1600-1750

The Early World of Chicago

Marshy area know to natives as “The wild-garlic place”

First people to the area came from land bridge made of ice from Siberia and Mongolia.

Few natives chose to settle in Chigagou b/c it was too wet , thus not great for hunting

Chigagou

First major tribe was the Illinois (Illini or Illiniwek)

Iroquois decimated the Illinois around 1650 and the neighboring Miami tribe moved in

C. 1800 Miami moved to warmer region; Potawatomi moved in

Potawatomi kicked out by European settlers in 1833

Native American Chigagou History

Saw Chigagou as very important geographical location

System of rivers in Illinois led to the Mississippi River (The Great River)

The intersection of rivers around Chigagou created all-water connection b/w great lakes and the Mississippi

Overland journeys would become a thing of the past

Europeans in Chigagou

Jacques Marquette: Jesuit Missionary and explorer

Louis Joliet: ExplorerMarquette hoped to convert natives to

ChristianityJoliet hoped to map the vast unknown

heartland of North AmericaTheir task was to find “The Great River” that

flowed in the west and claim the land for France.

They found the Mississippi River and realized that it flowed through the heart of America, not west to the Pacific Ocean

French Explorers

René-Robert de la Salle was sent to survey the Mississippi in 1682 and voyage all the way to the Gulf of Mexico

The French claim the whole region and call it Louisiana for French King Louis XIV

French focus more on New Orleans and Canada; Chigagou remains largely unsettled

France had too much territory and not enough money

The French and Chigagou