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Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer and cartographer best known for the mapping of the St. Lawrence River, the discovery of the Great Lakes, and founding the city of Quebec (New France) in 1608.

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Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer and cartographer best known for the mapping of the St. Lawrence River, the discovery of the Great Lakes, and founding the city of Quebec (New France) in 1608. He made nearly 30 trips across the Atlantic and founded several colonial settlements.

See the fact file below for more information on the Samuel de Champlain or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Samuel de Champlain worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE OF SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN

  • Samuel de Champlain was born on August 13, 1567 in France.
  • He was born into a family of mariners, so from a young age he learned to navigate, draw, and read and create maps and different nautical charts; he spent a lot of time at sea when he was young.
  • He did not learn Ancient Greek or Latin, so he did not formally learn any ancient literature.
  • Champlain’s earliest travels were with his uncle, whose job was to transport Spanish troops out of France after the Wars of Religion in France.
  • The voyage gave Champlain the opportunity to watch over the ship, learn about Spanish holdings in the Caribbean and Latin America, take notes about what he saw, and submit his notes to King Henry (who, in exchange, provided Champlain with an annual pension).
  • In June 1601, Champlain inherited a substantial estate, including several properties and a large merchant ship.

EARLY VOYAGES TO NORTH AMERICA

  • In 1603, Champlain made his first trip to North America as an observer on a fur-trading expedition led by Francois Grave Du Pont, who taught Champlain about navigation in North America, dealing with Native tribes, and about the waterways they would encounter.
  • Champlain was eager to make further progress on what Jacques Cartier had done nearly sixty years earlier.
  • In 1604, Champlain joined a second expedition to New France; this time he focused on areas south of the St. Lawrence River (which would later become Acadia).
  • During this expedition, Champlain was tasked with finding a winter settlement; this is where they established Port Royal.
  • Champlain used Port Royal as his base while he explored along the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Cod.
  • In July 1607, Port Royal was forced to end due to an expiry on a fur trade monopoly, so Champlain and his settlers had to return to France.

FOUNDING AND EXPLORATION OF QUEBEC

  • Champlain was tasked with starting a new French colony and fur trading centre along the St. Lawrence River in the spring of 1608.
  • He, along with a small group of male settlers, arrived in June.
  • By July 3, 1608, Champlain landed at the point of Quebec and began erecting large wooden buildings, planting gardens, and fortifying the area he called the Habitation.
  • Champlain wanted to improve his access to the French courts, so he entered into a marriage with a 12-year-old girl named Hélène Boullé, the daughter of the man in charge of carrying out royal decisions in the court.
  • During the summer of 1609, Champlain decided he wanted to improve his relations with the local native tribes; he made alliances with the Wendat, Algonquin, and Montagnais, who were all eager for Champlain’s help in their war against the Iroquois.
  • An incident occured during July 1609 that tarnished France’s relationship with the Iroquois for the rest of the century; it occured when a group of Haudenosaunee advanced on Champlain, resulting in many of them being killed.
  • That same year, Champlain explored the Richelieu River and mapped Lake Champlain, and became the first European to do so.
  • King Henry’s death forced Champlain to return to France that year to discuss his political future.

LATER YEARS AND DEATH

  • Champlain returned to New France and Quebec several times over the next several years, as it was decided that the settlement of Quebec would be the center for the French fur trade.
  • In 1611, Champlain sailed up to present-day Montreal along the St. Lawrence river; shortly after, he was named lieutenant in New France.
  • In 1613, he traveled as far as the Ottawa River, taking time to explore the areas surrounding the Great Lakes.
  • In 1615, he ventured to Lake Nipissing and the French River, observing the Great Lakes for the first time upon his arrival at Georgian Bay on the east side of Lake Huron; he didn’t know that this would be his last great adventure in North America.
  • When Champlain returned to France in 1620, he became unable to return to Quebec, and instead focused on administering the territory rather than exploration of new lands.
  • He continued to work on the fortifications of what became Quebec City, as well as trying to find a passage to China.
  • Champlain was forced to surrender Quebec to the English in 1629, and it would be returned to France in 1632; in 1633, he made his last voyage to Quebec, extending his colony along both shores of the Lawrence River.
  • He spent some time writing and documenting his travels upon his retirement in 1633.
  • Champlain died in Quebec on December 25, 1635.

Samuel de Champlain Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Samuel de Champlain across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Samuel de Champlain worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Samuel de Champlain who was a French explorer and cartographer best known for the mapping of the St. Lawrence River, the discovery of the Great Lakes, and founding the city of Quebec (New France) in 1608. He made nearly 30 trips across the Atlantic and founded several colonial settlements.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Samuel de Champlain Facts
  • Legacy of Samuel de Champlain
  • Timeline of Exploration
  • Cartography Skills
  • Samuel de Champlain Wordsearch
  • Commemorative Stamp
  • Letter from the Habitation
  • See, Think, Wonder
  • Native Relations
  • Samuel de Champlain Crossword
  • Champlain Acrostic

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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