Samuel de Champlain Biography
Samuel de Champlain was born around 1570 in Brouage, France. His father is Antoine de Champlain; he was a sea captain. His mother is Marguerite Le Roy. His father taught him navigation and wanted him to be a sea captain too. Champlain joined the French army at the age of about 20 and served until 1598. Unemployed, Champlain turned to his uncle, Guillaume, also a sailor. Guillaume hired Champlain on his ship and invited his nephew to come with him on a voyage to Spain.
Champlain wanted to travel to the West Indies, a group of islands south of Florida that were claimed by the kind of Spain. Champlain hoped to join the annual Spanish expedition that carried goods to and from the islands. He planned to learn as much as he could about the West Indies, he would make a report to his king, Henri IV. In hope to give him an expedition of his own. He eventually inherited a large estate from his uncle when he died in 1601.
In 1603 Champlain received an offer from a sea captain named Francois Pont-Grave asked him to join an expedition to St. Lawrence River in Canada because he was a good map maker. On May 26, 1603, Champlain, Pont-Grave, and his crew arrived at Tadoussac, a trading post the French established on the St. Lawrence River. The day after, Champlain and Pont-Grave went to meet the Montagnais, American-Indians the French traded with the most often then. The explorers were with two Montagnais men who were taken to France the year before by Pont-Grave. One of the Montagnais with Champlain told his stories in France. He talked about how the French king promised to help them battle the Iroquois, their worst American Indian enemies.
Champlain set off to explore the St. Lawrence River. He trave...
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.... But when they got there, the Huron and the Algonquin already started attacking. They all stormed the Iroquois, killing nearly all of them. But Champlain had some casualties too. Champlain himself got hit with an arrow to the neck!
Back at Quebec, Champlain got the news that King Henry IV has been assassinated. He rushed back to France, where he spent the winter. He was married to twelve year old Helene Boulle on December 30, 1610. He eventually returned to Canada leaving her in Paris.
Back in Quebec, Champlain wanted to build a new trading post up the St. Lawrence River. He wanted to build a trading post closer to the Huron and Algonquin. De Monts’s trade monopoly has ran out, so now Champlain was forced to compete with the other fur traders. He promised the Huron and Algonquin to make trading posts in their area, and hoped that they would only trade with him.
Beginning in the mid sixteenth century, French explorers were able to establish a powerful and lasting presence in what is now the Northern United States and Canada. The explorers placed much emphasis on searching and colonizing the area surrounding the St. Lawrence River “which gave access to the Great Lakes and the heart of the continent”(Microsoft p?). They began exploring the area around 1540 and had early interactions with many of the Natives, which made communication easier for both peoples when the French returned nearly fifty years later. The French brought a new European desire for fur with them to America when they returned and began to trade with the Indians for furs in order to supply the European demands. The Natives and the French were required to interact with each other in order to make these trades possible, and, over time, the two groups developed a lasting alliance. However, the French began to face strong competition in the fur trading industry, which caused many problems between different European nations and different native tribes. Therefore, the trading of fur allowed early seven- teenth century French explorers to establish peaceful relations with the Natives, however, com- petitive trading also incited much quarreling between competing colonies and Indian tribes.
Seeman, Erik. The Huron-Wendat Feast of the Dead: Indian-European Encounters in Early North America Baltimore, Maryland: The John Hopkins University Press, 2011
Columbus and Champlain were both devoted to the success of their expeditions; however, Columbus had far more selfish intentions. Columbus was an Italian who sought aid for a journey that would travel across the Atlantic Ocean in search for riches in the East. His support did not come easy as he was rejected by the courts of Portugal, France, and England. Ultimately, Columbus was able to gain authorization and funding for a voyage to begin in 1492 by the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel. After starting the long awaited expedition in April, Columbus was able to reach the West Indies by October of that year. Upon encountering the New World, Columbus immediately claimed the land along with its natives for his Spanish sovereigns.
... due to a long relationship of trade, alliance, and kinship with the French as well as the promise of "war honors" (Calloway, 2012, p. 174). In 1757, the British troops at Fort William Henry on Lake George surrendered to the French. This victory was short lived as most of the French's Indian allies attacked the surrendered fort because they felt betrayed by the terms of surrender. The native peoples unleashed a slaughter, which included scalps and captives (Calloway, 2012, p. 174). The Indians were severing ties with the French and the British war effort was increasing with vigor. The Native Americans began to side with the British not knowing what this would bring, which was more freedom and land stripped away from them.
Samuel de Champlain’s arrival in Canada was the most significant event in the development of Canada as a country. Champlain had buoyant leadership skills vital during the time in which resulted in lasting contribution to the settlement of Canada. His involvement provides Canada the rich history, identity and culture that it thrives on today. In comparison to other events such as the arrival of Jacques Cartier, Expulsion of the Acadians, and the British conquest for New France; the coming of Champlain to the New World changed the course of Canada’s development the utmost as a nation.
In September 1758, General Jeffery Amherst attacked Louisburg, the frontier fortress of Canada. Major General James Wolfe was second in command. There was only two years difference between the too men. The Fort on Cape Breton Island was the key to the gateway of the St Lawrence River. (Britannica vol. 8) Whoever held the fort had the key to the heart of Canada.
