Samuel
de Champlain (c. 1570 – 25 December
1635) was a French geographer, draftsman,
explorer and founder of Quebec City. He
was also integral in opening North America
up to French trade, especially the fur
trade. His influence is still felt in
the presence of French Canadians in Quebec,
where he did most of his exploring. Champlain's
pattern was to spend several months or
years exploring North America and then
he would have to head back to France to
regain funding. This article covers his
travels, as they have had the most lasting
importance to World History. Born in Brouage,
France, much of Champlain's early life
is unknown, although it is speculated
by some that his mother was a Huguenot.
His first trip to North America was on
March 15, 1603 as part of a fur trading
expedition.
Although
he had no official assignment on the voyage,
he created a map of the St. Lawrence River
and, on his return to France on September
20, wrote an account of his travels called
Des Sauvages (The Savages). Instructed
by Henry IV to make a report on his discoveries,
Champlain joined another expedition to
New France in the spring of 1604 led by
Pierre Du gua Sieur de Monts. He helped
found the Saint Croix Island settlement
which was abandoned the following spring
1605 when the settlers moved across the
Bay of Fundy to found the Habitation at
Port-Royal (which had been located with
Champlain's assistance), where Champlain
lived until 1607 while he explored the
Atlantic coast. In 1605 and 1606 Champlain
explored the land that is now Chatham,
Cape Cod as a prospective settlement but
small skirmishes with the resident Monomoyick
Indians ultimately dissuaded him from
the idea. He named the area Port Fortune
and featured it on his maps.
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