Louis Jolliet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louis Jolliet
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Alfred Laliberté's Louis Jolliet sculpture in front of Parliament Building (Quebec)
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| Born | September 21, 1645 near Quebec, New France
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| Died | 1700 (aged 54–55) en route from Quebec to Anticosti Island
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| Allegiance | New France (Canada) |
| Awards | Jolliet was granted land south of Quebec in return for his favours |
| Relations | Jean Jolliet: Father |
| Other work | Canadian explorer |
| Signature |  |
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Louis Jolliet was a skilled French-Canadian explorer who made daring journeys across North America. He was born near Quebec City in the year 1645. Jolliet is most famous for his major voyage in 1673. Along with a Jesuit Catholic priest named Jacques Marquette, he explored the mighty Mississippi River. They became the first Europeans to chart its upper waters. Jolliet was also a skilled mapmaker, musician, and woodsman. His adventurous travels helped open up vast trade routes through waterways and forests.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up in New France
Louis Jolliet was born in the settlement of Beaupré in French Canada. His parents were Jean Jolliet and Marie D'Abancourt. His father worked as a wagon builder for the local company. Sadly, his father died when Louis was only six years old. His mother remarried twice, raising her family in the bustling colony.
Learning Languages on the River
Louis spent much of his childhood on Ile d'Orleans, an island in the Saint Lawrence River. The island sat near Quebec City and was home to many First Nations peoples. Living near them helped Louis hear and learn Indigenous languages of the Americas. In addition to his native French, he later studied English and Spanish. Knowing different tongues proved very useful for wilderness travel.
Studies and Forest Dreams
Quebec was the lively center of the North American fur trade. Native traders arrived in lightweight birchbark canoes loaded with beaver pelts. Young Louis saw these traders and listened to their outdoor adventures. He entered a Jesuit school as a boy to study religion and philosophy. Louis showed great musical talent, learning to play the church organ and the harpsichord. In 1662, he took Holy Orders to become a priest. However, he changed his mind in 1667 and left the seminary. He chose instead to become a fur trader and explore wild waterways.
The Great Mississippi River Expedition
Long before Jolliet's journey, a Spanish explorer named Hernando de Soto reached the southern mouth of the Mississippi in 1541. Yet Europeans knew very little about where the river started or where it flowed. Native people called the mighty waterway "Mississippi," which meant "Great River" in their Algonquian languages. French leaders in Canada wanted to know if this river led west to the Pacific Ocean.
Setting Out from the Great Lakes
On May 17, 1673, Jolliet joined forces with Father Jacques Marquette. They departed from St. Ignace, Michigan, carrying supplies in two birchbark canoes. Five brave voyageurs joined their small team. Together, the seven men paddled along the shores of Green Bay. They steered their canoes south into the rushing currents of the Fox River.
Crossing overland at the Portage
Paddling up the Fox River was difficult work against the moving current. Soon, they reached a marshy area near modern Portage, Wisconsin. Here, the travelers had to carry their boats and gear across dry ground. This overland carry is called a portage. They walked almost two miles through wetlands and oak groves to reach the Wisconsin River. On June 17, 1673, they drifted safely out onto the waters of the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Paddling South toward the Gulf
The expedition glided down the Mississippi River along high limestone bluffs and grassy plains. They passed huge herds of grazing bison and watched for hidden shallow rocks. The explorers stopped at various native villages to share peace pipes and exchange presents. In mid-July, the group drifted past the mouth of the Arkansas River. Here, native friends explained that the river flowed straight south toward the sea. Jolliet realized the river emptied into the Gulf of Mexico, not the Pacific Ocean.
The Safe Journey Back Home
The travelers decided to turn back north to avoid Spanish soldiers near the coast. Friendly local tribes showed them a better shortcut through the Illinois River. They paddled past modern Joliet, Illinois, and followed the winding Des Plaines River. Next, they crossed the famous Chicago Portage through soggy marshes. They slid their canoes down the Chicago River until they reached the clear blue water of Lake Michigan near modern Chicago. Father Marquette stopped at a mission on Green Bay to rest. Jolliet rushed back to Quebec to report their grand discovery. Near home, his canoe tipped over in the rough Lachine Rapids. Jolliet survived, but all his maps and journals sank into the water. Luckily, he had a sharp memory and drew fresh maps right away.
Later Expeditions and Northern Voyages
After his famous journey, Jolliet married Claire-Françoise Byssot de la Valtrie in Quebec. King Louis XIV rewarded him in 1680 by granting him Anticosti Island, located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Jolliet built a home, fishing post, and fort there. In 1693, the king appointed him "Royal Hydrographer," meaning he made official sea charts for royal ships. Four years later, he received another large seigneury of land near Quebec.
Charting the Coast of Labrador
In 1694, Jolliet set out on another daring journey along the coast of Labrador. He sailed northward through the icy Strait of Belle Isle all the way to Zoar. During this five-month voyage, he studied local animal life, coastal rocks, and ocean tides. He also met the northern Inuit people and recorded details about their way of life. His Labrador journal gave European mapmakers their earliest careful view of that rugged northern shore.
Mysterious Final Days
In May 1700, Jolliet sailed back out to his estate on Anticosti Island. After that voyage began, he vanished from historic documents. Historians do not know the exact day or place of his death. A special church service took place in Quebec on September 15, 1700, to honor his memory.
Remembering the Famous Explorer
Louis Jolliet left a lasting mark on history across both Canada and the Midwestern United States. He proved that North American rivers formed giant highways through the wilderness. Many modern places carry his family name today.
Places Named for Louis Jolliet
- The city of Joliet, Illinois, was named in his memory.
- The town of Joliet, Montana, shares his famous name.
- The city of Joliette in Quebec was founded by Barthélemy Joliette, one of his direct descendants.
- Students take classes at Joliet Junior College and at more than one high school across the continent.
- Shoppers visit the popular Louis Joliet Mall in Illinois.
- A lovely pink Canadian rose, bred by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, honors his name in northern gardens.
- The Jolliet Squadron trains young officers at the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in the Province of Quebec.
See also
In Spanish: Louis Jolliet para niños
