Final answer:
The explorations that led to the discovery of the St. Lawrence River, Hudson Bay, and the Mississippi River were driven by European nations, especially France and the Dutch, as they searched for trade routes and resources in North America.
Step-by-step explanation:
Discovery of the St. Lawrence River, Hudson Bay, and the Mississippi River
The discovery of the St. Lawrence River, Hudson Bay, and the Mississippi River was a result of the European exploration and colonization of North America. The French were particularly instrumental in these discoveries as they searched for new trade routes and resources.
Jacques Cartier claimed the St. Lawrence River for France in 1534. The Dutch, through the exploratory efforts of Henry Hudson, discovered the Hudson River and Hudson Bay as they sought the Northwest Passage.
Further explorations led to the French colonization of the Great Lakes, the Ohio River Valley, and down the Mississippi River, which opened up lucrative opportunities in the fur trade and helped establish New France.