News and Reflections: Champlain's Dream (2008) -- April 23, 2025

Detail from "Deffaite des Yroquois au Lac de Champlain." Drawn by Samuel de Champlain for his "Voyages" (1613) (Public Domain)

The widely acclaimed book, Champlain's Dream (Fischer, 2008) offers scholars and history enthusiasts a "dramatic and exciting" biography of expert navigator, North American explorer, visionary leader, and the "Father of New France," Samuel de Champlain. 

Architect of a "Grand Design" for New France, which he brought to fruition over the course of three decades, Champlain promoted intermarriage among French colonists and natives of North America, encouraged religious tolerance of Protestants, and aspired to "humanity and peace in a world of cruelty and violence."

Chapter 9, entitled, "Norumbega," (now known as Maine), brings to light the outcomes of three voyages that took place between 1604 and 1606, led by Champlain, de Mons, and Poutrincourt, respectively, during which time Samuel de Champlain emerged as a leader.

The following quotation from Fischer's book may provide insight as to the primary reason for Champlain's success as the leader of his mission, while his contemporaries failed so miserably in theirs. "He [Champlain] approached the Indians with only a few men, and made no display of weapons (though his men were armed and ready on their ship). He sat down with the Indians in another tabagie, took an interest in their ways, honored their customs, and treated them with respect."

An online version of the book (Fischer, D. H. (2008). Champlain's dream. 1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed. Simon & Schuster) and Chapter 9 may be found here.