Huron who were situated to provide the Europeans with the desired fur. However, due to their commercial success, the Five Confederated Tribes of the Iroquois—long the enemies of the Huron—became even more determined to destroy the Huron. And, “after an epidemic of smallpox weakened the Hurons in 1640, the Iroquois attacked and destroyed Huronia as a separate entity in 1648.” The destruction of the Huron would eventually prove disastrous for the French. However, for Wisconsin, the destruction of the Huron would lead into the introduction of missions, exploration of its many waterways, and an even more intense focus upon the fur trade. In other words, the doorway to Wisconsin was now open for European exploitation.Conclusion In this section, Early Exploration, I have discussed some of the prime events and people which would open the door to the future territory of Wisconsin, and hence the Nicolet National Forrest. The most important factor that instigated these events was surely the advent of the fur trade. However, it is the people behind the quest for fur in which I wished to bring to the attention of the reader. The adventures and exploits of men such as Champlain and Nicolet are still highly regarded today for their names still grace many of the region’s landmarks. Without men such as them, the histories of these regions could have developed in a drastically altered manner. Still, one must recognize that with these explorations, the New World was being altered towards a European mode of thought. This mode of thought would eventually lead to a depletion of natural resources on a grand scale. Although the men discussed in this section were concerned primarily with the fur trade, the tendency to “rape” the land of its resources would continue. Thus, even though it may seem that this period has little relevance to the Nicolet National Forest, it is the beginning of a trend (i...
