Who is samuel de champlain and what did he do

Between and , he made 12 stays in North America. He was an indefatigable explorer — and an assistant to other explorers — in the quest for an overland route across America to the Pacific, and onwards to the riches of the Orient. But a fire in the 17th century completely destroyed the town records of Brouage, where the young Champlain was believed to have spent his childhood.

However, by the time he undertook his voyages of discovery and exploration to Canada, he had definitely converted to Catholicism. On this basis, several historians have deduced that Champlain must have been born around But things were to take a different turn in the spring of when Jean-Marie Germe, a French genealogist, was examining the archives of the Protestant parish of Saint Yon de La Rochelle.

What Mr. Certainly the document is difficult to read; the letters often have to be deciphered as much from their context, as from their appearance. Moreover, in that era the rules of spelling were flexible, to say the least. The different spellings used for the family name of the child and his father can be explained by the fact these names had perhaps previously been written down only rarely. A standard spelling had possibly not yet been adopted.

What are the chances of finding another baptismal certificate dating from this era where the names are identical to those we find in other historical documents? The chances are in fact very small indeed. He is believed to have been born in La Rochelle, France, about His family was probably Protestant, although Champlain later converted to Catholicism.

He joined the French military in and, five years later, crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the first time on a voyage to the Caribbean. He first sailed to North America in and would eventually serve as lieutenant-governor of New France, until his death on December 25, During his travels to the Americas, Champlain encountered many new and wondrous things: landscapes, animals, plants and people. He recorded much of what he saw and experienced. When his turn came to lead expeditions to the Americas and establish a settlement for the King of France, Champlain adopted a different approach altogether.

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Accessed 11 November In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published August 29, ; Last Edited June 11, The Canadian Encyclopedia , s. Thank you for your submission Our team will be reviewing your submission and get back to you with any further questions. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. False portrait of Samuel de Champlain, based on an engraved portrait of Michel Particelli d'Emery by Balthazar Moncornet and dated Nevertheless, this image has become the one most associated with Champlain as no other detailed image of the man exists.

This reconstruction is a national historic park. Engraving based on a drawing by Champlain of his voyage. It depicts a battle between Haudenosaunee and Algonquian tribes near Lake Champlain. Marcel Trudel , Mathieu d'Avignon. In , Champlain made a brave voyage into the interior of Canada accompanied by a tribe of Native Americans with whom he had good relations, the Hurons.

Champlain and the French aided the Hurons in an attack on the Iroquois, but they lost the battle and Champlain was hit in the knee with an arrow and unable to walk.

During his stay, he composed one of the earliest and most detailed accounts of Native American life. When Champlain returned to France, he found himself embroiled in lawsuits and was unable to return to Quebec. He spent this time writing the stories of his voyages, complete with maps and illustrations. When he was reinstated as lieutenant, he returned to Canada with his wife, who was 30 years his junior.

Things didn't go smoothly for Champlain for long. Eager to capitalize on the profitable fur trade in the region, Charles I of England commissioned an expedition under David Kirke to displace the French. They attacked the fort and seized supply ships, cutting off necessities to the colony. Champlain surrendered on July 19, and returned to France. Champlain spent some time writing about his travels until, in , the British and the French signed the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, returning Quebec to the French.

Champlain returned to be its governor.