The first Europeans to reach North America and explore its interior were the Spanish in the early 1500s, who came mainly for “gold, glory, and God.” France also established a colonial empire in North America beginning with Samuel de Champlain in the early 1600s, calling their holdings New France. In 1692, La Salle, a former Jesuit priest, canoed down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, claiming the land for France and naming it Louisiana. Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses how European attempts at establishing a colonial empire in North America resulted in the French establishing outposts from the Great Lakes to the Gulf and why it still matters today. Read Tom’s blog to learn more.

Photo Credits:
Library of Congress
University of South Florida
New York Public Library
Government of Canada
National Gallery of Art