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

2. 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

3. Robert de La Salle ( )
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

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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

9. 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