Champlain, << sham PLAYN, >> Samuel de (1570?-1635), was a French explorer who founded the Canadian city of Quebec. He helped colonize French North America, once known as New France. Champlain is often called the “Father of New France.”
Early life.
Champlain was born in Brouage, France, near Rochefort, to a Huguenot (French Protestant) family. His father, a sea captain, taught him navigation. Champlain joined the French Army at the age of about 20 and served until 1598. The next year, he sailed to the Spanish colonies in America on a French trading ship. From 1599 to 1601, he made several voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Panama.
Champlain returned to France in 1601 and wrote a book about his voyages. He described the splendor of Mexico City and was one of the first people to propose the construction of a canal across Panama. Champlain’s book interested King Henry IV, who was eager for France to acquire wealth in America. Henry also hoped the French could find a “Northwest Passage”—that is, a waterway through North America to Asia.
In 1603, Champlain sailed to Canada and explored the St. Lawrence River for the king. Champlain also became one of the first Europeans to write about Niagara Falls and to reach Lake Huron and make contact with the Native Americans living on its shores. He sailed back to Canada in 1604 and then explored the New England coast. In 1605, Champlain helped found the settlement of Port-Royal (later moved to the present site of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia). In 1605 and 1606, he made two more voyages along the New England coast in search of a better site for the settlement.
The 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. It became the first permanent settlement in New France. Champlain and his men built a fort and storehouse. The first winter was extremely cold, and only 8 of the 24 settlers survived.
Champlain became friendly with the Algonquin and Huron peoples living near Quebec. He believed his friendship could prevent Native American attacks on the settlement and that peaceful relations would make it easier to trade furs with the Native Americans and to explore the country.
In 1609, Champlain and two French companions joined the Algonquin and Huron in a raid on the Iroquois, who lived in what is now New York. Champlain and his Native American allies had muskets and were able to defeat the Iroquois, who did not possess firearms. Unlike most Europeans in North America, Champlain appreciated the French colonies’ need of Native American allies. On this raid, he became the first European to reach Lake Champlain, which he named for himself. He won the lasting friendship of the Algonquin and the Huron by helping them. Champlain’s later battles against the Iroquois were more difficult, and the Iroquois became long-term enemies of the French and strong allies of the English colonists in New England.
Later life.
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, where he lived until his death on Dec. 25, 1635.
