Champlain Establishes Québec City
European exploration of North America in the early seventeenth century focused on fur trade routes and permanent outposts along the St. Lawrence River. French navigator and cartographer Samuel de Champlain, already experienced from prior voyages, led a small expedition of about 28 men after receiving support from French investors. Arriving at the site known to Indigenous peoples as Kebec, meaning 'where the river narrows,' Champlain selected a defensible location on July 3, 1608, and oversaw construction of a fortified habitation with dwellings, a storehouse, and defensive features. The settlement survived its first harsh winter despite scurvy and other hardships that claimed many lives. This marked the beginning of sustained French colonial presence in Canada.