This is a collection of documents (translated into English) for the early history of French Canadian exploration of the Illinois region, and also for the conquest of Illinois country by George Rogers Clark during the Revolutionary War. The editors have added introductions and explanatory notes to each group to assist readers and provide background information. There is a separate index for each document group.

The topics or titles of documents are:

-Voyages and Discoveries of Father James Marquette in the Mississippi Valley -French Plans of Conquest -Hennepin’s Narrative -La Salle’s Voyage down the Mississippi -Memoir of Henry de Tonty of 1693 -The Aubry Manuscript -George Rogers Clark’s Conquest of the Illinois -Letters from the Canadian Archives