The main idea of the first chapter is for the reader to understand that the French wanted to establish claim to the entire mid-continent and to begin a program of economic upbuilding for the France. The chapter mentions Jean Talon, an intendant of New France and an eager imperialist, he was anxious to start exploring the inner parts of what nowadays is the United States. Since, the interior of the United States was unknown Talon had to depend on others to carry out his design. He succeeded by being able to bring French influences to Indians in places as far as Florida and Mexico. Talon later on sends people to search for what the native people called the Messipi River. During the morning of June 14,1671, the French had an encounter with Indians, where they handed a paper where it mentions the taking of the land. The Indians burned the paper in fear that it was cursed. During this time France had claimed the largest colonial possession in the world.
Talon, created a party of exploration and Joliet as the leader, Joliet orders where to find the Mississippi river and search where it entered the sea. Since, Marquette had promised that he would carry the gospel to several Illinois Indians became part of Joliet’s expedition. Marquette kept a journal of the places they passed through, …show more content…
The expedition decided to continue anyway. On the seventeenth of June they entered the Mississippi, they took notes of the fauna near them and they were the first Europeans to see a herd of bison. During this trip they encounter various times Indian villages, the third Indian village told them that they were near to where the Mississippi reach the sea, and warned them not to go any further since the Spanish were ahead and since their discovery was too important they decided to head back