A long, long time ago, back in the late 1600s, there was a fearless explorer named René-Robert Cavelier, better known as Sieur de la Salle. He was born in France and had a great passion for adventure.

 Little did he know then that his explorations would shape the future of a land we now call Texas.

Fearless Explorers: 

René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle

As a young boy, René-Robert Cavelier heard exciting stories and legends of explorers who journeyed to faraway and unknown lands. Inspired by these stories, he decided he wanted to become an explorer when he grew up. He dreamed of traveling, adventure, and discovering new places. 

 As he grew and learned about the New World, he dreamed of helping his country, France, become more powerful there. 

 So, in 1682, de la Salle began his grand canoe expedition to discover the vast lands of North America.

First, de la Salle traveled from Canada to explore the Great Lakes and learned about the rivers that flowed into them. He soon discovered that the mighty Mississippi River led all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. He felt like he had hit the explorer jackpot! He knew that whoever controlled the Mississippi River could access all of the land around it, rich with resources and promise for trade.

As de la Salle bravely sailed down the Mississippi River, he met many Native American peoples, including the Quapaw and Natchez. 

 He was friendly and tried to understand their customs because he believed that forming good relationships with the Native Americans would help him in his explorations.

While continuing his journey, de la Salle claimed the entire Mississippi River and all of the land around it for France. He called this area "Louisianna" in honor of King Louis XIV (14th) of France. This was a great start, but he wanted to do more for his King and country.

He wanted to establish a French colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River. This would not only be a gateway to trade but also a new beginning for French settlers in North America. So, in 1685, he set out again, this time with a group of settlers to create a new fort in this promising land.

René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle and his crew sailed for six and a half months before finally reaching the Texas coast. Once they arrived, they worked hard and built a fort called Fort St. Louis, which became the first French settlement in Texas.