From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 11 of 36
The steamship
1809
In 1809, a steamboat sails on the St. Lawrence. Its engine turns big paddle wheels that push the water. It can move without waiting for the wind!
Look together
Can you find the big paddle wheel?
An idea to try
Find the paddle wheel in the drawing. Imagine a sailboat with sails that catch the wind, then discuss what replaces that force in a steamboat. No second book is needed.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The Accommodation was launched in Montréal on August 19, 1809. With financing from John Molson among others, it was the first steamboat built in Canada and the first mechanically propelled vessel to sail on the St. Lawrence. Its inaugural trip to Québec City took place from November 1 to 4, 1809, lasting 66 hours including long stops. Its engine drove paddle wheels. The journey was slow, but it heralded the development of steam transport on the river.
The scene lets you compare two ways of moving on the river. Sails use the wind; the boat drawn here has an engine and a paddle wheel. Imagine with your child what happens to a sailboat when the wind drops, then look at the paddle wheel in this drawing. The vessel drawn is an evocation, not an exact reconstruction of the Accommodation.
Sources and context (1)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
Source review: 2026-09-19. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.