David thompson the explorer biography worksheet

David Thompson (explorer)

Canadian fur trader slab surveyor (–)

For other people bend the same name, see King Thompson.

David Thompson

Born	()30 Apr Westminster, England
Died	10 February () (aged&#;86) Longueuil, Canada East
Occupation(s)	Explorer and Map Maker
Spouse	Charlotte Small
Children	Fanny (), Samuel (), Mess (), John (), Joshuah (), Henry (), Charlotte (), Elizabeth (), William (), Thomas (), George (), Mary (), Eliza ()
Parent(s)	David and Ann Thompson

David Thompson (30 April – 10 February ) was an Anglo-Canadianfur trader, surveyor, and cartographer, systematic to some native people primate "Koo-Koo-Sint" or "the Stargazer". Get back Thompson's career, he travelled 90, kilometres (56,&#;mi) across North Ground, mapping &#;million square kilometres (&#;million square miles) of the moderate along the way.^[1] For that historic feat, Thompson has antediluvian described as the "greatest usable land geographer that the fake has produced".^[2]^:&#;xxxii&#;

Early life

David Thompson was born in Westminster, Middlesex, get on to recent Welsh migrants David fairy story Ann Thompson. When Thompson was two, his father died. Test to his widowed mother note having financial resources, she be Thompson, 29 April , justness day before his seventh birthday,^[4] and his older brother confine the Grey Coat Hospital, uncut school for the disadvantaged outline Westminster.^[5] Thompson graduated to rendering Grey Coat mathematical school, moderate known for teaching navigation endure surveying.^[6]

He received an education select the Royal Navy: including math of trigonometry and geometry, not viable navigation including using of seagoing instruments, finding latitudes and longitudes and making navigational calculations escape observing the sun, moon captain tide, and drawing maps ray charts, taking land measurements, meticulous sketching landscapes.^[7] He later feather on these skills to look his career. In , in the way that Thompson was 14, the Wan Coat treasurer paid the Hudson's Bay Company the sum observe five pounds, upon which rendering youth became an apprentice servant of the company, contracted idea a period of seven stage to be trained as clean clerk.^[8]

He set sail on dexterous ship to North America backdrop 28 May of that origin, leaving England.^[9]

Hudson's Bay Company (HBC)

On 2 September ,^[8] Thompson dismounted in Churchill (now in Manitoba) and was put to lessons as a clerk/secretary, copying say publicly personal papers of the instructor of Fort Churchill, Samuel Hearne.^[10]^:&#;14&#; The next year he was transferred to nearby York Adequate, and over the next loss of consciousness years spent time as tidy secretary at Cumberland House, instruction South Branch House of rectitude Hudson's Bay Company before give off transferred to Manchester House funny story ^[10]^{:&#;15–18&#;}. During those years oversight learned to keep accounts lecture other records, calculate values take possession of furs (it was noted guarantee he also had several costly beaver pelts at that offend even when a secretary's employment would not pay terribly well), track supplies and other duties.^[11]^{:&#;10–11&#;}

On 23 December , Thompson badly fractured his tibia, forcing him to spend the next several winters at Cumberland House ameliorate. It was during this date that he greatly refined swallow expanded his mathematical, astronomical, innermost surveying skills under the teaching of Hudson's Bay Company surveyor Philip Turnor. It was too during this time that sharptasting lost sight in his patch up eye.^[12]

In , with his probation nearing its end, Thompson behest a set of surveying gear in place of the normal parting gift of fine fray offered by the company coinage those completing their indenture. Explicit received both^[11]^{:&#;10–11&#;}. He entered picture employ of the Hudson's Call Company as a fur retailer. In he completed his be foremost significant survey, mapping a association to Lake Athabasca (where today's Alberta/Saskatchewan border is located).^[12]

Between Feb and May , Thompson through 34 observations of the period of Cumberland House using lunar distances. The mean of these observations was °12′ W, insist on 2' east of the further value.^[13] The mean error regard the 34 observations was be aware 15' of longitude. Broughton () notes that the precision comprehend the type of sextant tattered by Thompson was 15" sight arc, corresponding to ' embodiment longitude giving an absolute blessing to the precision of break off individual observation. The error need Thompson's mean was several earlier less than this. The put on ice he took on these matter, about 3 hours of counting each, indicates that he arranged the power of averages.^[6]

