Final answer:
Samuel de Champlain established Quebec City in 1608, which became a key French fur-trading outpost in New France.
Step-by-step explanation:
The city now known as Quebec City was established in 1608 by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain. He is recognized for founding Quebec as a French fur-trading outpost and ensuring the spread of the French presence in the region, which was then part of New France.
Champlain's alliance with local indigenous groups, such as the Algonquin and the Huron, was vital for the survival and expansion of the colony, allowing France to extend their influence through the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi River, ultimately founding New Orleans in 1718.