explorer; founder of Quebec
Samuel de Champlain was born in
Brouage, Saintonge, France, circa 1570. His
father, a sea captain, taught him navigation. He
entered the French Army at the age of about 20
and served until 1598. In 1599 he sailed to the
Spanish colonies in America on a French trading
ship. From 1599 to 1601, he commanded the St.
Julien on several voyages to the West
Indies, Mexico, and Panama. Upon his return to
France, Champlain wrote a book about his voyages
in which he described the splendor of Mexico City
and proposed the construction of a canal across
the Isthmus of Panama. The book made an
impression on King Henry IV, who granted
Champlain a pension and the right to explore
French possessions in North America.
In 1603, Champlain sailed to
what is now Canada and anchored at Tadoussac,
where the Saguenay joins the St. Lawrence. He
then sailed up the Saguenay as far as the rapids
just above present-day Montreal. Returning to
Tadoussac, he then explored both sides of the St.
Lawrence River down to about present-day Quebec.
During this voyage he became one of the first
Europeans to see Niagara Falls.
Returning to Canada in 1604, Champlain explored
the New England coast. In 1605 he helped found a
settlement at Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal,
Nova Scotia). Later in 1605 Champlain again
explored the New England coast, this time making
it to the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The
following year he continued on around Cape Cod,
but went no further south.
Founding of Quebec
Champlain returned to Canada in
1608 to establish a fur-trading post. He chose a
site along the St. Lawrence River and named it
Quebec, thus establishing the first permanent
settlement in what was then called New France.
The first winter was extremely cold, and only 8
of the 24 settlers survived.
Quebec, as pictured in
Champlain's 1613 book Voyages. The fort
had a fur storehouse, platforms for cannon (N), a
pigeon loft (B), and sundial (E). Entry was via a
drawbridge leading to the main door (I).
Champlain died in his official residence (H) in
Hoping to prevent Indian
attacks, Champlain became friendly with the
Algonquin and Huron who lived nearby. In 1609 he
and two French companions joined the Algonquin
and Huron in a raid on the Iroquis, who lived in
what is now New York. The French's muskets easily
defeated the Iroquis, and Champlain won the
lasting friendship of the Algonquin and Huron. On
this raid, Champlain became the first European to
reach Lake Champlain, which he named for himself.
From 1610 to 1624 Champlain
made several trips to France to obtain aid for
Quebec. He also explored Lake Ontario and the
Georgian Bay of Lake Huron.
War broke out between France
and England in 1626 and the English began to
seize French settlements in Canada. In 1628 an
English fleet cut off supplies to Quebec and
ordered Champlain to surrender the fort. The
settlers held out for a year but finally
surrendered after they ran out of food. The
English took Champlain to England, but allowed
him to return to France in 1629. In 1632 the
Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye returned Quebec
to France. Champlain sailed back to Quebec in
1633 and rebuilt the fort. He lived there until
his death, on December 25, 1635.
World Book Encyclopedia
Chicago: World Book-Childcraft International,
Museum of History: Hall of Explorers
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