Who was David Thompson and what was his contribution?

• A. He was a navigator who charted the Atlantic routes.
• B. He was a fur trader who established trading posts.
• C. He was a mapmaker for the NWC, responsible for mapping much of central Canada.
• D. He wrote treaties with First Nations.

Answer: (C)

David Thompson was a mapmaker and surveyor who worked with the North West Company in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His contribution lies in producing highly accurate maps of central Canada and the interior, built from years of exploration and careful field measurements guided by Indigenous knowledge. Thompson mapped vast river systems and terrain across western Canada, creating what became one of the era’s most detailed cartographic records of the region. These maps, enhanced by astronomical observations and extensive travel, provided essential geographic knowledge that traders, explorers, and future settlers relied on for routes and planning. He wasn’t known for charting Atlantic navigation, founding trading posts, or writing treaties, so this mapping role best fits his historical impact.