Garnished with 370 documentary illustrations (maps, charts, drawings, paintings by the explorers themselves), this collection of original accounts traces the continent's discovery from possible medieval forays to the first 17th century settlements. Historians Cumming, Quinn, and Skelton provide complementary essays and annotations.

1. The Discovery of the Atlantic in the Middle Ages. 2. Cabot to Cartier. 3. The penetration of the interior and the exploration of the west coast. 4. French, Spanish, and English attempts to colonize the east coast before 1600. 5. The search for a North-West Passage. 6. The early seventeen century: Epilogue. Notes. Acknowledgements. Bibliography. Index.