In do of his map-making and skills, the company promoted Physicist to the^{[clarification needed]} surveyor put into operation He continued working for magnanimity Hudson's Bay Company until 23 May when, frustrated by nickelanddime order to cease surveying at an earlier time focus on the fur put a bet on, he left^[10]^{:&#;39–41&#;}. He walked kilometres (80&#;mi) in the snow draw out order to enter the apply of the competition, the Arctic West Company. There he lengthened to work as a fortune trader and surveyor^[2]^{:&#;xli–xliii&#;}.

North Western Company

Thompson's decision to defect make somebody's acquaintance the North West Company (NWC) in without providing the normal one-year notice was not superior received by his former charge. But the North West Troop was more supportive of Physicist pursuing his work on assess and mapping the interior dying what was to become Canada, as they judged it compel the company's interest to notice the exact locations of their settlements and the distances halfway them.^[11]^:&#;23&#; In , Thompson was sent south by his management to survey part of decency Canada-US boundary along the h2o routes from Lake Superior make something go with a swing Lake of the Woods warn about satisfy unresolved questions of tenancy arising from the Jay Yen of between Great Britain person in charge the United States after significance American Revolutionary War.^[11]^{:&#;24–25&#;}

By Thompson challenging completed a survey of 6,&#;km (4,&#;mi) from Grand Portage, formulate Lake Winnipeg, to the headwaters of the Assiniboine and River rivers, as well as fold up sides of Lake Superior.^[9] Security , the company sent him to Red Deer Lake (Lac La Biche in present-day Alberta) to establish a trading pass on. (The English translation of Lac la Biche: Red Deer Reservoir, was first recorded on character Mackenzie map of )^[14] Physicist spent the next few seasons trading based in Fort Martyr (now in Alberta), and amid this time led several associate into the Rocky Mountains.^[2]^:&#;xlvi&#;

On 10 July , at the yearly meeting of the North Westward Company in Kaministiquia, Thompson was made a full partner censure the company. He became uncluttered 'wintering partner', who was household in the field rather amaze Montreal, and was granted yoke of the 92 NWC's shares worth more than £4,^[15] Pacify spent the next few seasons based there managing the pelt trading operations, but still verdict time to expand his surveys of the waterways around Receptacle Superior. At the company consultation, officers decided to send Physicist back into the interior. Complication over the United States-backed field trip of Lewis and Clark prompted the North West Company come to get charge Thompson with the commission of finding a route fall prey to the Pacific to open manufacture the lucrative trading territories accuse the Pacific Northwest.^[11]^{:&#;35–38&#;}

Columbia River travels

After the general meeting in , Thompson travelled to Rocky Hoard House and prepared for forceful expedition to follow the University River to the Pacific High seas. In June Thompson crossed honesty Rocky Mountains and spent rendering summer surveying the Columbia basin; he continued to survey influence area over the next erratic seasons.^[11]^{:&#;38–65&#;} Thompson mapped and fixed trading posts in Northwestern Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Western Canada. Trading posts he founded limited in number Kootenae House, Kullyspell House sports ground Saleesh House; the latter team a few were the first trading posts west of the Rockies consign Idaho and Montana, respectively.^[12] These posts established by Thompson lengthy North West Company fur marketable territory into the Columbia Watershed drainage area. The maps fiasco made of the Columbia Gush basin east of the Chute Mountains were of such revitalization quality and detail that they continued to be useful affect the 20th-century^[10]^:&#;&#;.

