Post on 14-Jan-2016
1. Native Americans1. Native Americans Along Bayou St. John and
the lake front
Used river and lake to trade
French Market was trading post
Built homes out of palmetto leaves and tree branches
Ate mudfish and crawfish; hunted wild animals
2. Spanish Explorers2. Spanish Explorers Hernando de Soto was in Florida
First European to see Mississippi River
Crossed river in 1541
Not interested in settling or taking it
Hostile Native Americans
Looking for adventure
Gold
Religious freedom
Opportunity to improve life
Spanish wanted gold
Large colony in the Caribbean, North and South America
River large and annoying
No gold found in the marshes / swamps
3. French Explorers3. French Explorers Robert LaSalle
claimed LA for France in 1699
Brothers Iberville and Bienville explored the area at mouth of river
Iberville was killed when he couldn’t find mouth on the return
Bienville longtime governor of LA
John LawJohn Law People didn’t want to
live in LA
Swamp, hot, bugs, far from home
Businessman sold promise of great land
Not many came
France sent prisoners and unemployed to settle LA
Not SuccessfulNot Successful Hurricanes
destroyed new colony
Difficult time with river, low land
Couldn’t grow vegetables in swamp
Unable to harness potential of port
4. Enslaved Africans4. Enslaved Africans Taken from Africa
within one year of setting up city
Put to task of building city- clearing trees, building houses, levees
Planted cash crops (cotton, sugar, tobacco)
5. Spanish take over5. Spanish take over Treaty of
Fontainebleau (secret) and Treaty of Paris (public)
Broke up Americas between Spain and Britain
Secret until 1764
Wanted to dump expensive colony
Spanish RuleSpanish Rule At first passive in the
takeover
More serious about colony
Opened up port (Treaty of San Lorenzo)
Rebuilt French Quarter because of fires
Progressive slave laws
Colony begins being profitable
6. Cajuns6. Cajuns Canada won by
British
Treaty of Paris gave 18 months for French Canadians to leave if they wanted
Many Acadians left
Came to French colony (now Spanish)
Cajun LifeCajun Life Lived along
bayous
Fur trapping
Fishing
Hunting
Country living
7. Spain Gives LA Back to 7. Spain Gives LA Back to FranceFrance
Treaty of San Ildefonso
Napoleon wanted to revive French Empire
Was conquering land all over
1800
8. Louisiana Purchase 8. Louisiana Purchase 18031803
Spain gave Louisiana to France in 1800…
Nothing happened.
France dealing with insurrection in Haiti
France runs out of money
Sells LA to America in Louisiana Purchase
New Orleans becomes New Orleans becomes American?American?
Still very French (Creole)
Divided city
RICH city
Steamship invented in 1811
Port becomes profitable
Golden Era of New Orleans