16th century in North American history 16th century in North American history The historical record in North America begins in the second half of the 16th century, with ongoing European exploration. Giovanni da Verrazzano explored the East Coast of North America from Florida to presumably Newfoundland in 1524. Jacques Cartier made a series of voyages on behalf of the French crown in 1534 and explored the St. Lawrence River. André Thevet's "The new found worlde, or Antarctike" is an English translation of Thevet's "Les singularitez de la France antarctique", first published in 1558. André Thevet was a Franciscan friar who accompanied Villegagnon in 1555 when he
Paris in the 16th century religious conflicts between Catholics and the new Protestant sects grew over the course of the century, culminating in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre and the wars of religion. The College of Sorbonne of the University of Paris, the city's major school of theology, took the lead in condemning heresies and Protestantism. In 1534 a Spanish student at the University, Ignatius of Loyola, gathered together five other students, who were Spanish, French and Portuguese, at the chapel of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre and formed a new society, the Society of Jesus, which became known as the Jesuits. His order became one of