Consequently, the search for fur pelts led to further exploration of the land, allowing more of the resources to be found and used as an advantage for Europe. It also allowed for more towns, cities, and trading posts to be established, which then increased the Canadian population (“Living Off the Land”, 1). One of the many effects the exploitation of Canadian fur had was the fact that companies and colonies were founded. One specific example that is often credited for much of the fur trade in Canada is the notable Hudson’s Bay Company (“The Hudson’s Bay Company Is Established: 1670.”, 1). It was mainly started by Pierre Esprit Radisson and Médard Chouart Des Groseilliers, two explorers and trade leaders that were in search of fur and contribution to France’s quickly growing economy. The two also were motivated by the search of land towards the West and North, unlike other aims from the French government. One of the instances that proved the French government’s unwillingness to explore in these areas includes when Groseilliers returned from Hudson’s Bay with a spectacular quantity of fur, claiming he had found an overland trade route, he was
“In 1659, both Joseph-François and his eldest son Zacharie-Francois, spent several years as captives among the Iroquois” (pg. 206). Because of their captivity, this allowed them to “familiarize themselves with the language and customs of the natives” thus enabling them “to collaborate with Native warriors”, when necessary (pg. 206). Joseph-François was maltreated during his two year captivity. Often he would be at the “risk of being buried alive” and due to his treatment from the Iroquois, he unfortunately suffered “a crippled hand” (pg.
The morale boost amongst colonists didn’t last long. In 1763 a powerful Ottawa chief allied with several other Indian tribes waged war on the British capturing every fort west of Detroit forcing colonists east...
They were warlike and went out on expeditions to places in New Brunswick, Massachusetts, parts of Maine, and the north shore of Lake Huron. Excursions have been documented all the way to Ohio-Mississippi valley. “’The character of all these [Iroquois] Nations is warlike and cruel,’ wrote Jesuit missionary Paul Le Jeune in 1657.” (Richter, 528) They had different purposes for war than Europeans did. Thus, since the Europeans did not understand the similarities and differences, they were called savage. The Iroquois did not wage war all the time though. The Hudson Bay Company and the Northwestern Fur Company employed Iroquois as canoe men; they were also employed by private enterprises connected with the fur trade or exploration. The Iroquois employed by the Hudson Bay Company “are reputed to have been the most expert in the country, and many stories are told of their skill and spirit of adventure.” (Chamberlain, 460) They also hunted beaver for corporations, sometimes with their families with them. Iroquois were employed as “canoe men, guides, carriers, and voyagers in the service of the Hudson Bay Company.” (Chamberlain, 460) Some of the Iroquois went as far as the Rocky Mountains, where they stayed and brought their culture with them. As time passed though, they mixed cultures until one could hardly tell they were part Iroquois. They did bring dug-outs, the crossbow, and teaching of the Jesuit fathers to
The French were one of the first to explore the New World in the last half of the 16th century. King Henry IV of France sent an expedition, led by Samuel de Champlain, to secure exclusive fur trade routes and agreements with the native Indians near the St. Lawrence in present day Canada. In this endeavor, trading posts were built in an area known as “New France”. The native Montagnais tribe were quick to realize the importance the French and other Europeans placed on beaver pelts and for their own benefit, they began “withholding furs to force the Europeans to compete for them” (Anderson, 8). Eventually, the French and the Montagnais’ came to an understanding through an alliance that gave the French exclusive control of the fur trade in exchange for their promise to fight with the Montagnais and their allies against their enemies, the Mohawks.
...s to the English. This war was called the Pequot War and it was as deadly as the Powhatan-Indian war.
It is difficult to determine exactly what François did in terms of work after he arrived in the providence of Quebec. There is evidence that he was contracted in 1688 and again in 1692 to go west, which usually meant the person was to go and trade with the natives wherever it was considered most beneficial. However, François later changed his profession to agriculture and can be found by 1694 in St. Paul living the life of a farmer.
Champlain was basically a sea man by birth. He was born into a family of sea captains and his father was a really good and experienced sea captain. His uncle went with him on his first trip. When he was a little boy, his hometown was filled to the gills with docks and huge ships which encouraged his love of boats and exploring. He also had to work for King Henry and do many other things containing maps and boats. He found the love of sailing and exploring because he had very good motivational things to push him along his journey.
There is very little information about the early life of Jacques Cartier he was born in St. Marlo on December 31, 1491, which is located near the lower end of the English Channel. In this small channel there have been centuries of sailors, and adventurer’s fisherman who have made their mark on the world. St. Marlo became famous long before Cartier was born into it; the town became famous for being the headquarters of the consairs of the northern coast. Jacques Cartier’s family dates back to the fifteenth century, to his grandfather Jean Cartier. Not much has been explained about Cartier’s immediate family; Cartier is the second child out of five. Jacques Cartier was born to a family of mariners, but he received a social status when he married Catherine des Granches whose family, who owned a major ship company, the couple never had any children that were known of.