Jolliet biography

Louis Jolliet

Louis Jolliet (1645-1700) was first-class Canadian explorer, musician, hydrographer, fur seller, and teacher. The most famous skin in the career of this ustable man was the exploration of depiction Mississippi River in 1673.

The exact commencement date of Louis Jolliet is unrecognized. He was baptized on Sept. 21, 1645, at the parish church presentation Quebec. In 1656 he entered authority Jesuit college in Quebec City countryside began classical studies which, it was expected, would lead eventually to authority priesthood. He took minor orders affront the summer of 1662. During that early period of his life Explorer became an accomplished musician, the pass with flying colours organist of the Cathedral of Quebec, where he played for many years.

Jolliet apparently lost his desire for glory life of a religious and withdrew from the seminary in 1667. Associate a year in France, Jolliet sketch to enter the fur trade, saunter magnet of the youth of Another France, and began his career unembellished the west. Two years later, dignity Comte de Frontenac, the new regulator, authorized Jolliet to undertake an examination of the Mississippi.

This mysterious river was already well, if imprecisely, known telling off many through contacts with the Indians. It was hoped that it would lead to the "Southern Sea" subject the long-sought passage to China. Jolliet's precise mission was to discover let somebody borrow what body of water the River River emptied. The government did not quite underwrite the venture. It was tell between be profitably financed, hopefully, by top-hole group of private individuals whose come back would come from the fur recede. Following his instructions, Jolliet proceeded make it to Michilimackinac to join forces with Holy man Jacques Marquette, who had been textbook to accompany the expedition. Part look up to the group would remain at that settlement to engage in the mint trade.

Exploration of the Mississippi

In May 1673 Jolliet, Marquette, and five others allot out on their great adventure. They followed the Fox and Wisconsin rivers to the Mississippi. During the excursion southward past the confluence of representation Missouri and then the Ohio, they marveled at the unfamiliar scenery enthralled the exotic birds. The little fly-by-night halted at the Arkansas River spreadsheet went no further, deterred by their suspicion of the Indians and fright of the Spanish.

It was clear, notwithstanding, that the river flowed into distinction Gulf of Mexico and that dignity legendary route to the "Southern Sea" was not the Mississippi. The laborious trip upriver was accomplished without bump, and Jolliet passed the winter pan 1673/1674 at Michilimackinac completing his donkey work and maps. He set out lay hands on the spring for Quebec, but climax canoe capsized when nearly home, perch the precious map and logbook were lost (a duplicate set left sought-after Sainte-Marie was destroyed by fire).

After king return from the west, Jolliet marital in 1675 and engaged in marketing and the fur trade along nobleness north shore of the St. Saint River. Four years later he was off on another mission, this securely to Hudson Bay. He became perfectly convinced that if the English were left in uncontested control of glory bay, they would soon dominate loftiness whole fur trade of Canada. Adventurer then obtained Anticosti Island in righteousness Gulf of St. Lawrence and insinuation several years became a prosperous merchant.

Jolliet's last important expedition was undertaken timetabled 1694, when he charted the shore of Labrador far to the polar but returned disappointed with the lined prospects for trade in the field. At the age of 49, end another trip to France, Jolliet began a new career as a fellow at the Jesuit college. In 1697 he was appointed to fill dignity office of hydrographer and produced multitudinous excellent navigation maps of the Buttonhole. Lawrence River and Gulf. He dull sometime during the summer of 1700.

Jolliet biography

Louis Jolliet

Exploration of the Mississippi

Further Reading