The Explorers: Through Woods and Over Waters Michigan History 3-3 Madame Cadillac worksheet

France Claims Michigan France wants the land for the fur trade The Hudson’s Bay Company (English) starting to move into the territory June, 1671 – France formally claims the land for their own (Sault Ste. Marie) Would force the Indians to trade with the French and not the English

Robert de La Salle (1643-1687) Hears from the Iroquois about a huge river that empties into a great sea Thinks it’s a river that will take him to the Pacific Builds a huge new ship to sail this river Calls it the Griffon The first ship to sail the Great Lakes

La Salle’s Accidental Exploration France refused to pay for anything La Salle did All had to be self-financed Furs needed to be sent back to sell in Montreal La Salle chooses to wait in Green Bay Ship disappears in a storm and is never seen again La Salle crosses Lake Michigan onto the lower peninsula Sets up Fort Miami near St. Joseph, MI. First non-Indian settlement in L.P. Later builds Fort St. Joseph Looking to build a new ship but they need certain parts La Salle takes a group of men and travels on foot across the L.P. First Europeans to do so Eventually uses the Great Lakes to become the first European to reach the mouth of the Mississippi River

Cadillac (no, not the car) Former pirate 1694 – Appointed head of the outpost at Fort Michilimackinac Had no issues trading alcohol to the Indians for fur Priests had plenty of issues with this Believes a new fort is necessary to keep the British out of the Great Lakes Points to an area referred to the French call “The Straits” Wants all the Indians near Michilimackinac to move to his new forts They will be educated in French schools Trained as French soldiers

Fort Detroit “The Straits” Detroit Riverfront – Detroit, MI

The Founding of Detroit July 26, 1701 – Fort Pontchartrain is built along with St. Anne’s Parrish This after passing Grosse Ile Pontchartrain – A French official and friend of Cadillac’s First year, approximately 6,000 people lived near the Fort Many Indians which upsets the Jesuit missionaries Women Issues developing Fur traders not the easiest people with which to work Overpopulation results in food issues Indians weren’t used to providing for large groups 1711 – Cadillac is made Governor of Louisiana and leaves Detroit

Detroit Post-Cadillac The Fox Tribe arrived from Wisconsin The new leader of the fort asked the over 1,000 member tribe to leave 1712 – Fighting breaks out; the Fox lay siege to the fort for 19 days They decide to leave; the Huron catch up to them and kill most of them The Fox refused to allow any French access to rivers that would lead to the Mississippi River