Samuel de Champlain

Champlain, Samuel de (1567–1635), French explorer, first governor of French Canada. He explored the St. Lawrence Gulf and River (1603) as far as the Lachine Rapids. He explored much of what is now Nova Scotia, founded Quebec in 1608, discovered Lake Champlain in 1609, and was named commandant of New France in 1612. When Quebec surrendered to the English in 1629, Champlain was imprisoned in England; on his release in 1633 he returned to Canada as governor.

See also: Lake Champlain; Quebec.