Why Did French Explorers Travel To Michigan?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

The first Europeans to arrive in Michigan were the French. Explorer Etienne Brule traveled through Michigan in 1618

searching for a route to China

. Soon the French laid claim to the land and began to trade with the local natives for furs.

What French explorers explored the Great Lakes?

THIS is the order in which the Great Lakes were discovered by the French explorers: Huron in 1615, by Le Caron, the Recollect friar, and

by Champlain

, one of the greatest navigators in New France; Ontario, during the same year, by Champlain; Superior, about 1629, by Etienne Brule; Michigan, in 1634, by Jean Nicolet; …

Why did the French explore the Great Lakes region?

For the early French explorers, the more continent they discovered the more their hopes were frustrated. They had hoped that the vast St. Lawrence-Great Lakes waterway was part of a Northwest Passage to the wealth of the Orient. They were

eager to hear word of salt water and strange people to the west

.

Why did the French explore?

The

French

first came to the New World as

explorers

, seeking a route to the Pacific Ocean and wealth. Major

French exploration

of North America began under the rule of Francis I of

France

.

Did Louis XIV explore the Great Lakes?

Exploring the Great Lakes Region

La Salle sold his settlement and in 1673 traveled to France to obtain permission from French King Louis XIV to explore the region between Florida, Mexico and New

France

.

What were the French explorers looking for?

Early French explorers were not only looking for

furs

and interested in converting the Indians to Christianity, they were also trying to find a passage to the Pacific. Thus, they were conscientious about mapping the inland waterways, since one of them might provide a route to the riches of the Orient.

Is Michigan a part of Canada?


Under British rule Michigan remained a part of Canada

. During the American Revolution (1775–83) Detroit was a major supply centre for British troops, who raided the Kentucky country continually until 1779, when the British general Henry Hamilton was captured.

What social class were most French settlers?

The first seigneury owners were, for the most part, nobles and religious communities. Over time, as seigneuries were sold or inherited, they changed hands and were divided up. In the late eighteenth century, most of them were in the hands of

the middle class

, of people of French or British origin.

Did France control the Great Lakes?

France took the lead in colonizing the

Upper Midwest region

. From the early sixteenth century on, French soldiers, missionaries and fur traders left their slight mark upon the St. Lawrence valley, the upper Great Lakes and points west.

What were the French explorers called?


Samuel de Champlain

, the greatest of the French explorers, founded Port Royal (1605) and Québec (1608). Jean Nicolet (Nicollet), a companion of Champlain, explored Lake Michigan and surrounding areas in the 1630s. Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette conducted explorations of the Mississippi Basin in 1673.

How did France impact the New World?

France

founded colonies in

much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America. … As they colonized the New World, the French established forts and settlements that would become such cities as Quebec and Montreal in Canada; Detroit, Green Bay, St.

Why did France want to come to America?

Motivations for colonization: The

French colonized North America to create trading posts for the fur trade

. Some French missionaries eventually made their way to North America in order to convert Native Americans to Catholicism.

Why did the French have a good relationship with the natives?

France saw Indigenous nations as allies, and

relied on them for survival and fur trade wealth

. … French fishermen, settlers, fur traders, missionaries and colonial agents were among the earliest Europeans to have sustained contact with ​Indigenous peoples in what is now Canada and North America.

Who first discovered Lake Superior?


Etienne Brule

is credited with the European discovery of Lake Superior before 1620. He may have traveled on the Lake as far west as Isle Royale. Raymbault visited the St. Marys Rapids in 164l, learning about the Dakota (Sioux) who lived beyond its shores.

What was the first permanent French colony in the Americas?

In the next year he was on the Bay of Fundy and had a share in founding the first French colony in North America—that

of Port-Royal,

(now Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia). In 1608 he began the settlement that was named Quebec, selecting a commanding site that controlled the narrowing of the St. Lawrence River estuary.

Who was the first European to see the Great Lakes?

For four years, Champlain had had no connection or communication with

Brûlé

who, it is thought, was then the first European to see Great Lakes. In 1615, they met again at Huronia. There, Brûlé informed Champlain of his adventures and explorations through North America.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.