Chapter 5 Section 3 The French Explore Texas

King Louis XIV sent La Salle to establish a French colony at the mouth of the Miss- issippi River. La Salle in- tended to start his colony where the Mississippi emptied into the Gulf of Mexico.

The large Mississippi delta was not easy to spot from the ocean. The delta spread out into a network of numerous small streams that did not resemble a large river. The delta made it difficult to locate a stream that would lead to the river. A French colony at the mouth (the basin) of the Mississippi could control trade in the Gulf of Mexico and the interior of North America.

After sailing far past the Mississippi River, La Salle stopped at Galveston Bay. In January 1685, La Salle then sailed up the Texas coast and established Fort St. Louis near the Lavaca River. La Salle was desperate to find the Mississippi because the colonists were running out of needed supplies..

French Colony Encounters Difficulties Difficulties began quickly for the French settlers. The Karankawas had gathered supplies from a ship that had been wrecked. When this was discovered by the French colonists, they wanted their supplies back. Fighting broke out and many Frenchmen were killed. This broke the relationship between the French and the Karankawas. This also stopped the help that the Karankawas would have given the French. The French find out quickly that they needed help for survival.

La Salle’s supplies were quickly running out. In October 1685, he decides to try to reach the mouth of the Mississippi River by land. He wasn’t successful, therefore he returns to Ft. St. Louis. He tries again in April, but fails again. On Jan, 12, 1687, La Salle decides to make another journey, but his men were through with La Salle and his journeys. La Salle was shot on March 19, 1687.

The Colony Fails La Salle’s brother, Abbe Jean Cavelier, traveled to France to ask for help in rescuing the colonists who had been left behind at Fort. St. Louis. Most of the remaining French settlers died, with the exception of six French children. Native Texans raised the children as their own.

La Salle’s Expedition Even though La Salle did not achieve his goal, his explorations were of great importance to Texans. The establishment of Fort St. Louis drew the attention of the Spaniards. This made them wake up to the fact that France could claim the Americas for itself. Spain renewed their exploration of the Gulf coast region and began trying to claim Texas.