James Bay

Every place on earth has a history and a story. Along this same train of thought, every place is connected to another place, that is connected to yet another place and so on. This is how the history of the world and the people in it are interconnected. Because of this it is important to learn as much as possible about different places in the world. The more we learn about the world, the more we can learn about ourselves. One fascinating place in the world is James Bay, no correlation with the singer/songwriter of the same name. If you would like to learn more about the James Bay, this is the place to be. Keep reading for some interesting facts!

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James Bay Facts for Kids

The James Bay is part of the Hudson Bay at the southern end and borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
The area of the James Bay was of great importance to the expansion of the British into Canada.
The James Bay area was also very important to the creation of the Hudson Bay Company.
The population is quite sparse along the shores of the James Bay with only nine (9) confirmed communities.
There are several hundred rivers that flow into the James Bay. Some of these rivers are very popular with canoeists including the Broadback River, Rupert River, Albany River, Moose River, and Missinaibi.
The islands in the James Bay have a unique aspect in that they are not considered a part of Quebec or Ontario. Instead they are a part of the Nunavut territory.
The average depth of the James Bay is less than two hundred (200) feet. The width is one hundred and thirty-five (135) miles and the length is two hundred and seventy-five (275) miles.
Generally, the James Bay freeze before the Hudson Bay, it also thaws first.
A project by the name Great Recycling and Northern Development Canal that was proposed that would turn the James Bay into a freshwater lake. This project would be very difficult to complete, but if it is completed, it would provide a freshwater source for the locals.
Captain Zachariah Gillam and Medard des Groseilliers established the first fur trading post to be on the James Bay.
On the western shore of the James Bay, there is a large section that is considered to be Polar Bear Provincial Park.
The James Bay is named after the Welsh Captain, Thomas James who was the first to thoroughly explore the area. The Captains exploration took place between the years of 1630 and 1631.
Henry Hudson who first explored the Hudson Bay and his crew became stuck in the Hudson Bay near the James Bay area when the Bay froze over. Sir Hudson wanted to continue to explore after the water thawed , but the crew mutinied.

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Question: What are the names of the four Cree communities located along the eastern shore of the James Bay?

Answer: Waskaganish, Wemindji, Eastmain, and Chisasibi.

Question: What is the name of the largest island in the James Bay?

Answer: Akimiski Island

Question: What is the name of the Indigenous people that first inhabited the James Bay area?

Answer: Cree

Question: What is the name of the the bay situated at the southernmost tip of the James Bay?

Answer: Hannah Bay

Isn’t James Bay an interesting place? This has only been a few of the amazing facts about the James Bay area. Hopefully, you have learned some new and interesting facts about the James Bay!