Marquette and Joliet

The Eternal Search for the Northwest Passage

Many governors of settlements and kings of nations were hoping to be the first to find the Northwest Passage - a shortcut through the New World to the Indies (southeast Asia).The discovery of a Northwest Passage would result in great wealth for the founding nation because it would be able to directly import goods from the Asian markets while controlling the passage itself.

Entering the Mississippi River

In 1673, the governor of New France, sent Jacques Marquette, a Catholic missionary, and Louis Joliet, a fur trader, along with seven other explorers on a mission to find the Northwest Passage. The team began their trip in Quebec and traveled through Michigan's upper peninsula to the northern tip of Lake Michigan. On canoes, they crossed the massive lake and landed at Green Bay, Wisconsin, at the mouth of the Fox River. They met local Indians who described various rivers they would encounter. After portaging their canoes to the Wisconsin River, they entered the great Mississippi River on June 17, 1673.

Pere Marquette and the Indians (1869) - Wilhelm Lamprecht
Pere Marquette and the Indians (1869) - Wilhelm Lamprecht

But it Flows South!

Marquette and Joliet soon realized that the Mississippi couldn't possibly be the Northwest Passage they were hoping for because it flowed south. Nevertheless, the journey continued. Marquette and Joliet described some of the wildlife they encountered. They described the catfish as a monster with the head of a tiger, the nose of a wildcat, and with whiskers. They undoubtedly encountered herds of buffalo which they described as cattle. The pair rowed south past the junction of the Mississippi River and the Ohio River, and turned around at the junction of the Mississippi River and Arkansas River. They guessed that the Mississippi River flowed into the Gulf of Mexico and were wary of being captured by Spaniards who controlled the area.

The explorations of Marquette and Joliet paved the way for further French explorations of the region, including the expedition of Robert Sieur de la Salle, who claimed the river and the land it drained for France.

Discussion Questions

  • Why was the Northwest Passage so important to European nations in the 1600s?
  • How did Native American knowledge contribute to the success of Marquette and Joliet's expedition?
  • Why did Marquette and Joliet turn back before reaching the Gulf of Mexico?
  • In what ways did their expedition impact future French claims in North America?

    • The Eternal Search for the Northwest Passage

    During the 17th century, many European leaders were obsessed with finding a Northwest Passage—a water route through North America to the riches of the Indies in Southeast Asia. Discovering such a route would grant the founding nation immense wealth by allowing it to control trade with Asia and dominate the passage itself.

    Entering the Mississippi River

    In 1673, the governor of New France commissioned Jacques Marquette, a Catholic missionary, and Louis Joliet, a fur trader, to lead an expedition in search of the Northwest Passage. Accompanied by seven others, they traveled from Quebec through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the northern end of Lake Michigan. They crossed the lake to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and followed Native guidance through the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. On June 17, 1673, they entered the Mississippi River, believing it might be the route to the Pacific.

    But it Flows South!

    Marquette and Joliet soon realized that the Mississippi River flowed south, not west or north toward Asia, ruling it out as the Northwest Passage. Still, they pressed on and explored further south, observing new wildlife such as large catfish (which they described as monsters with tiger-like heads and whiskers) and massive herds of buffalo, which they compared to cattle. After reaching the junction of the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers, they turned back, fearing encounters with the Spanish who controlled the Gulf Coast.

    A Path for Future Explorers

    Although they did not find a route to Asia, the expedition of Marquette and Joliet was instrumental in expanding France’s knowledge of the interior of North America. Their maps and observations laid the groundwork for future French expeditions, especially that of Robert Sieur de la Salle, who later claimed the entire Mississippi River Basin for France. Their journey helped establish France’s territorial claims and influence over the central part of the continent.