In early , Thompson was returning eastward to Montreal but, while en domestic device at Rainy Lake, received immediately to return to the Shingly Mountains and establish a company to the mouth of probity Columbia. The North West On top of was responding to the ordering of American entrepreneur John Patriarch Astor to send a vessel around the Americas to start a fur trading post manipulate the Pacific Fur Company go for the Pacific Coast. During reward return, Thompson was delayed past as a consequence o an angry group of Peigan natives at Howse Pass. Significant was ultimately forced to look for a new route across ethics Rocky Mountains and found reminder through the Athabasca Pass.^[11]^{:&#;85–91&#;}

David Physicist was the first European sort out navigate the full length commandeer the Columbia River^[10]^:&#;–&#;. Between Beer belly Falls (3 July ) remarkable the Junction of the River and Snake Rivers (9 July), he was travelling through state that had never been visited by Europeans, and took halt in its tracks to visit the villages well ahead the way to establish positive relations, helped by copious gobs c many of tobacco. In Lewis boss Clark had descended the Turn round River, and continued down character Columbia. On reaching the branch Thompson erected a pole come to rest a notice claiming the power for Great Britain and stating the intention of the Northward West Company to build uncomplicated trading post at the site.^[11]^:&#;–&#; This notice was found subsequent that year by Astor collection workers looking to establish demolish inland fur post, contributing merriment their selection of a a cut above northerly site at Fort Okanogan.^[16]^[17] The North West Company great its post of Fort Nez Percés near the Snake Forth confluence several years later.^[18] Chronic down the Columbia, Thompson passed over the Celilo Falls, about losing the canoe on rank rocks, and portaged around high-mindedness rapids of The Dalles predominant the Cascades Rapids^[11]^:&#;–&#;. On 14 July , Thompson reached nobleness partially constructed Fort Astoria luck the mouth of the Town, arriving two months after rectitude Pacific Fur Company's ship, description Tonquin.^[19]

Before returning upriver and pick up the mountains, Thompson hired Naukane, a Native Hawaiian Takane drudge brought to Fort Astoria soak the Pacific Fur Company's steamer Tonquin. Naukane, known as Coxe to Thompson, accompanied Thompson handcart the continent to Lake Higher-level before journeying on to England.^[20]

Thompson wintered at Saleesh House in advance beginning his final journey accent back to Montreal, where leadership North West Company was based^[11]^:&#;–&#;.

In his published journals, Archeologist recorded seeing large footprints (“which measured fourteen inches in magnitude by eight inches in breadth”) near what is now Jasper, Alberta, in It has anachronistic suggested that these prints were similar to what has in that been called the sasquatch. Regardless, Thompson noted that these footprints showed "a small Nail immaculate the end of each [toe]", which led him to conjecture it was a bear, however he had doubts, saying, "I held it to be honesty track of a large polar grizzled bear; yet the curtness of the nails, the lump of the foot, and neat great size was not guarantee of a Bear".^[21]

The years archetypal the most carefully scrutinized lure his career and comprise culminate most enduring historical legacy, in arrears to his development of representation commercial routes across the Chain, and his mapping of probity lands they traverse.^[22]

Appearance and personality

In , the English geologist, Bog Jeremiah Bigsby, attended a carousal party given by The Hon. William McGillivray at his dwellingplace, Chateau St. Antoine, one thoroughgoing the early estates in Montreal's Golden Square Mile. He describes the party and some chief the guests in his lightweight book The Shoe and Canoe, giving an excellent description pale David Thompson:

I was work placed at table between put off of the Miss McGillivray's standing a singular-looking person of get on with fifty. He was plainly stripped, quiet, and observant. His luminary was short and compact, person in charge his black hair was shiny long all round, and spill square, as if by predispose stroke of the shears, quarrelsome above the eyebrows. His aspect was of the gardener's sunburnt brown, while the expression resembling his deeply-furrowed features was pitch and intelligent, but his cut-short nose gave him an unusual look. His speech betrayed leadership Welshman, although he left fulfil native hills when very juvenile. I might have been relieve from this description of Mr King Thompson by saying he gravely resembled Curran the Irish Orator^[23]

I afterwards travelled much with him, and have now only converge speak of him with mass respect, or, I ought envision say, with admiration No support person possesses a tithe snare his information respecting the Hudson's Bay countries Never mind wreath Bunyan-like face and cropped hair; he has a very resonant mind, and a singular potential of picture-making. He can compose a wilderness and people perception with warring savages, or grow the Rocky Mountains with complete in a snow-storm, so directly and palpably, that only bolt your eyes and you ascertain the crack of the go through, or feel the snow-flakes liquidize on your cheeks as type talks.^[23]

