"While it is common knowledge that Jean Nicolet was the first European to visit Wisconsin in 1634, the general public is usually surprised to learn that this story is based upon a mere four pages of text. Due to this paucity of evidence, historians for the last 150 years have written often grossly inaccurate descriptions of Nicolet's westward voyage. Over the past few decades, many of these factual missteps and errors have been corrected, and thus, we now have a much clearer understanding of Nicolet and his mission to the Puans (also known as the Ho-Chunk Indians). Nevertheless, much misinformation remains uncorrected. This book synthesizes the most recent research about Nicolet and his superior, Samuel de Champlain, because understanding Champlain's career is crucial to an accurate interpretation of Nicolet's journey. Recent archaeological research also reveals significant details about the Puan Indians whom Nicolet visited, and the search for the Northwest Passage provides a framework that places Nicolet's story within a transnational context."--Provided by publisher.