Jacques Marquette

Biography, Timeline & Facts about the famous explorer, explorations & voyages in the Age of Exploration

Short Biography of the life of Jacques Marquette -
French Jesuit Priest and Explorer

• Nationality - French
• Lifespan - 1637 - 1675
• Family - Wealthy and Noble family who served France as soldiers and in civic capacities
• Education - Well educated befitting the status of his family
• Career - Jesuit Priest and Explorer
• Famous for : Discovering the Mississippi River with Louis Joliet

Facts, Timeline & History about the life of Jacques Marquette -
French Jesuit Priest and Explorer

The following are additional facts and a timeline about the life and history of Jacques Marquette:

• 1636 June 10: Jacques Marquette was born at Laon in France
• Jacques Marquette would have been well educated at a school run by Jesuit priests
• 1653: Jacques Marquette joined the Society of Jesus
• Father Jacques Marquette spent the next 12 years studying and teaching in French Jesuit Colleges
  • The Jesuits (Society of Jesus) are a Christian religious order within the Catholic Church
• 1666: Father Jacques Marquette was sent to Canada by the Jesuits to convert native Indians to the Catholic religion

• Father Jacques Marquette was assigned to Quebec where he studied to learn the language of the Huron to prepare him for his future work in Canada
• Father Jacques Marquette proved to be an excellent linguist and went on to learn a total of six American-Indian languages with the Illinois, the Pottawatimis, the Foxes, the Huron, the Ottawa, the Mackinac and Sioux
• 1668: Father Jacques Marquette was sent to Montreal to join his first mission at the Holy Ghost at La Pointe with Father Dablon teaching the local tribes
• The Illinois tribe told Father Jacques Marquette about a great river - the Mississippi
  • The word 'Mississippi' meant 'big river' in the Huron language
• Father Jacques Marquette started to make preparations to travel to the great river and meet different Native Indians
• Accounts of the Mississippi had reached Quebec and Louis Joliet was ordered to join Father Jacques Marquette in an expedition exploring the Mississippi River
• 1673 May: A seven man expedition including Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet set off in birch bark canoes to the north shore of Lake Michigan to Green Bay, then up the Fox River
• 1673 June: Father Jacques Marquette reached the Mississippi
• Father Jacques Marquette explored the Mississippi, meeting different Indian tribes
• The expedition eventually realised that  Mississippi River did not lead to the Pacific Ocean but flowed into the Gulf of Mexico
• Father Jacques Marquette drew a map of the country through which they passed and kept a diary of the voyage of exploration
• The expedition were warned of hostile Indians ahead and there was also the possibility of being captured by the Spanish - so the party decided to turn back towards Quebec
• 1674: The expedition reached Lake Michigan where Father Jacques Marquette remained at the mission of Saint Francis Xavier at the head of Green Bay
  • Louis Joliet went on to Quebec
• 1675: Father Jacques Marquette set out on an expedition to make contact with some Illinois indians
• Father Jacques Marquette reached the Illinois village but was exhausted by his travels. He became ill and believed that he was dying
• Father Jacques Marquette wanted to end his days at the Mission at Mackinac
• 1675 May 19: Father Jacques Marquette died  near Ludington, Michigan
• The bones of Father Jacques Marquette were buried at the mission

Famous Explorers - Jacques Marquette - French Jesuit Priest and Explorer
Some interesting facts and biography information about the History, Life & Times of Jacques Marquette. Additional details, timelines, facts, history and information about the famous European Explorers and events in the great Age of Exploration can be accessed via the Elizabethan Era Sitemap.

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