Exploration and Settlements: The Journey of La Salle

Who was one of the best known explorers that pushed the frontier westward after the settlement of New France?

• John Cabot

• Robert de La Salle

• Jacques Cartier

• Christopher Columbus

What was La Salle's mission when he was sent to the New World by King Louis XIV in 1678?

• To claim new lands for Spain

• To establish a French colony in Florida

• To investigate legends of a great western sea and expand the fur-trading empire

• To find a direct sea route to Asia

What made La Salle's plans hard to carry out?

• His poor health

• His desire for fame which made him many enemies

• Lack of funding from France

• His lack of experience

Where did La Salle assemble his party in 1679?

• The Gulf of Mexico

• The mouth of the Mississippi

• Niagara Falls

• Lake Superior

What did La Salle name the fort he built on the banks of the Illinois River?

• Fort Heartbreak

• Fort La Salle

• Fort New France

• Fort Hope

When did La Salle reach the mouth of the Mississippi?

• March 15, 1681

• June 30, 1680

• May 1, 1679

• April 6, 1682

Why was King Louis initially unhappy about the land La Salle claimed for France?

• He preferred lands in Africa

• He felt it would be too hard to look after such a huge area

• He believed it was too hard to defend

• He thought it was too small

What happened to La Salle during his mission to establish new French colonies in the southern United States?

• Some of his men rebelled and killed him

• He was lost at sea

• He became the governor of Louisiana

• He was celebrated as a hero