2. As we learned in Chapter 2, a French expedition under René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La
Salle, reached the mouth of the Mississippi River
on April 9, 1682. To celebrate this momentous
occasion, La Salle held a formal and elaborate ceremony. His men put on fresh uniforms and
lined up with their muskets in hand. First, they
sang some French songs. Then they fired several
volleys with their muskets while shouting, “Long
live the King!” La Salle then planted the flag of
France in the southern soil. He proclaimed in a
loud voice that all the lands and tributaries of
this mighty river belonged to Louis XIV, King of
France. In honor of the king, this vast land area
was named the Louisiana Province.