Show europeans explored ohio ohio was explored by europeans in the latter part of the seventeenth century it was the pioneer state of the old northwest territory which embraced also what is now indiana illinois michigan wisconsin and the northeast corner comer of minnesota it was the battleground of the indian tribes the french explorers tried hard to get a foothold in this rich territory chey planted leaden plates at the mouths of the rivers and sought to back up these claims to sovereignty john bull later set himself up as most master er of all this region says pathfinder magazine and in 1774 the british parliament passed an act annexing ohio to canada |