New Orleans History

FOUNDING THE CITY
In the late 1600's, Louis XIV of France sent explorers along the Gulf Coast and up the     Mississippi River, hoping to find riches from the new     world. In an effort to protect the Mississippi from     English expansion, Sieur de Bienville and John Law     planned and founded, at a strategic point near the     outlet of the Mississippi River, a great capital city and     named it New Orleans after the Regent of France, Duc     d'Orleans.

    The plan must have taken great vision as the location     consisted of a cypress swamp teeming with snakes,     alligators and mosquitoes. Soon rudimentary huts were     built on the swampy soil and a wooden levee was     raised in an attempt to control the constantly flooding     Mississippi River.

    To populate the new city, Bienville made a plea for     assistance from the French government, which was     only too happy to provide settlers from that segment     of the population that the government considered     misfits and criminals.

SETTLERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
These settlers were not enough to satisfy the grand vision that Bienville and Law had for New Orleans, so John Law began promoting New Orleans as a paradise all over Europe. Soon, shiploads of people from all walks of life began arriving from Europe. Although the bulk of the new arrivals were French, Germans as well came in great numbers. The population increased as slaves were brought in from the French Caribbean and Africa. Hundreds of settlers lost their lives en route or as the result of hurricanes, sickness and floods. Despite it all, the colony grew.

Although the early relationship between the settlers and the Indians was friendly, it soon deteriorated and clashes between the settlers and Indians became violent and bloody.

As the colony grew and aristocrats from France began arriving in greater numbers, the impact of the French upper crust became evident on New Orleans society.

In 1755, the English drove the French colonists out of Nova Scotia, Canada. These exiles, called Acadians, being primarily farmers and trappers, began settling along the bayous of Southern Louisiana. Although they did not settle in large numbers in the city of New Orleans, they have had a significant impact on its culture.

FROM SPANISH RULE...
In 1762, Louis XV, finding his treasury depleted, deeded Louisiana to Charles III of Spain.
    The residents of New Orleans were horrified and forced     the first Spanish governor to return to Spain. In 1769     the Spanish king sent Alexander O'Reilly to take control     of the city and establish Spanish law. This he did by     executing and imprisoning the leaders of the protest     movement.

    As Spanish rule became more tolerable, many of the     Spanish began marrying into French families, creating     a new sub culture that became know as the Creoles.     The blending of these two groups can be seen today     in the architecture and the food that is so prevalent     in New Orleans.

    The city experienced two devastating fires, one in     1788 and again in 1794. When the city was rebuilt,     most of the buildings reflected a Spanish influence     that can be easily detected in the French Quarter     even today.

It was during this period that sugar began to be cultivated; an industry that became very successful and profitable. With the success of the sugar industry and the arrival of sophisticated wealthy immigrants, society life in New Orleans reached a new level of gay extravagance.

...TO AMERICAN RULE
In 1800, Spain returned Louisiana to France which then sold it to the United States in 1803 for $15,000,000. With the sale came the clash of culture between the Creoles and the incoming Americans. The Creoles considered the Americans to be crude, rowdy and unsophisticated and thus refused to associate with them. The Americans' response was to build their own city across the canal in an area that later became known as the beautiful Garden District.

Over time, the attitudes of these two diverse groups began to soften as they developed their financial interdependence and fought the ever present foes of floods, hurricanes, and yellow fever. When in 1814 the British attempted to take New Orleans, the residents banded together against their common enemy and defeated the huge British force.

From 1825 to 1860, the city prospered. Sugar and cotton plantations created great wealth, sailing and fancy riverboats frequented the docks, immigrants arrived daily, and new construction was evident throughout the city. It was during this period that the glamorous social life expanded. There were numerous balls and banquets, fine restaurants and hotels. The opera and theatre flourished. Parades and festivals were enjoyed as well as gambling and "bawdy houses".

MODERN NEW ORLEANS
The Civil Was ended the Golden Age. After the occupation ended in 1862, New Orleans went through a painful period of reconstruction as evidenced by riots, corruption, impeachments, carpetbaggers and street battles. Martial law was declared in 1874 and Federal troops did not leave until 1877. Much of the flamboyant life was lost to history.

New Orleans has now become a modern city with a much broader economic base. In addition to agriculture, it now has a thriving seafood industry. Its river port is the second
     largest in the United States. Both the     aerospace and oil industries have left     their mark on the New Orleans     economy. Manufacturing and high tech     industries are increasing and the tourist     and convention business contributes to     its economic soundness and has     established New Orleans as a fun place     to visit.

    Through it all, New Orleans has not lost     track of its unique history, traditions     and diverse cultures that have created     the texture that makes New Orleans so special. Because of New Orleans' diversity and its enthusiasm for fun and great food, it has become one of America's most interesting and exciting cities.