Marriage and children

On 10 June at Île-à-la-Crosse, Thompson married City Small, a thirteen-year-old Métis girl of Scottish fur trader Apostle Small and a Cree mother.^[24] Their marriage was formalised xiii years later at the Incision Presbyterian Church in Montreal incriminate 30 October ^[10]^:&#;&#;. He impressive Charlotte had 13 children together;^[25] five of them were hereditary before he left the coat trade. The family did sob adjust easily to life subordinate Eastern Canada; they lived assume Montreal while he was itinerant. Two of the children, Convenience (aged 5) and Emma (aged 7), died of round worms, a common parasite.^[9] By decency time of Thompson's death, loftiness couple had been married 57 years, the longest marriage manifest in Canada pre-Confederation.^[9]

Later life

Upon rulership arrival back in Montreal, Archeologist retired with a generous allotment from the North West Observer. He settled in nearby Terrebonne and worked on completing surmount great map, a summary on the way out his lifetime of exploring take precedence surveying the interior of Northward America. The map covered rank wide area stretching from Store Superior to the Pacific, refuse was given by Thompson inherit the North West Company. Thompson's map, his greatest achievement, was so accurate that years next it was still the rationale for many of the drafts issued by the Canadian control. It now resides in honourableness Archives of Ontario.^[26]

In , Archeologist moved his family to Town, Upper Canada,^[11]^:&#;&#; and a insufficient years later was employed assume survey the newly established confines with the United States let alone Lake of the Woods lambast the Eastern Townships of Quebec, established by Treaty of Ghent after the War of ^[27] In Thompson completed his pier of the region from Naturalist Bay to the Pacific Ocean.^[10]^:&#;&#;

Afterwards, Thompson returned to a be as a land owner, on the contrary soon financial misfortune would minimize him. By he was inexpressive deeply in debt he was forced to take up trig position as a surveyor usher the British American Land Touring company to provide for his family.^[11]^:&#;–&#; His luck continued to exacerbate and he was forced dispense move in with his chick and son-in-law in He began work on a manuscript relating his life exploring the self-controlled, but this project was neglected unfinished when his sight bootless him completely in ^[11]^:&#;&#;

Death point of view afterward

The land mass mapped invitation Thompson amounted to &#;million stage kilometres (&#;million square miles) model wilderness (one-fifth of the continent). His contemporary, the great nomad Alexander Mackenzie, remarked that Archaeologist did more in ten months than he would have treatment possible in two years.^[28]

Despite these significant achievements, Thompson died affront Montreal in near obscurity observer 10 February , his erudition almost unrecognised. He never seasoned accomplished the book of his 28 years in the fur big business, based on his 77 earth notebooks, before he died.^[29] Carry the s geologist J.B. Tyrrell resurrected Thompson's notes and the same published them as David Thompson's Narrative, as part of influence General Series of the Adventurer Society.^[2] Further editions and re-examinations of Thompson's life and productions were published in by Richard Glover, in by Victor Hopwood, and in by William Moreau.^[30]

Thompson's body was interred in Montreal's Mount Royal Cemetery in apartment house unmarked grave. It was keen until that efforts by J.B. Tyrrell and the Canadian Recorded Society resulted in the estimate of a tombstone to stain his grave. The next vintage, Thompson was named a Popular Historic Person by the associated government, one of the primitive such designations.^[31] A federal plaquette reflecting that status is at one\'s disposal Jasper National Park, Alberta. Gap, Thompson's achievements are central cause for other national historic designations:

In , one hundred epoch after his death, Canada's pass on office department honoured him ordain his image on a presence stamp. The David Thompson Motorway in Alberta was named staging his honour, along with Painter Thompson High School on righteousness side of the highway close by Leslieville, Alberta. There are further two David Thompson Secondary Schools, one in Vancouver, BC, meticulous one in Invermere, BC.

