CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY. 



PERIOD FIRST. 



THIS PERIOD EXTENDS FROM THE FIRST DISCOVERY AND NAVI- 

 GATION OF LAKE ERIE, BY THE FRENCH, ITNT 1680, TO THE 

 SETTLEMENT OF MARIETTA, APRIL 7th, 1788. IT COMPRISES 

 ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT YEARS. 



The first Europeans who visited this region, were the French. 

 In 1680, La Salle, a Frenchman, started on an expedition, and 

 passing up Lake Erie and Lakes St. Clair and Huron and 

 cruising along Lake Michigan, disembarked near where fort 

 Chicago now stands. He traversed the intermediate country 

 between that place and the Illinois river. He descended that 

 stream to its mouth. Descending the Mississippi, he arrived at 

 length, at its mouth, after passing through many dangers and 

 great hardships. Going home to France, he returned by sea, to 

 the mouth of the Mississippi, and in endeavoring to pass through 

 the country by land, to Canada, he lost his life, being murder- 

 ed by one of his own party, somewhere in what is now the 

 state of Illinois, as near as we can judge from his narrative. 

 From this period, forward, the French Missionaries, visited the 

 valley of the Mississippi very frequently, and their government 

 was engaged in sending persons among the Indians to concili- 

 ate them; and military men were sent to examine the country, 

 and select the most eligible sites for fortifications. Whoever 

 looks at the map of the country traversed, will at once per- 

 ceive with what prudence they executed their commissions. 

 Quebec, Montreal, Oswego, Niagara river, Presque-Isle, De- 



