RajveerS.

Rajveer S.

Social Studies

Robert La Salle

A Great and influential French Explorer

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Introduction:
Robert La Salle was one of the best French Explorers of his century, being the first person to completely sail down the Mississippi River, he explored the great lakes, and claimed Louisiana for France.

Early Life:
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle he was born in Rouen, Normandy to a fairly wealthy middle-class family haberdasher. He was to be a priest but he disobeyed his parents and went to New France 1667.

Exploration:
The same year he returned back to France and received permission from the king to travel to Quebec. In 1679 a blockhouse was built at the outlet of the Niagara River There with his crew he built the Griffon, a ship he used for exploration. On 1682 he reached the Mississippi River and sails down it. Once he does he claimed that area for France and called it Louisiana for King Louis XIV He went south on the Griffon and explored the Great Lakes. He either traveled down the Ohio or Mississippi River (not known) after that he made a settlement called St. Louis went back and forth between France and New France from 1681-1683. In late 1683 he was stripped of his power by a governor and he went back to France. After receiving the authority and supplies from the king he tried going back to Mississippi to more fully explore however he got lost and was killed by his own men in Texas.

Accomplishments: I think Robert La Salle’s greatest achievements are exploring the Mississppi River and claiming a large amount of land for his king, and also for making the St. Louis settlement and exploring the Great Lakes. Map: Links: [|__http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/l/lasalle.shtml__], [|__http://www.biography.com/people/ren%C3%A9-robert-cavelier-sieur-de-la-salle-38429__] , [|__http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Robert_Cavelier_sieur_de_La_Salle.aspx__] , [|__la-salle-9-728.jpg?cb=1180238740__] __,http://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/wp-content/themes/nouvelle-france-responsive/maps/en/lasalle-1670-1687/LaSalle_1670-1687_en.jpg,http://www.britannica.com/biography/Rene-Robert-Cavelier-sieur-de-La-Salle__

= Benjamin Franklin =

** Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706. He was a great man that was the first American diplomat to France and had many impacts on our country today. He did many things such as, serving on a board in France to have France support America's independence, and he succeeded. Benjamin Franklin was matched by nobody in his maturity, ability, or brilliance. He was indeed a world statesman. **

** One of his great achievements, as mentioned before was getting France to help in the war with the British. Firstly Franklin served on a board in France from 1776 to 1778. He also got them to help by traveling to France and persuading the French to help the American cause. Secondly the French had lost territory to the hands of The British in the French Indian war so they wanted revenge. Thirdly King Louis XVI had liked him. Also he made friends with important officials. All of this shifted the tide in his favor and The French agreed to ally the colonies and the French help greatly increased the chances of America winning the war. **

** Another of his great achievements is Getting the French to give the Americans a loan of billions of dollars in today's money. How would an average mind do that? Benjamin Franklin used the skills and people from before to get the French to give him and America the money. Benjamin Franklin convinced the French because He was debt-free so the French were confident that he could pay the debt, also he was frugal by nature so he wouldn't spend it too fast, because of this the French agreed to pay the loan. Also in the end Franklin paid the debt back. **


 * Also after the war he got a peace treaty with the French. This was critical because they already had the British against them since they had lost a lot of land and having the French against them would be terrible for the growing country. Talks of an alliance happened after the Americans defeated the British at Yorktown in April 1782. Franklin was on a committee with John Adams, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Henry Laurens. However Henry Laurens was captured by a British ship and could not communicate with the group. The team's most notable achievement was getting the British to recognize that America was a separate colony, and, of course getting the alliance that stands today. **


 * Without these important achievements I think our country would be extremely different without Benjamin Franklin. He got the French to help in a war against the British, he got a huge loan from France and paid it back, and he got a peace treaty from the French. Franklin also did many other things but his work as a diplomat, in my eyes was most important. **


 * Here are some pictures/portraits and timelines about Benjamin Franklin:**





Sources:

Benjamin Franklin Sources:

Website:

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Encyclopedia:

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Book:

Title: The story of Benjamin Franklin