops were stationed. As soon as an enemy vessel was spotted,
a messenger could be sent to warn the colony, and people along the
entire length of the St. Lawrence could prepare to defend themselves.
Humans have lived in Quebec for 12 000 years!
Well before the arrival of French colonists 400 years ago, Quebec
was inhabited by many Aboriginal peoples. Apart from the Iroquois,
all other Aboriginal nations
were nomadic, moving from one encampment to another depending on the
season and traditional food-gathering activities (hunting and fishing).
For example, in the summer, they would set up a temporary camp beside
a bay on the St. Lawrence, where they could hunt whales, catch salmon
and gather fruit.
Archeologists have discovered many Aboriginal campsites in Quebec.
As you may be aware, archeologists are scientists who dig in the ground
to find ancient objects and traces of human settlement. Depending
on the material, shape and age of an object, as well as the use to
which it was put, archeologists are able to piece together the mystery
of what happened to its former owner.
Artefacts beneath Quebec's cities and villages?
Archeological digs done over the past 100 years in Quebec have taught
us a lot about the lifestyle of the continent's first inhabitants,
the Aboriginal peoples. Evidence suggest humans have been living in
the same areas for millennia, often establishing communities along
the St. Lawrence or at the mouth of a river. If you live along the
St. Lawrence, you may be walking on some ancient artefacts! But do
not start to dig in your yard without your parents' permission!
Archeologists say you have to know how to "read" the landscape
to locate a site where there is a good chance of discovering a former
human settlement. The landscape is like a large open book, and the
words are found in the bodies of water, forests and mountains, all
different habitats for a range of plant and animal species. If you
want to find traces of human occupation, wouldn't it make sense to
look where people would want to live?
Dive into the Blue Museum to learn how to "read" the land
and identify the many clues telling you about the environment of the
St. Lawrence, as well as about the fauna, flora and people living
in an area stretching from Montreal to Gaspé! You will also
discover that marine archeologists
are studying the St. Lawrence riverbed.
To learn more about archeological digs in Quebec:
Archéo-Québec
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