ROBERT LASALLE

• -French explorer -Born on nov. 21 1643 -Died march 19 1687 -Explored the Great Lakes region -explored the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico -Claimed all of the Mississippi River basin for his country of France

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

• Started exploration for King Louis 14 Began first voyage august 1679 Explored ohio and Mississippi River Began exploration in hopes to create fur trade routes beside the river his motives were canoe trade routes First European to travel the length if the Mississippi River

HIS ROUTE

EXPLORING NORTH AMERICA

• traveled from France to Quebec, in 1667, La Salle crossed Lake Ontario, Lake Erie Asked the King of he could explore the area between Florida, Mexico and New France (Canada). constructed a fort on the Niagara River Built a ship called the griffon to sail the great lakes After returning from a paddle across the Great Lakes in canoes they discovered that the griffon was lost, fort burned down, and supplies stolen

TRAVELING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

• In 1681, La Salle and about 40 men again headed to the Mississippi River. reached Mississippi River on February 6, 1682, then headed down it in canoes. built Fort Prud'homme at what is now Memphis, Tennessee, claimed all the land along the Mississippi River for France. Their return to New France was beset by illness and Indian attacks.

SETTLING GONE WRONG

• returned to France in 1683 sailed to the New World again in 1684 with four ships, intending to start a colony in the Mississippi River Valley expedition lost a vital supply ship en route, and mistakenly landed in Matagorda Bay, near what is now Houston, Texas, where one ship ran aground. La Salle's men shot Indians who took supplies from the wrecked ship, making enemies of the local Indians. One ship returned to France with an unhappy crew.

STRANDED IN TEXAS

• The French expedition built a fort at the mouth of the Lavaca River Most of the men in this expedition died On a second try, La Salle and 17 others set out in a few months, a group of five mutineers shot and killed La Salle (near Navasota, Texas) on March 19, 1687. They left his body for the animals to eat. The rest of the expedition made it to Montreal in 1688, but those at the fort were killed by the Karankawa Indians.