Samuel De Champlain: Father Of New France

Words: 1959
Pages: 8

Samuel de Champlain Biographical Essay
Samuel de Champlain also commonly known as the Father of New France was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, and diplomat. Samuel de Champlain founded New France and Quebec city on July 3, 1608 while being sponsored by Louis XIV, also commonly referred to as the Sun King. Champlain, who was born into a family of mariners was brought up with all of the foundational frameworks that would lead him to building a curiosity for exploration. Champlain as a young man, began exploring North America in 1603 with his uncle Grave Du Pont. From 1604 to 1607 Champlain participated in the early exploration and settlements of the first European settlements in Port Royal, Acadia. During a
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The French had failed to settle in New France and would have continued to fail in their efforts to settle. The Native Americans had spent their lives living in these harsh conditions, not only were they conditioned to expect the climate that they lived in but they also had learned endless techniques and tactics from their ancestors. It makes sense as the aboriginal communities were very close knit and were inseparable, unlike how people live in the current day where families do not live together, or even close to one …show more content…
This lead to oral traditions in which the elderly would teach the younger generation all of their techniques. This type of information is not something the people of France could ponder without learning it from primary sources, which was the Indians themselves. It is also important to give recognition to the fact that the French colonists were able to stay in North America and establish their own way of life and continue to profit from the fur trade because the Native people allowed them to. The French had clear intentions and were exceedingly eager to exploit the Native Americans whether it be their land or their portions of their trade. The French were abundantly reliant on the Native Americans to show them how to hunt for food, and to use the furs to keep themselves warm and protect themselves from the prey that wandered the lands. The relationships ultimately progressed as the two indifferent communities became closer to one another and learned about the cultures and traditions of each other which lead to interracial marriages. The French would marry the Natives, and this would deepen the relationships to the point of where the Native Indians had started giving access to their hunting and trapping grounds. Mutually, the Native Americans also benefited from this in the manner of which the tools that they would trade would make their lives far easier in their everydays