Robert de La Salle was born November 21, 1643, in Rouen, France.
La Salle was a nobleman in his early years but then later became a famous European explorer.
King Louis XIV of France liked La Salle's ideas to sail down the Mississippi River, so he sponsored Robert de La Salle to continue on with his journey.
La Salle wanted not only his own personal wealth, but also a French Empire of trading posts.
In 1681, Robert de La Salle set out on a canoe to travel down the Mississippi River. Once he returned, he planned another trip to the Americas. In 1684, La Salle sailed out to North America with more than 200 settlers. His ships barely missed the mouth of the Mississippi River aand landed 500 miles west, landing in what we now call Texas.
Robert de La Salle had impacted France by claiming land. La Salle also interacted with the Indians. He soon found a colony in Texas. La Salle and his men did not spread disease though they did establish a new settlement on the coast of Texas. Soon, the settlers were starving, so La Salle set out for help. Convinced that La Salle was crazy, his own men murdered him in 1687.
