Table of Contents
Which explorer discovered the Ohio River and the Mississippi Valley?
René-Robert Cavelier
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
| René-Robert Cavelier | |
|---|---|
| Died | March 19, 1687 (aged 43) present day Huntsville, Texas |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | explorer |
| Known for | exploring the Great Lakes, Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico |
Who was the first explorer to reach Ohio?
explorer Robert de La Salle
The first European to arrive in Ohio was French explorer Robert de La Salle in 1669. He claimed the land for the French. Soon the French had established trading posts in order to capitalize on the valuable fur trade in the region. They built several forts including Fort Miami in 1680 and Fort Sandusky in 1750.
Who explored the Ohio Valley?
Sieur de La Salle
The Ohio was first seen in 1669 by a European, French explorer Sieur de La Salle (1643–1687). In the first half of the 1700s, traders traveled the Ohio River, finding the surrounding valley a plentiful hunting ground.
Who found Ohio?
In the 17th century, the French were the first modern Europeans to explore what became known as Ohio Country. In 1663, it became part of New France, a royal province of French Empire, and northeastern Ohio was further explored by Robert La Salle in 1669.
Who was the first European to see the Ohio River?
La Salle later claimed that he had reached the Ohio River and that he had traveled along it as far as modern-day Louisville, Kentucky. He is credited with being the first European to see the Ohio River. La Salle spent the rest of his life continuing to explore the waterways in the middle of North America.
Who was the French explorer who explored the Great Lakes?
(January 2019) René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687) was a 17th century French explorer and fur trader in North America. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Who was the first person to cross the Mississippi River?
On May 8, 1541, south of present-day Memphis, Tennessee, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River, which the Spanish called the Rio Grande for its immense size. He was the first European to document and cross the river, though not traverse it.
What did Robert Cavelier do with the Mississippi River?
He is best known for an early 1682 expedition in which he canoed the lower Mississippi River from the mouth of the Illinois River to the Gulf of Mexico; there, on 9 April 1682, he claimed the Mississippi River basin for France after giving it the name La Louisiane.