Final answer:
The French settlement in Texas, led by La Salle at Fort St. Louis, faced hardships including hostilities, scarcity of supplies, and internal conflict. After establishing the fort, La Salle aimed to fortify and seek help but never returned, leading to the colony's downfall. The Spanish eliminated the French presence to secure their claims.
Step-by-step explanation:
The French attempts to establish settlements in Texas faced significant hardships. La Salle's expedition, which was intended to colonize the lower Mississippi, ended up in Texas by mistake. Due to navigational errors and misfortune, they established Fort St. Louis in 1685 but struggled with hostilities from local Native American tribes, harsh conditions, and a lack of sustainable resources. After settling Fort St. Louis, La Salle spent much of his time seeking additional support and resources. He had to manage the fledgling colony's problems and engaged in multiple expeditions aimed at finding the Mississippi River; these endeavors were largely unsuccessful and contributed to the colony's weakening position.
The ultimate demise of the French settlement was the result of a combination of factors, including continuous Native American opposition, dwindling supplies, disease, and internal strife among the colonists. Furthermore, when La Salle left the fort to seek help in 1686, he never returned, leading to the settlement's further decline and eventual destruction by Native American forces.