Governor Frontenac of New France

In the year 1672, Marquette and Joliet started their search for a path that led to the Pacific Ocean. This was after they received orders from Governor Frontenac of New France, present day Canada, to do so. Many of the governors had the intention of being the first to find the Northwest Passage. The founding nation stood a chance to witness a lot of benefits from being the first to find this Northwest Passage.

This discovery would result in great wealth to the nation that made it first. This was because, discovering this passage would allow the nation to control the passage and at the same time conduct direct importations of goods from Asia. Thus, the news of a larger river present in the south of the ocean saw Marquette and Joliet sent on an expedition to find it. The river was thought to lead to either China or Mexico. This drew a lot of interest.