French ExplorersMain Idea: When the French

established a presence in Texas, it forced Spain to renew its interest in

the area.

The French Challenge The French Challenge Spanish ClaimsSpanish Claims

a.a. In the early 1600s, France established the colony of In the early 1600s, France established the colony of QuebecQuebec in in CanadaCanada..

b.b. 16821682i.i. France sent explorer France sent explorer Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La SalleRene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle to challenge Spain’s claims to to challenge Spain’s claims to landland in and in and

around around TexasTexas..

ii.ii. La Salle was the first La Salle was the first EuropeanEuropean to navigate the to navigate the MississippiMississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. River to the Gulf of Mexico.

iii.iii. He claimed all the land draining into this river for King He claimed all the land draining into this river for King LouisLouis XIVXIV, naming it , naming it LouisianaLouisiana..

iv.iv. He returned to France with plans for a French He returned to France with plans for a French colonycolony at the at the mouthmouth of this river. of this river.

Robert La SalleRobert La Salle

WHEN: WHEN: 1678-16871678-1687 COUNTRY: COUNTRY: FRANCEFRANCE

The French Challenge The French Challenge Spanish ClaimsSpanish Claims

c.c. 1684-16851684-1685i.i. He took He took 44 ships with 280+ colonists to settle the ships with 280+ colonists to settle the LouisianaLouisiana colony. colony.

ii.ii. One ship was captured by Spanish One ship was captured by Spanish piratespirates, while the others were separated in a , while the others were separated in a stormstorm..

iii.iii. As a result, he missed the As a result, he missed the mouthmouth of the Mississippi River and sailed southwest of the Mississippi River and sailed southwest landing ashore at landing ashore at MatagordaMatagorda BayBay, Texas!, Texas!

French Flag Over TexasFrench Flag Over Texasa.a. La Salle’s Success:La Salle’s Success:

i.i. La Salle built a La Salle built a stockadestockade—an —an enclosure of posts to form a enclosure of posts to form a defensedefense, on the banks of a small , on the banks of a small river.river.

ii.ii. This outpost becomes known as This outpost becomes known as FortFort St. LouisSt. Louis..

An Artists’ Drawing of Fort St. LouisAn Artists’ Drawing of Fort St. Louis

French Flag Over TexasFrench Flag Over Texasb.b. La Salle’s Failures:La Salle’s Failures:

i.i. One ship One ship wreckswrecks upon landing, upon landing, another another leavesleaves, and the last one , and the last one wrecks on a wrecks on a sandbarsandbar—a ridge of —a ridge of sand in a river or coastal waters.sand in a river or coastal waters.

ii.ii. Also, in addition to failed crops, Also, in addition to failed crops, colonists are dying from colonists are dying from starvationstarvation, , diseasedisease, and fighting , and fighting with the with the KarankawaKarankawa natives. natives.

French Flag Over TexasFrench Flag Over Texasc.c. La Salle’s Second ExpeditionLa Salle’s Second Expedition

i.i. In need of help, he leads a small In need of help, he leads a small group to search for the group to search for the MississippiMississippi River.River.

ii.ii. His goal is to travel north to His goal is to travel north to CanadaCanada and find help at French and find help at French settlements there.settlements there.

iii.iii. He ventures into He ventures into easteast Texas and is Texas and is later later murderedmurdered by his own men by his own men (they were fed up!)(they were fed up!)

iv.iv. Some of these men made it to Some of these men made it to QuebecQuebec and eventually back to and eventually back to France.France.

La Salle’s RoutesLa Salle’s Routes

La Salle Statues in TexasLa Salle Statues in Texas

Indianola, Texas (near Matagorda Bay)

Navasota, Texas (where they claim he was killed)

French Flag Over TexasFrench Flag Over Texasd.d. The Fate of Fort St. LouisThe Fate of Fort St. Louis

i.i. Overall, the French colony Overall, the French colony failsfails as as a settlement.a settlement.

ii.ii. Some colonists are taken Some colonists are taken hostagehostage (but later adopted) by the (but later adopted) by the Karankawas, while most are Karankawas, while most are killedkilled..

French Flag Over TexasFrench Flag Over Texase.e. Result of La Salle’s EffortResult of La Salle’s Effort

i.i. The French The French NEVERNEVER successfully successfully settle Texas, but settle Texas, but claimclaim it for France it for France anyway!anyway!

ii.ii. La Salle’s efforts shifted the focus of La Salle’s efforts shifted the focus of Spanish interest from Spanish interest from westernwestern Texas Texas to to easterneastern Texas. New Spain also Texas. New Spain also renewed efforts to explore the renewed efforts to explore the northern northern GulfGulf shore. shore.

iii.iii. Factoid: Later in Factoid: Later in 18031803, the U.S. , the U.S. government tries to claim that government tries to claim that TexasTexas should be part of the “should be part of the “LouisianaLouisiana PurchasePurchase” since it was claimed by ” since it was claimed by France in the late 1600s!France in the late 1600s!