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Signature of Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain

Champlain's own handwritten signature, one of the few surviving direct physical traces of his hand.

This is Champlain's own autograph signature, a direct physical trace of his hand.

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Black handwritten cursive signature on a white background, stylized flowing strokes that read as the name Champlain with a long dash at the end.
Signature of Samuel de Champlain.

About this source

What it is

This image shows the autograph signature of Samuel de Champlain, reproduced from a historical document. It is a simple cursive rendering of his name.

Why it matters

Signatures like this are rare surviving physical connections to historical figures who left behind few personal objects. For Champlain, whose life is mostly known through his writings and the accounts of others, his own signature is a direct, tangible trace of the man himself.

Look closer

  • What can a signature tell us about a person that other sources cannot?
  • Why do historians value handwriting samples, even when they contain no words of explanation?
  • What questions can't a signature answer about who Champlain was?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Samuel de Champlain on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Front cover of a dark red leather-bound book with a small gold-tooled emblem of a lion or griffin-like creature above the initials 'E' and 'T' in gold lettering, centered on the cover.Book

Primary source

Les Voyages du sieur de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 1613

Sepia-toned engraved map titled 'Carte geographique de la Nouvelle Franse' showing the Atlantic coast, rivers, lakes, and decorative borders with compass roses, sailing ships, sea creatures, Native American figures, and a coat of arms.Document

Primary source

Carte geographique de la Nouvelle Franse

Samuel de Champlain · 1612

Front cover of a dark brown leather-bound book with gold-tooled decorative corner ornaments and a thin gold border frame on each panel, with a patterned gold-tooled spine band across the middle. The cover is closed and shows no visible title.Book

Primary source

Des Sauvages, ou voyage de Samuel Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 1603

Hand-drawn manuscript map on vellum showing a coastline with green-washed shorelines, pictorial hill relief, place names in handwriting, a compass rose, a decorative cartouche and a scale bar. Ink lines and wash on aged parchment.Document

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Descripsion des costs, pts., rades, Illes de la Nouuele France

Samuel de Champlain · 1607

First page of a handwritten French manuscript, Samuel de Champlain's testament, dated 1635. Cursive brown ink on aged yellowed paper with water stains, a stamp reading Archives Nationales, and a handwritten signature at the left margin. The text begins 'Au nom du Pere et du fils et du Saint Esprit'.Document

Primary source

Testament de Samuel Champlain

Samuel de Champlain · 17 November 1635

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