La Salle, Robert Cavelier, sieur de
La Salle explored many areas of North America, including the Ohio, Illinois, and Mississippi rivers, claiming for France the lands that he named Louisiana.
Born in Rouen in November 1643, René-Robert de La Salle was the son of a wealthy merchant. He was educated at a Jesuit College in Rouen and later entered the Society of Jesus, but soon realized he was cut out not for a religious life but for one that was filled with adventure. In 1666, La Salle sailed for Canada, where he was granted lands near the La Chine rapids, above Montreal. Full of ambition, La Salle established a fortified village, acquired a substantial interest in the fur trade, and started to learn the local indigenous languages. He dreamed of finding a passage to the East and the riches of the mythical city of Cathay. Conversations with the indigenous people led La Salle to hear about the mighty rivers in the area, and keen to explore the region, he sold his holdings in 1669 and set off on his first voyage, which led to discoveries of both the Ohio and Illinois rivers. It was at this point that his men deserted him, behavior that was to be repeated throughout his career, forcing him to stop short of the Mississippi. Thus, claims that La Salle was the first European to discover the Mississippi River are false, that honor instead going to his fellow Frenchman, Louis Joliet.
Copyright © 2005 by Bill Marshall
