CHAMPLAIN : One of the Great E

A detailed Summary of CHAMPLAIN : One of the Great E

CHAMPLAIN : One of the Great Explorers

Samuel de Champlain discovered and rediscovered many locations in the New World. He was trained in seamanship, navigation and map making. Champlain wrote a book on how the Indians lived. The book had the best information about the Indians at that time. He made many voyages to the New World.

Champlain was born in Brouage, France in 1567. Samuel went to war in Brittany when he was a young man. After the war he received a reward of money. He was given command of a small ship going to the West Indies. This voyage was the beginning of his adventures to the New World. After a long time of exploring he was nicknamed the "Father of New France".

Champlain was helped by his uncle, a general of a fleet of the King of Spain, to get the command of the ship going to the West Indies. He first saw the New World under the Spanish flag. Champlain cruised the West Indies and along the coast of the main land from Panama to Mexico. He saw the ancient ruins of Mexico City. Champlain was the first to suggest digging a canal to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean.

He was asked by Aymar de Clermont, Governor of Dieppe to explore the St. Lawrence. The leader of the

Quebec began to slowly grow. The Jesuits came and built a church, a convent for nuns, schools and a hospital. In 1628 war broke out between England and France. Champlain surrendered Quebec to the English and returned to France. In 1630 peace was signed and Quebec was returned to France once again. Champlain returned to Quebec and resumed his duties as governor in 1633.

A little south of the St. Lawrence River was a settlement they called St. Croix. In the winter after the ships left there were ninety- nine people. They were being paid by de Monts company. When scurvy came it took half of the settlers. This time there wasn't a magic tree that had saved Cartier's men.

On June fifth Pontgrave's ship arrived full of supplies for the colony. Thanks to Portgrave, Champlain could now go west to find an all water route to Asia. He could also make alliances with Indians to build up the fur-trade. For success on this expedition he would have to depend on the Indians around the Great Lakes. Because of that reason he had to learn as much as he could about them.

Champlain heard of a plot by Spaniards to murder him and take over the fort by a man named Duval. He made a plan right away when he heard this. The plan was to send bottles of wine over to the vessel with a captain he could trust. He told the captain to invite the plotters aboard to celebrate. When the plotters were rowing to the ship they were grabbed and manacled, then dragged ashore. After a quick trial Duval was beheaded. His head was stuck on a long pole above the rooftop as a warning to other traitors. The other three plotters were sent back to France. There they were sentenced to be galley slaves.

One of the cautions that were taken was to travel by night and hide in thickets by day. They intended to paddle to the end of Lake Champlain to Lake George, then from there to the Hudson River and go down to the Iroquois village. There was a big advantage of the Indian canoe with the birch bark and light frame which made it easier for portage between any stream or lake.

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Approximate Word count = 1576
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History