Louis Joliet

In 1645 Louis Joliet was born in Beaupre near Quebec. At first he was studying to become a priest in the Jesus seminary for priesthood. In 1669 he meet a guy named Jacques Marquette. After he meet Marquette he decided to become a French-Canadian explorer. In 1672 he was chosen to explorer the Mississippi River. June 17,1673-he expedition entered the Mississippi River. 1673 Marquette and Joliet went down the Wisconsin, Fox, and the Mississippi Rivers. Once they got to the Mississippi River they canoed down as far as they could down the Arkansas River. They also went down the Mississippi River to hopefully find gold, silver, and precious metals. When they were looking for a water passage to the Pacific Ocean. They reached as far as the junction of the Arkansas and Mississippi River. When they found out that the Mississippi River flowed south into the Gulf of Mexico rather then the Pacific Ocean.

English: ca. 1681 map of the Mississippi River sys...

Community of boathouses on the Mississippi River i...

Canoers' campsite on a sandbar in the Mississippi ...

They decided to turn back up the Mississippi River. Then they traveled west to the Rocky Mountains and southwest to the Rio Grande. They crossed Lake Michigan, Fox River, and Wisconsin River. They also crossed the Arkansas River they were going to turn back. They explored the region of Labrador River and the Hudson Bay. In 1697 he was appointed royal hydrographer of New France. In 1673 they passed through what we call now a day's Chicago, Illinois. They crossed Lake Erie in 1669 after the fur-trade was established. He explored Lake Erie when then the French and Indian war was going on. In 1669 he became a fur-trader in Lake Superior region. In 1672 he was sent to find the "great western river." Marquette and Joliet explored the lower area of the St. Lawrence River. They also explored the Labrador River and the Hudson Bay. After that Joliet when back to Quebec to keep studying to become a priest. In 1700 Joliet died after a great life of explorations.

English: Shoals in the Mississippi River at Arkans...

English: Marquette–Joliet Bridge over the Missis...

The Wisconsin River delta into the Mississippi Riv...