Who Led The Expedition To The Mississippi River?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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René-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle

, led two expeditions in search of the Mississippi Rivers outlet to the Gulf of Mexico for France under King Louis XIV.

What was Hernando de Soto known for?

Hernando de Soto is most famous for

his exploration of North America

. He led 600 men on a journey through what is now the southeastern United States. They were the first Europeans to explore most of this region. De Soto was sent by the King of Spain to explore and settle La Florida.

Who led the expedition that was the first to reach the Mississippi River?

On May 8, 1541, south of present-day Memphis, Tennessee, Spanish

conquistador Hernando de Soto

Who was the first European to discover the Mississippi River and was buried in it?


Hernando de Soto
Died May 21, 1542 (aged 41) Bank of Mississippi River, present-day Ferriday, Louisiana Nationality Castilian Occupation Explorer and conquistador

Who explored the Mississippi River Valley?

On May 17, 1673,

Father Jacques Marquette and fur trader Louis Joliet

set out on a four-month voyage that carried them thousands of miles through the heart of North America to explore the path of the Mississippi River.

Why is the Mississippi river important to the United States?

The Mississippi River is

one of the world’s major river systems in size, habitat diversity and biological productivity

. It is also one of the world’s most important commercial waterways and one of North America’s great migration routes for both birds and fishes.

How did Pioneers cross the Mississippi river?

Early pioneers and explorers crossed the Mississippi River

using canoes and small keel boats

.

Was Hernando de Soto good or bad?

He

certainly was brave

and he may have been gallant according to the 16th century definition of the word. But, he certainly was neither benevolent nor kind. Not if old Spanish writers can be believed. Said one of them: ‘DeSoto was fond of the sport of killing Indians.

Why did Spain want to explore and colonize North America?


The desire to check Habsburg power and increase their own prestige in the process

, therefore, became a prime motivation for Spain’s rivals to begin colonization efforts of their own in the New World, and while these rival powers grabbed whatever bits of the Caribbean and South America they could manage, much of their …

Where is De Soto buried?

Hernando de Soto died after contracting a fever in May of 1542 in a Native American village located in modern-day Arkansas. His men buried him

in the Mississippi River

in the middle of the night after he passed.

Who discovered the New World?


Explorer Christopher Columbus

(1451–1506) is known for his 1492 ‘discovery’ of the New World of the Americas on board his ship Santa Maria.

Who discovered the source of the Mississippi river?

Visitors also enjoy wading across the shallow 18-inch deep water, crossing from the east side to the west side, where a rock dam indicates the end of Lake Itasca and the beginning of this mighty river. The river’s channel appears much as it did when

Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

discovered the source in 1832.

How did the Mississippi river get its name?

The word Mississippi comes

from Messipi, the French rendering of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe or Algonquin) name for the river, Misi-ziibi (Great River)

. The Mississippi River water source is fed by Lake Itasca in Northern Minnesota and flows all the way down into the Gulf of Mexico.

Why did Louis Jolliet explore the Mississippi?

In 1673, Joliet embarked on a privately-sponsored expedition with Jacques Marquette, a missionary and linguist, to be among the first Europeans to explore what was called by Native Americans the “Mesipi” river and ascertain where it led to, with

hopes of finding a passage to Asia

.

What did Lasalle explore?

René-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, (born November 22, 1643, Rouen, France—died March 19, 1687, near Brazos River [now in Texas, U.S.]), French explorer in North America who led an expedition

down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers

and claimed all the region watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries for …

What did Giovanni Caboto do?

John Cabot (or Giovanni Caboto, as he was known in Italian) was an Italian explorer and navigator who

may have developed the idea of sailing westward to reach the riches of Asia while working for

a Venetian merchant.

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.