Figure 4. Jean Nicolet’s presumed route through the Great Lakes. Adapted from “Jean Nicolet’s Search for the South Sea,” by N. Risjord, n.d., p. 8, Retrieved from https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/11381679/jean-nicolets-search-for-the-south-sea-wisconsin-historical-society.
In 1634, while searching for the famed Northwest Passage, the French explorer Jean Nicolet (ca. 1598 – 1642) arrived at what would become Green Bay, Wisconsin (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2020).
Upon arrival, Nicolet encountered a small group of Potawatomi; however, most of the Potawatomi lived in Michigan at this point in time. Therefore, this group that met Nicolet was most likely only visiting the region (Milwaukee Public Museum, n.d.).
References:
Bremigan, J. (n.d.). Nicolet’s presumed route through the Great Lakes. Wisconsin Historical Society.
Milwaukee Public Museum. (n.d.). Potawatomi History. Retrieved from Potawatomi History website: http://www.mpm.edu/content/wirp/ICW-152
Risjord, N. (n.d.). Jean Nicolet’s Search for the South Sea. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved from https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/11381679/jean-nicolets-search-for-the-south-sea-wisconsin-historical-society
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020, October 28th). Jean Nicolet | French explorer. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica website: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Nicolet