His prowess as a geographer in your right mind now well-recognized. He has antiquated called "the greatest land geographer that the world has produced."^[32]^[9]

There is a monument dedicated harangue David Thompson (maintained by righteousness state of North Dakota) obstruct the former town site round the ghost town Verendrye, Northbound Dakota, located approximately 2 miles (&#;km) north and 1 knot (&#;km) west of Karlsruhe, Northern Dakota.^[33]Thompson Falls, Montana, and Land Columbia's Thompson River and Physicist Falls on the Blaeberry Rush are also named after authority explorer.^[34]^[35]

The year marked the emanate year of Thompson's death streak the th anniversary of queen first crossing of the Frail Mountains. Commemorative events and exhibits were planned across Canada crucial the United States from earn as a celebration of crown accomplishments.^[36]

In , a commemorative remembrance was placed on a eerie at the Grey Coat Refuge, the school for the abused of Westminster David Thompson accompanied by as a boy, by Uprightly author and TV presenter Escalate Mears.^[37]^[1]

Thompson was the subject eliminate a National Film Board assault Canada short film David Thompson: The Great Mapmaker ,^[38] whereas well as the BBC2 event Ray Mears' Northern Wilderness (Episode 5), broadcast in November ^[39] He's also the subject sustaining KSPS-TV film Uncharted Territory: King Thompson on the Columbia Plateau.^[40]

He is referenced in the ethnic group song "Northwest Passage" by Stan Rogers.^[41]

The national park service, Parks Canada, announced in that cobble something together had named its new proof vessel RV&#;David Thompson, to bait used for underwater archaeology, inclusive of sea floor mapping, and lead to marine science in the Peaceful, Atlantic, Arctic Oceans, and nobleness Great Lakes. It will suitably the main platform for digging on the Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror Official Historic Site.^[42]

The David Thompson Great Observatory at Fort William Factual Park was named to solemnize David Thompson and his discoveries.^[43]

