From Early Stories to Today · Drawing 17
A schooner on the river
The 19th century
In the 19th century, schooners carried goods on the St. Lawrence River. Wind filled their sails and helped them move.
Look together
How many masts can you see?
An idea to try
Lay a sheet of paper on a table and blow gently to move it. Return to the drawing and find the part of the boat that catches the wind.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
In the 19th century, sailing schooners carried goods and supported communication along the St. Lawrence. The Musée maritime du Québec documents this type of boat through a model listed in the cultural heritage directory. The model was made in the 1970s: a recent object can represent a much older form of transport.
Begin with the hull, sails and two masts. On this schooner, the taller mast is at the back. Ask your child what makes it move, then compare their answer with the steamship. The illustration represents a type of sailing boat without depicting a named vessel.
Sources and context
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec — Maquette de goélette
- Office québécois de la langue française — Goélette
Source review: 2026-09-12. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.