Exploration of the Mississippi Valley
The Mississippi Valley has been explored by French explorers since the 1540s when René-Robert Cavelier, also known as La Salle, used it to explore the Louisiana Territory. His discoveries in the region led to a wealth of knowledge and expansive interactions with the native inhabitants of the area. Later, explorers would traverse the vast swaths of land in search of resources, opportunities, and fame.
Exploring the length and breadth of the Mississippi Valley was incredibly dangerous. The area is spacious and vast, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico and up to Canada. Furthermore, stories of wildlife encounters and river Pirates became legendary. Early records of the expedition of the area detail an incredible amount of discoveries and set the stage for further explorations down the line.
The expeditions into the unknown were fueled by a mix of curiosity and ambition. The first to enter the region were missionaries, who sought to expand their religious beliefs. Later, traders, businessmen, and gold-seekers followed suit in hopes of new finds that would bring them fame and fortune. Alas, the abundance of resources they found, such as the trading posts where they could barter goods, would become the backbone of the region’s development.
The famed duo of Frenchman, Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers, who journeyed through the Mississippi Valley in the late 1650s, set forth on an incredible adventure; exploring the area for trade settlements, as well as for the precious metals and gems, so avidly sought by the Europeans. Their diaries provide us with a valuable insight into the time period, recording all manner of flora, fauna, and native peoples they encountered.
Accompanying the conquerors were the African-American slaves and traders. Forced onto ships to be brought to a new life in the colonies, their experience and labor was invaluable to both the environment and the greater understanding of the region. Many of the African-Americans who traveled the Mississippi Valley went on to become interpreters and guides for the white-slavers, who would later exploit their labor.
The exploration of the Mississippi Valley became famous in the late 1700s when two intrepid American frontiersmen, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, opined to venture west as part of a little-known government experiment. As the first Americans to traverse much of the area, they found their most significant success and later held a ceremonial exchange with the Native Americans.
The adventure was an amazing success and brought the Mississippi Valley to the forefront of America’s settlements and expansion. However, it was not without cost, the human suffering and environmental damage caused by the invasions by the Europeans and Americans is well documented.
Doctor John Sibley
Doctor John Sibley was appointed to head the expedition of the Mississippi Valley in 1805. His team aimed to observe the land, compile maps of the river, calculate longitude and latitude, and gather information about the people inhabiting it. He famously journeyed the entire length of the Mississippi River Valley and made careful note of the land and its people. His observations blended the personal accounts from the native peoples he encountered with his own meticulous sketchbook notes.
His mission provided its government with detailed angles and perspectives from which to explore the area further. Sibley mapped the river, graphing its various depths, widths and grades, which helped the US Navy gauge the navigational implications of water flow. Furthermore, his entries regarding local wildlife, vegetation, and settlements provided concrete foundations for the coming development into the region.
He befriended several tribes of the region and was said to have stayed with them on multiple occasions. It is well-documented that Sibley used their expertise to give his government further insight than his own sight of the land. The natives’ understanding of the land and its varied inhabitants gave the government an invaluable resource with which to make informed decisions. Dr. Sibley’s understandings of the culture and wildlife of the area would later become influential in the settlement of the whole of the Louisiana Territory.
Sibley made various publications publicly available documenting his findings. He incorporated artwork and illustrations which he used to assist in creating detailed maps, which laid the foundations for his government’s further in-depth analyses.
Mississippi Valley Development
Exploring the Mississippi Valley expanded America’s understanding of the area and laid the foundations for further development. The discoveries from doctor Sibley’s expedition proved invaluable for the US Navy, and was a major influence for settlers migrating to the area. The abundance of precious metals and gems that provided an incentive for the French to explore the area provided further attraction for money-minded entrepreneurs, who would eventually spark the industrial age of the region.
The spate of settlers flooding the region began to shape its eventual development. Trade developed between the newly settled areas, favoring the waterway to transport goods and commodities. Communities started to form along the length of the river, boosting economy and providing sustenance to the settlers inhabiting the Valley. Agriculture also started to establish footing as a result of environmental discoveries, giving rise to cottage industries such as fishing and logging.
The explorations expanded the understanding and further developed the natural resources located within the Mississippi Valley. With each succeeding expedition, the introduction of new methods and technologies found its way into the area and provided further incentive for the increase of its people and the exploitation of its resources.
The introduction of dams and other engineering technologies caused an irreversible impact on the natural environment. Many regions had a dramatic and drastic decrease in the water levels of the Mississippi, adversely affecting the lives of settlers and the wildlife inhabiting it. Conversely, as a result of the development, many modern thriving cities were established in the Mississippi Valley, from Baton Rouge and Memphis, to St. Louis and New Orleans.
Native Inhabitants
The Mississippi Valley has a long history of human inhabitation, stretching back to around the 5th century AD. The encounters between explorers and native tribes had the most influential impact on the development and later settlement of the area. Native tribes such as the Ojibwe, Sioux, Sauk and Fox peoples were integral to the process of exploration, providing guidance and invaluable knowledge, as well as sharing the river’s resources and trade prized goods, such as newly harvested wild rice.
The advent of colonization saw a drastic change in the relationship between the native people and the Europeans and Americans. Native Americans were often used as a workforce to build roads, clear land, and construct buildings. Furthermore, during expeditions, they were often coerced into trading goods in exchange for trinkets and firearms.
Many of the native tribes would go on to experience dire repercussions as a result of their interaction with the Europeans. Re-locations, killings, and religious conversion all contributed to the drastic decline of the native population in the area. As a result, many of the traditional customs, skills, and cultures of the native tribes are now lost to history.
Modern Perspective
The exploration and consequent settlement had a lasting and often irreversible effect on the Mississippi Valley. We now understand the importance of the interactions, the limits of human interaction, and the cost of colonization. The advent of European and American domination of the area saw changes in the land, the wildlife, and most tragically, the people inhabiting it.
Despite the effects of this rugged and often treacherous journey, many today recognize the courage with which the explorers of the 1600s and 1800s undertook their expeditions. Over time, the Great River yielded immense rewards, as well as a rich understanding of its history and culture.
Today, the Mississippi Valley experiences a spike in tourism as many people visit its rich and educational attractions. Historical monuments, museums, and archaeological explorations provide visitors with incredible insights into the region’s past. Furthermore, the beauty of the environment, the abundant wildlife, and the culture are all still enjoyed today.
Growing Awareness
In recent years, attempts have been made to better understand the native cultures and traditions of the region. This has come as a result of a much wider understanding of the cost and tragedy of colonization. The local inhabitants of the Mississippi Valley are now playing an increasingly important role in its conservation and future developments.
The public and local officials have also started to recognize the complex relationship with the environment, resulting in well-executed conservation efforts that are being implemented to preserve the area and its delicate native ecosystems. In addition, the increasing understanding of the historical impacts of colonization has brought a demand to honor the native inhabitants of the area, from their roles in the exploration and development to their ties to the land itself.
The Mississippi Valley is still a grand and often mysterious area. Today, we are now more aware of its importance to American history and its delicate relationship with the environment. The explorers of old would be proud of the good use we’ve put to their findings and could only admire its resilient beauty.
