Samuel de champlain portrait

Samuel de Champlain

  • Period: Jan 1, 1569 to

    Champlain's life

  • Jan 1, 1570

    Champlain's birth date

    Champlain as a child, grew up by the sea, his father was a sea captain along with his grandfather. Champlain learned how to navigate and sail at a very young age This talent would be able to achieve his goals in years to come.
  • Young Champlain sails and navigates with his uncle, in the Caribbean

    Young Champlain sails and navigates with his uncle, in the Caribbean
    Champlain navigates with his uncle in the Caribbean and visits a few ports of New Spain. His Uncle was a geographer at the time. In his later years, Champlain became a geographer.
  • Champlain first voyage to the new world.

    Champlain first voyage to the new world.
    Champlain visits the new world. He travels down the St. Lawrence He visits the native villages and attends their ceremonies; he also follows some of their customs (smokes peace calumet).He begins to establish good relationships with the aboriginals.
  • Champlain starts a fort in Port Royal

    Champlain establishes a settlement in Port-Royal, where he explores the Atlantic coast all the way to Cape Cod. Port Royal was his first settlement in all of New France. Port Royal was a some what good place to establish a settlement. There was fresh water, and fire wood. Champlain later left Port Royal because of the trading monopoly that he could not control.
  • Miserable winter in Port Royal.

    Miserable winter in Port Royal.
    Champlain and his men fought hard through the long, bitter and freezing cold winter. Not to mention, most of his men died of scurvy. 2o men died and 8 were left, half sick.
  • The terrible winter.

    Two colonists die of dysentery and ten more of scurvy. The hunting and fishing season had not gone so well, and the local Aboriginal tribes were suffering from severe hunger.
  • Champlain explores with the Hurons and Montagnais tribes.

    Champlain explores with the Hurons and Montagnais  tribes.
    Champlain leaves with Huron and Montagnais to explore more of the surrounding areas. Off to the South he discovers a lake and names it "Lake Champlain." He will only get to visit this lake once because Champlain will make enemies with the tribes in that area.
  • The Battle of the Iroquios!

    The Battle of the Iroquios!
    Champlain proves his loyalty to his Aboriginal allies by taking on the Mohawk (an Iroquois tribe.) This was an unfair fight because Champlain and his men carried a weapon called arquebus, an early form of the firearm. Champlain shot all three chiefs with this weapon. The Mohawk fled the battle scene, no longer able to carry on because of their three dead cheifs. The Mohawk were now official enemies of French.
  • Champlain Marries Hélène Boullé.

    Champlain Marries Hélène Boullé.
    In the church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois in France, Champlain marries Hélène Boullé. At the time, he was in his mid-thirties, and she had just turned 12. He later brings her to New France where she stays for a period of time.
  • Sameul de Champlain hires Étienne Brûlé(coureur de bois)

    In 1610, Champlain arranged for Étienne Brûlé to stay with some Wendat people (He wanted him to become a coureur de bois). Étienne Brûlé was only a teenager then. Champlain wanted him to learn the Wendat language, culture and customs. THis was also building on the relationship with the aboriginals. He explored many areas that the French did not know about. He was likely the first European to ever see the great lakes.
  • Champlain makes a map of Quebec

    Champlain makes a map of Quebec
    In 1610, Champlain made a map of Quebec. He was the first European to do so. Later, Champlain would become the Royal geographer on French expeditions to what is now Canada.
  • Champlain names an island after his wife.

    Champlain names Sainte-Hélène island after his wife named Hélène Boullé.
  • Champlain spends the winter in Huronie

    Samuel de Champlain spends the winter in Huronie. He builds on his relationship with the aboriginals, gaining their trust.
  • Champalin publishes a book

    Champalin publishes a book
    Sameul de Champlain publishes a book on his travels in Huronie.
  • Champlain builds a new fort

    Champlain builds a new fort
    The population in the new fort (in Quebec) grew very slowly. After 20 years of working hard to improve the fort and getting more inhabitants, the Quebec colony had only about 100 European people. This included missionaries, coureur de bois (runner of the woods), fur trade clerks and about 20 families of settlers. Quebec was a "natural settlement", it had fresh water, good soil, and was protected by a cliff.
  • Champlain brings his wife to the new fort in Quebec.

    In 1622 Champlain brought his 22 year old wife Hélène Boullé to the small outpost/fort. She did not like the life her husband lived in New France. She later returned to France after four years of staying there. She returned to France and became a nun, and stayed in that convent for the rest of her life.
  • New fort in Quebec begins to fall

    In 1624 the new fort in Quebec had less than 60 people. It was not doing so well.
  • Surrendered Fort in Quebec to the British.

    Surrendered Fort in Quebec to the British.
    Champlain surrendered fort to the British in 1627. The cardinal de Richelieu made the Compagnie des Cent-Associés, with the goal to bring new colonists to Nouvelle-France. Soon afterwards, a few hundred colonists left for the New France. But the boats were then attacked by the Kirke brothers who then attacked Québec. Threatened by famine, Champlain must leave. Québec was English for three years.
  • Champlain goes to England for help from a French ambassador.

    Upon returning to France, Champlain learned that the taking over of Québec actually took place after the end of the war between England and France. Champlain began a terrible battle and went all the way to London to ask for the help of the French ambassador to save the young colony. Québec is finally restored to France in 1632 by the treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
  • Champlain dies.

    Champlain dies.
    The father of New France died on December 25th. He left behind a young colony that now has everything it needs to grow. Champlain has left us with his notes, drawings, maps and his published books that are an excellent source of information and can help us learn more about the origins of our country.