One of the best-known French explorers was Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Born in France in 1643, La Salle traveled to New.

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1 One of the best-known French explorers was Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Born in France in 1643, La Salle traveled to New Walkin France in 1666, following his older brother who had moved there. La Salle became a farmer. Having a desire for exploration, he got permission from the governor of New France to explore the Ohio River Valley. A few years later, La Salle wanted to expand the French fur trade by building forts at important places between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. One of these forts was founded at the mouth of the St. Joseph River. La Salle called the settlement Fort Miami after an Indian tribe that lived in the area. Fort Miami was the first European settlement in with Michigan s Lower Peninsula. La Salle also built the first sailing vessel on the Great Lakes. The boat was built near Niagara Falls on Lake Erie and named the Griffon. (A griffon was a legendary beast that appeared on the coat coat of arms of arms a symbol of of the governor a family, usually an animal of New France.) During the summer of 1679 the made into a design. Griffon sailed from Niagara to present-day Green Bay, Wisconsin. There it took on a load of furs. On its return trip the Griffon disappeared. The first sailing vessel on the Great Lakes also became the first one to sink on the lakes. In March 1680 La Salle was at Fort Miami. t La Salle 12 MICHIGAN HISTORY FOR KIDS FALL 2001

2 No one knows for sure what the Griffon looked like. This painting of the Griffon was based on other ships of the time. Find the griffon in this picture. Robert Thom He did not know that the Griffon had sunk. Needing to return east, La Salle decided to walk across the Lower Peninsula. On March 25, he and five companions left Fort Miami. There were no roads to follow and the Frenchmen avoided trails to prevent being noticed by the Native Americans. Two days after leaving Fort Miami, La Salle recorded, We continued our march through the woods, which was so interlaced with thorns and brambles that... our clothes were all torn and our faces so covered with blood that we hardly knew each other. At the present-day city of Dexter, La Salle s men built a dugout canoe. They paddled it down the Huron River to the Detroit River south of Grosse Ile. They rafted across the Detroit River. One month after leaving Fort Miami, La Salle reached Niagara. He had become the first European to walk across the interior of Michigan. Two years after crossing the Lower Peninsula, La Salle led an expedition expedition a journey taken to the Gulf of with a specific purpose or goal, Mexico to often into search for the unknown lands. mouth of the Mississippi River. After spending almost three years wandering around the future states of Texas and Louisiana, La Salle s men rebelled and murdered him. t FALL 2001 MICHIGAN HISTORY FOR KIDS 13

3 Carolyn Damstra 14

4 Man Mission WITH A Father Jacques Marquette spent only nine years in New France. Yet, he was one of the most important French explorers of his time. Born in France and trained as a priest, the 29-year-old Marquette came to America to teach Native Americans about Catholicism. After learning several Native American languages, Marquette established a mission among the Ojibway (Chippewa) at Sault Ste. Marie in Three years later, Marquette started a mission at the Straits of Mackinac. He named it St. Ignace. 15

5 While Marquette was at Sault Ste. Marie he met Louis Jolliet. Born in Canada, Jolliet was a fur trader and a skilled mapmaker. Both Marquette and Jolliet had heard Native Americans talk about a great river that was west of the Great Lakes. The French hoped this river might be a shortcut to China. In December 1672 the governor of New France gave the two men permission to explore this river. According to one historian, Marquette received the news like a small boy receiving a new red sled on a white Christmas. This statue of Father Marquette is on Mackinac Island. Jesuits were called Black Robes because of what they wore. On May 17, 1673, Marquette, Jolliet and five other men set out from St. Ignace. They traveled by canoe along the northern shore of Lake Michigan. They paddled across the present-day state of Wisconsin. One month after leaving St. Ignace they became the first Frenchmen to see the Mississippi River. Marquette noted in his journal that they arrived at the great river with a joy which I am unable to make known. The Frenchmen paddled down the Mississippi until they realized that it flowed south into the Gulf of Mexico. The great river was not a shortcut to China. On July 17, 1673, Marquette and Jolliet turned around and headed north. They had come about 1,700 miles by canoe. Jolliet Arkansas River Mississippi River returned to St. St. Ignace Ignace, but Marquette stayed among the Native Marquette and Americans. Jolliet traveled First, he lived over 2,500 near presentday Green Bay, miles by canoe in Wisconsin. Then he lived in the present-day state of Illinois. In the spring of 1675 Marquette headed back to St. Ignace. The missionary and two companions paddled up the east side of Lake Michigan. They became the first Frenchmen to travel this route. Along the way, Marquette became ill with fever. On May 18 he died. His companions buried him and placed a cross to mark the site. Two years later, Native Americans from St. Ignace visited the grave. They gathered Marquette s remains and reburied them at St. Ignace. Today, the exact location where Marquette died is uncertain. Fox River miles