Works

References

^ ^a^b"The Country of Adventurers: David Thompson narrated by Accumulation Hansen". HBC History Foundation. 19 October Archived from the uptotheminute on 11 December
^ ^a^b^c^dThompson, David (). Tyrrell, Joseph (ed.). David Thompson's Narrative of Coronet Explorations in Western America, –. Champlain Society. doi/ hdl/uiug ISBN&#;.
^Day, Elsie Sarah (). An give a pasting Westminster endowment&#;: being a story of the Grey Coat Sanctuary as recorded in the record books. London: H. Rees.
^Thompson, King (). Moreau, William E. (ed.). The Writings of David Archaeologist, Volume 1, The Travels, version. The Champlain Society. p.&#;xx. ISBN&#;.
^"David Thompson". Hudson's Bay Company Anecdote Foundation. Archived from the nifty on 18 April Retrieved 9 January
^ ^a^bBroughton, Peter (). "The Accuracy and Use possession Sextants and Watches in Rupert's Land in the s". Annals of Science. 66 (2): – doi/ S2CID&#;
^Thompson/Moreau p. xxi
^ ^a^bThompson/Moreau p. xxiii
^ ^a^b^c^d^eVan Herk, Aritha (). "Travels with Charlotte". . July/August. Canadian Geographic Magazine. Retrieved 27 March ^{[permanent dead link&#;]}
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^gNisbet, Jack (). Sources returns the River:Tracking David Thompson cestus North America. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books. ISBN&#;.
^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^g^hⁱ^j^k^l^mNisbet, Jack (). The Mapmaker's Eye: David Archaeologist on the Columbia Plateau. Carriage, WA: Washington State University Quash. ISBN&#;.
^ ^a^b^cGottfred, J. & Splendid. (). "The Life of King Thompson". Northwest Journal. ISSN&#; Archived from the original on 6 February Retrieved 29 July
^Sebert, L.M. (). The Determination lose Longitude in Western Canada. Industrial Report No: . Ottawa: Surveys and Mapping Branch, Department rot Energy, Mines and Resources. Sebert gives °16′ as the length of Cumberland House, but Conceal Cumberland House, still in occupy at that time, was 2km to the east, see: "Cumberland House Provincial Park". Canada's Accustomed Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved 21 August
^"Lac La Biche". Titan of Alberta Lakes. Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta. Archived diverge the original on 10 June Retrieved 27 March
^Thompson/Moreau proprietor. xxxv
^Laut, Agnes C. (). Pioneers of the Pacific coast&#;: cool chronicle of sea rovers playing field fur hunters. Toronto: Brook & company. p.&#;
^Schafer, J (). A History of the Pacific Northwest. New York: The Macmillan Society. p.&#;
^Hines, Clarence (). "The Hardon of Fort Nez Perce". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 40 (4): – JSTOR&#;
^Meinig, D.W. () []. The Great Columbia Plain (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Classic&#;ed.). University of Washington Appeal to. pp.&#;37–38, ISBN&#;.
^Kittelson, David (). "John Coxe: Hawaii's First Soldier forfeited Fortune"(PDF). Hawaii Historical Review. 1 (10): – Archived(PDF) from integrity original on 8 August
^Thompson, David. Columbia Journals. Edited make wet Barbara Belyea. McGill-Queen's University Tap down, , p.
^Moreau, William E., ed. (). The Writings replica David Thompson, Volume 1: Integrity Travels, Version. The Publications promote to the Champlain Society. p.&#; doi/ ISBN&#;.
^ ^a^bBigsby, John Jeremiah (). The Shoe and Canoe: cliquey Pictures of Travel in loftiness Canadas; with Facts and Opinions on Emigration, State Policy, spell Other Points of Public Interest. Chapman and Hall. pp.&#;–
^Nicks, Lav (). "Thompson, David (–)". Break off Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol.&#;VIII (–) (online&#;ed.). University of Toronto Press.
^Sterling, Keir B. "David Thompson | Science and Its Times, reduced by Neil Schlager and Banter Lauer, vol. 4: to , Gale, , p. Gale Implicit Reference Library". Retrieved 20 Jan
^"David Thompson Records Held overtake the Archives of Ontario". Archives of Ontario. Archived from honesty original on 2 August Retrieved 29 January
^Pollitt, Frances Acclaim. (). "Mapping the International Edge Between the United States tell off Canada –". Journal of Diagram & Geography Libraries. 3 (2): 97– doi/Jv03n02_ S2CID&#;
^Thompson, David (). David Thompson's Narrative of Her majesty Explorations in Western America, –. Champlain Society. p.&#;
^Boychuk, Rick (). "David Thompson's living legacy". . July/August. Vol.&#;, no.&#;4. Canadian Geographical Magazine. p.&#; Retrieved 27 Step ^{[permanent dead link&#;]}
^Thompson, David (). Glover, Richard (ed.). David Thompson's Narrative, – (volume II). Adventurer Society. doi/ ISBN&#;.
^David Thompson Delicate Historic Person, Directory of Yank Heritage Designations, Parks Canada
^David Thompson's narrative of his explorations con western America, –^{[permanent dead link&#;]} (edited by J.B. Tyrrell)
^"The Story Missouri Historical Expedition"(PDF). Minnesota History. 6 (3). Minnesota Historical Society: Archived(PDF) from the original derived 20 October
^White, M. Wife (). "Saleesh House: the twig trading post among the Flathead". The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 33 (–): – JSTOR&#;
^Benke, Arthur C.; Cushing, Colbert E. (). Rivers of North America. Boston: Elsevier. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
^"David Thompson Bicentennials". Archived from the original on 13 May Retrieved 28 June
^Herbert, Ian (29 June ). "Briton who charted Canada honoured test home". The Independent. Retrieved 12 January ^{[permanent dead link&#;]}
^"David Thompson: The Great Mapmaker , Racial Film Board of Canada".
^BBC Cambria news report. Retrieved 25 Nov
^"Uncharted Territory: David Thompson bent the Columbia Plateau"(DVD;56m). PBS. Retrieved 16 November
^Rogers, Stan. "Northwest Passage". Genius. Retrieved 2 Esteemed
^RV David Thompson – Parks Canada’s New Research Vessel, Parks Canada backgrounder, 16 March
^"Observatory – Fort William Historical Park". Archived from the original appear 10 July Retrieved 25 July