Background
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who led the first European expedition into the interior of the present-day United States in the early 1500s. His expedition was a part of a larger Spanish effort that sought to discover new lands and resources that could be claimed for the Spanish crown. During his travels throughout what is now the southeastern United States, de Soto encountered many Native American nations, including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee. One of the most significant of his accomplishments was the discovery of the Mississippi River in May 1541, the first European to document the great river.
Exploration of the Mississippi River
In order to explore the Mississippi River, de Soto and his men embarked on a journey that lasted for nearly two years and covered more than 6,000 miles. During their travels, they encountered a number of Native American nations and were able to map out the course of the river from its source in the Great Lakes region all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. De Soto was a shrewd diplomat, and he was successful in negotiating beneficial trade agreements with many of the Native American nations he encountered.
Claiming the Mississippi River for Spain
After exploring the Mississippi River, de Soto returned to Spain with maps and stories of the area, greatly increasing the Spanish crown’s knowledge of the region. He requested that the king claim the Mississippi River and its tributaries as Spanish territory. In January 1543, King Charles V granted de Soto’s request, cementing Spain’s claim over the entire region.
French Exploration of the Mississippi River
Although Spain claimed the Mississippi River, the French would later explore the river and seek to colonize it. French explorers, led by René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, explored the lower Mississippi from 1681 to 1698. During this period, La Salle was able to negotiate peaceful treaties with several native tribes, paving the way for French colonization of the region.
French Claim of the Mississippi River
In 1682, La Salle and his men arrived in what is now Louisiana, and he claimed the entire territory in the name of France. After securing the claim on behalf of France, La Salle returned to France to report his findings and inform the French king of the claim. In 1684, King Louis XIV officially confirmed the French claim of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. This would mark the beginning of the French colonization of the region, which would later become the state of Louisiana.
Did Hernando de Soto Claim the Mississippi River for France?
Hernando de Soto was the first European explorer to document the Mississippi River, and he was successful in claiming the river for Spain in 1543. The French would later explore the river and seek to colonize it, with successful French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claiming the Mississippi River for France in 1682. Therefore, it is clear that de Soto did not claim the Mississippi River for France.
Spanish Settlement of the Mississippi River Region
After claiming the Mississippi River for Spain, the Spanish began to settle in the region. The Spanish established the first permanent European settlement in the Mississippi River region in the 1690s in what is now known as present-day Louisiana. The Spanish settlement of the region was largely driven by the need to extract natural resources and establish trading networks with the local Native American tribes.
Continuing French Presence in the Mississippi River Region
Despite Spanish efforts to settle the Mississippi River region, the French continued to make their presence felt in the region. During the 1700s, French traders and explorers made inroads into the region, often engaging in trading relations with the local Native American tribes. They also established several trading posts in the area, which would later become the cities of New Orleans and St. Louis.
The Treaty of Paris and the Mississippi River
The French presence in the Mississippi River region would ultimately be brought to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. As a result of the terms of the treaty, the French lost their claim to the Mississippi River and the surrounding territory. The region was then ceded to the British, who would in turn cede the region to the United States as a result of their defeat in the American Revolutionary War.
Louisiade Pact of 1769 and the Mississippi River
Despite the Treaty of Paris, the Spanish continued to maintain their presence in the Mississippi River region. In 1769, the Spanish and the Choctaw negotiated the Louisiade Pact that confirmed Spanish control of the region and established a boundary line along the Mississippi River. This agreement allowed Spanish settlers to stay in the region and for Spanish traders to continue to engage in trade with the Native American tribes.
The Louisiana Purchase and the Mississippi River
In 1803, the United States negotiated the Louisiana Purchase, which included the transfer of all lands west of the Mississippi River from French to American control. The Louisiana Purchase was a significant moment in U.S. history, and it effectively established the borders of the modern United States.
Conclusion
Hernando de Soto was the first European explorer to document the Mississippi River in the early 1500s. Although he was successful in claiming the river for Spain, a number of other powers would later lay claim to the river, including France and the United States. Over the centuries, the Mississippi River has been the site of numerous important historical events, and it remains one of the most important rivers in North America.
