It was first dominated by Native Americans and was later taken over by European control. Hernando de Soto was the first recorded European to reach the Mississippi River, but French explorers, Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette were the first to explore the river while searching for a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Although the two explorers did not discover all there was to the river, Sieur de La Salle was the first to sail and complete the journey of the entire Mississippi River. La Salle declared that the river belonged to the King of France (Lecture Notes 1/27). To solidify the French’s claim on the river, the quickly established a colony near Biloxi in 1698. While the British also set their own claim of the Mississippi River, the British make nice with the Chickasaw to push out the French. Eventually, after the Seven Years War with France, Britain gains the Mississippi River through the Treaty of Paris in 1763, and the French colonization period of Mississippi ends. Shortly after Britain gains control of the River, the American Revolution breaks out, and the thirteen colonies declare independence from Britain control. After the war was won by the new country of the United States of America, Britain gave Florida to Spain and France reacquired the Louisiana Purchase from Spain. The United States later purchased that territory from France in 1803, and it has been under American rule since (Lecture Notes
It was first dominated by Native Americans and was later taken over by European control. Hernando de Soto was the first recorded European to reach the Mississippi River, but French explorers, Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette were the first to explore the river while searching for a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Although the two explorers did not discover all there was to the river, Sieur de La Salle was the first to sail and complete the journey of the entire Mississippi River. La Salle declared that the river belonged to the King of France (Lecture Notes 1/27). To solidify the French’s claim on the river, the quickly established a colony near Biloxi in 1698. While the British also set their own claim of the Mississippi River, the British make nice with the Chickasaw to push out the French. Eventually, after the Seven Years War with France, Britain gains the Mississippi River through the Treaty of Paris in 1763, and the French colonization period of Mississippi ends. Shortly after Britain gains control of the River, the American Revolution breaks out, and the thirteen colonies declare independence from Britain control. After the war was won by the new country of the United States of America, Britain gave Florida to Spain and France reacquired the Louisiana Purchase from Spain. The United States later purchased that territory from France in 1803, and it has been under American rule since (Lecture Notes