Samuel de Champlain

By Julia, 9, New York, USA

In 1603, a French explorer named Samuel de Champlain arrived in New France , now part of Canada to search for a water route to China. A few years later, Champlains explorations led him to a lake in New York which is now known as Lake Champlain, but he did not find a route to China.
Champlain built a fur trading post at the place that is now called Quebec city, in Canada. When Champlain decided to get furs from the Algonquian instead of the Iroquois, the Iroquois became very angry. For more than a century, the Iroqois fought with French traders and settlers over land and furs. When Champlain returned to France he described and called the Native Americans as savages.
(May 2008)

Giovanni da Verrazano

By Julia, 9, New York, USA

In 1524, the French king chose Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano to lead an expedition in search of a sea route to China. Verrazano's brother Girolamo went along to make maps of the journey and lands they found.
Verrazano landed on the coast of what is now North Carolina, then slowly traveled north and discovered New York Harbor. He named what we now call Long Island "Flora,"after the ancient goddess of flowers, because of all the beautiful plants growing there. Verrazano's brother put Long Island on the map he made, and the island became known across Europe.
(May 2008)

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