| Lake Champlain (French: lac Champlain) is a | | | | the Northwest Territories of Canada. Although |
| large lake in North America, mostly within | | | | it cannot be compared with Ontario, Erie, |
| the borders of the United States (states of | | | | Huron, Superior, or Michigan, Lake Champlain |
| Vermont and New York) but partially situated | | | | is a large body of fresh water. Approximately |
| across the US-Canada border in the province | | | | 1130 km2 (435 square miles) in area, the lake |
| of Quebec. | | | | is roughly 180 km (110 miles) long, and 19 km |
| | | | (12 miles) across at its widest point. The |
| The lake was named for the French explorer | | | | maximum depth is approximately 400 feet. It |
| Samuel de Champlain, who encountered it in | | | | contains roughly 80 islands, including an |
| 1609. | | | | entire county in Vermont. |
| | | | |
| It is the sixth-largest[verification needed] | | | | Colonial America and the Revolutionary War |
| natural, freshwater lake in the contiguous | | | | |
| United States, situated in the Champlain | | | | In colonial times, Lake Champlain provided an |
| Valley between the Green Mountains of Vermont | | | | easily traversed water (or, in winter, ice) |
| and the Adirondack Mountains of New York, | | | | passage between the Saint Lawrence and the |
| drained northward by the Richelieu River into | | | | Hudson Valleys. Boats and sledges were |
| the St. Lawrence River near Montreal and fed | | | | usually preferable to the unpaved and |
| by Otter Creek, the Winooski, Missisquoi, and | | | | frequently mud-bound roads of the time. The |
| Lamoille Rivers in Vermont, and the Au Sable, | | | | northern tip of the lake at |
| Chazy, Boquet, and Saranac Rivers in New | | | | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec (St. John in |
| York. Lake Champlain also receives water from | | | | colonial times) is a short distance from |
| Lake George via the La Chute River. | | | | Montreal. The southern tip at Whitehall |
| | | | (Skenesborough in colonial times) is a short |
| The lake varies seasonally from about 95 to | | | | distance from Saratoga, Glens Falls, and |
| 100 feet above mean sea level. | | | | Albany, New York. |
| | | | |
| While the ports of Burlington, Vermont, Port | | | | Forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point (Fort |
| Henry, New York, and Plattsburgh, New York | | | | St. Frederic) controlled passage of the lake |
| are little used nowadays except by small | | | | in colonial times. Important battles were |
| crafts, ferries and lake cruise ships, they | | | | fought at Ticonderoga in 1758 and 1777. A |
| had substantial commercial and military | | | | significant naval battle was fought in 1776 |
| importance in the 18th and 19th Century. | | | | at Valcour Island: in the Battle of Valcour |
| | | | Island, Benedict Arnold delayed British ships |
| A region of large freshwater lakes | | | | enough to prevent the fall of these forts |
| | | | until the following year, allowing the |
| Lake Champlain is one of a large number of | | | | Continental Army to grow stronger and |
| large lakes spread in an arc from Labrador | | | | enabling the later victory at Saratoga. |
| through the northern United States and into | | | | |