* Explored the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, claiming the land for France.
* Established a settlement at Stadacona (present-day Quebec City).
* Tried to find a Northwest Passage to Asia.
* Failed to establish permanent settlements.
Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635)
* Explored the Ottawa River and the Great Lakes.
* Founded Quebec City in 1608.
* Established fur trading posts throughout Canada.
* Promoted French colonization in Canada.
Jean Nicolet (1598-1642)
* Explored the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
* Reached present-day Wisconsin and Minnesota.
* Made contact with Native American tribes.
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville (1661-1706)
* Explored the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River.
* Founded the colony of Louisiana in 1699.
* Defeated the English in the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1702.
Robert Cavelier de La Salle (1643-1687)
* Explored the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
* Reached the Gulf of Mexico in 1682.
* Claimed the Mississippi River Valley for France.
* Failed to establish a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River.