Samuel de Champlain: Establishing the Foundations of Nouvelle France

Introduction Colonization and Fur Trade Exploration Bibliography

Samuel de Champlain, also called the Father of Nouvelle France, was the first explorer to create a permanent trade route in Canada. He was also the first to refer to the St. Lawrence in its current name.

Samuel de Champlain was born in Brouage (France), a tiny village of 200 inhabitants in circa 1570. Thirty-eight years later, he became the key figure in the history of French colonization of Nouvelle France. Champlain is responsible for the first permanent settlement along the St. Lawrence, and created a healthy fur trade route. In addition, he discovered many regions previously uncharted.

Champlain built his famous habitation at Quebec.

Champlain developed a trade route with the Huron.

In 1608, Champlain sailed to find a permanent colony in Nouvelle France. He decided to pick an area where the St. Lawrence river was narrower. In theory, it was to prevent enemies from pushing further inland. Quebec was an obvious choice and Champlain built a habitation between the St. Lawrence and Cap Diamand (at today's Place Royale). The habitation was simply a wooden building surrounded by an inner yard and served as a lodging, storehouse, and fortress for the inhabitants. However, unlike Cartier, protection was not needed as urgently since the Iroquois no longer inhabited the St. Lawrence valley. This first settlement contained only 28 people and 20 of them died during the first winter.

The next step for Champlain in 1609 was to create a partnership with the Hurons to stimulate fur trade. This meant being able to communicate with the Hurons and adapt to their culture. It did not take a long time until a trade route was developed. However, the first five years proved difficult because there was not enough fur being collected. Therefore, Champlain recruited more First Nations villages, and by 1614, the trade route was profitable enough for the French to build more permanent settlements and begin to fortify Quebec (1620).

Champlain was undisturbed in Nouvelle France until England (a force led by David Kirke and his brothers) invaded Quebec and took over for a short period between 1629-1632. During this period, Champlain was taken back to England as a prisoner. He was appointed the first governor of Nouvelle France in 1632 and then returned to the St. Lawrence valley in 1633. He died in 1635.

Champlain took three expeditions after colonization.

Unlike Cartier who was a maritime explorer, Champlain was also an inland explorer. He first undertook three maritime voyages, exploring the coasts of Nova Scotia and New England between 1604 and 1607 and founding Port Royal in 1605. Champlain made three inland voyages after building his habitation. The main goal of his voyages was again to find a route to China.

• The first one was in 1609 when Champlain went up the Iroquois River (Richelieu). In addition, he discovered a magnificent lake he decided to name after himself (Lake Champlain).
• The second voyage was in 1613. Champlain moved until Montreal and explored the Ottawa River to Allumette Island.
• The last expedition Champlain would take was in 1615. Starting where he ended his 1613 expedition, he went beyond Allumette Island and traveled down the Mattawa River, Lake Nipissing, and French River. Eventually he found Lake Huron and Lake Simcoe. Champlain also crossed the eastern end of Lake Ontario and then followed the Oneida River. The last area he visited was south of Nottawasaga Bay and south of Georgian Bay.

• Burpee, L. (1948). The Discovery of Canada. Toronto: The Macmillan Company of Canada Limited.
• Miquelon, D. (1994). The First Canada: to 1791. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited.

Related Web Sites

The history of colonization in Acadia. Biography of Samuel de Champlain.