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The French Colony
The French and Their Connection to Texas:

Coronado had claimed all the land he covered in his expedition for Spain.  It was quite an extensive area.  The Spanish had closed the Gulf of Mexico to ships, all ships that were not from Spain.  Spain’s wealth and resources were tied up in ongoing wars in Europe, and they did not have the resources to establish troops and forts to defend their claim on the unsettled land.

Robert La Salle was an enterprising Frenchmen.  He left France in 1666 to seek his fortune in Canada.  He and his brother, Abbe Cavelier, became interested in the fur trade.  Natives in the area were adept at trapping animals.  They were also willing to trade these furs to the Europeans for blankets, guns, and other necessities and trinkets.  La Salle knew if he could ship the furs to Europe it would be profitable. He also knew that France would need to develop a series of trading posts in order to insure success.  They would also need to establish ports for shipping the commodities back and forth between France and the trading posts.  For 18 years, La Salle worked hard establishing trading posts and forts for the fur trade.  However a year round seaport for Trans-Atlantic shipping proved more difficult. La Salle had heard stories among the natives of a mighty river the “Mesipi” that flowed west to the ocean. La Salle wanted to see this river for himself.  In 1682, he and a small expedition of men with bark canoes launched themselves into the swift currents of the native’s “Mesipi”.  After two months on this wide river, the men came to an area where the river split into three channels and intermingled with the salt water of the Gulf of Mexico.  They were the first Europeans to see the Mississippi River.      


After a brief survey of the land and a measurement of the river’s depth at the delta, La Salle realized it was the answer to the year round seaport problem for the French fur traders.   In a brief ceremony La Salle claimed the area and the coastline for France.

La Salle knew he had to return to France and consult with King Louis XIV.  La Salle was sure that the King would want to fund his endeavor to create a French port at the delta of this mighty river.  He left a few men at the base of the river and began heading back to Canada, Along the way,  he claimed the land surrounding the river for France.  In honor of his King he named his claims Louisiana.

La Salle formulated a plan to present to King Louis XIV, but he was careful not to share the plan with anyone else, so that the Spanish would not find out about the plan.  The King agreed to La Salle’s plan and supplied him with four ships, supplies, artillery, and men.

Image Credit:  Musee national de la Marine/Cavelier de la Salle

Educational Resources    Cultural Encounters "La Salle Activities"