René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle By Hayden Chase

Youth LaSalle was born November 21, 1643 He studied with the order of the Jesuits He became a member in 1660 He later left the order by request He set sail to Canada at the age of 23

Career  Rejected his father’s legacy when he joined the Jesuits  He was granted a “seigneurie”(a strip of land)  It was later called Lachine to mock LaSalle  He issued land grants to learn native languages  La Salle began to plan for expeditions to find a western passage to China

Expeditions  He sold his interests in Lachine to finance the expeditions  He sailed in honor of France  He explored the Ohio river in 1669  Followed the shore of lake Erie to Michilimackinac  He started an expedition to make a colony on the gulf of Mexico

Ships  LaSalle’s main ships where: La Belle, La Aimable, and La Griffon  In 1995 La belle was found ship wrecked in the muck of Matagorda Bay  La Aimable has not been discovered  La Griffon was found in Lake Michigan  The types of ships used where called flagships

Interesting Facts He had seven children He is know for naming the Mississippi basin la Louisiana in honor of King Henry XIV He married Danielle Armbrecht On March 19, 1687, La Salle was killed by Pierre Duhaut He has a statue located in Navasota, Texas

Hernan Cortes Born in 1485 When young he learned laws that would help conquer Mexico He captured the city of Tenochtitlán from the Aztecs He built his new city on top of the Aztec ruins When cortes went back home to Spain he was made governor and captain general of New Spain

Cortés's Discoveries  Discovered the Baja California peninsula  Led a group into Honduras and stayed in that area for two years  Explored the northwestern part of Mexico  Took part in the Spanish conquest of Cuba  Famous mainly for his march across Mexico and his conquering of the Aztec Empire in Mexico

Interesting facts  Cortes had 12 children  In almost all of his expeditions he seemed to be recovering from some form of illness  One of the first explorers to attempt to grow sugar in Mexico  First to bring slaves into colonial Mexico  He was related to Francisco Pizarro