Events with tag - French Colonization

September 7, 1535

Discovery of St. Lawrence River

French explorer Jacques Cartier becomes the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, establishing a crucial waterway that would shape North American colonial development and connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

May 8, 1541

Discovery of the Mississippi River

Hernando de Soto became the first European to officially document the discovery of the Mississippi River, leading to a series of explorations that established crucial trade routes and shaped North American development.

July 3, 1608

Founding of Quebec City

Samuel de Champlain establishes Quebec City at a strategic location along the St. Lawrence River, marking the beginning of permanent French colonization in North America. The settlement, built with three main structures, became the foundation of New France.

May 17, 1673

Marquette and Joliet Mississippi River Expedition

French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet led a historic expedition along the Mississippi River, becoming the first Europeans to systematically explore and document the upper Mississippi. Starting from St. Ignace Mission on May 17, 1673, they traveled over 2,500 miles through present-day Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas.

April 9, 1682

La Salle Claims Mississippi River

French explorer René-Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle led a historic expedition down the Mississippi River, culminating in claiming the entire river basin for France on April 9, 1682. This bold declaration established French control over vast territory later known as Louisiana.

November 3, 1762

Mississippi River Transfer to Spanish Control

In a pivotal moment of colonial history, France ceded control of the Mississippi River and Louisiana Territory to Spain through the Treaty of Fontainebleau. This secret agreement, signed on November 3, 1762, transferred 828,000 square miles of territory and marked a significant shift in North American colonial power dynamics.

October 1, 1800

Spain Returns Mississippi River to France

Through the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain returned control of the Mississippi River and Louisiana Territory to France, marking the end of 38 years of Spanish dominance in the region. This secret agreement set the stage for the Louisiana Purchase.