La Louisiane

Long inhabited only by Indians, this vast territory was explored in 1682 by Cavelier de la Salle..

The origin of the name Louisiana was named after Louis XIV, King of France from 1643 to 1715. When René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the territory drained by the Mississippi River for France, he named it La Louisiane, meaning “Land of Louis.”

Louisiana became a French crown colony in 1731 but was ceded to Spain in 1763 after the French and Indian Wars.

Acadians The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia/Nova Scotia, many of whom are Métis (a mixed race).

Acadian Origins

Conquest of Acadia The British occupied the Acadians lands in 1710 In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht allowed the Acadians to keep their lands However, the Acadians refused to sign an unconditional oath with the British and participated in military operations against the British So, The Expulsion of the Acadians (1755–1764) occurred during the French and Indian War as part of the British military campaign against New France, as they removed the Acadians from the area

Acadian Exile The Expulsion of the Acadians, also known as the Great Upheaval, the Great Expulsion, the Great Deportation and Le Grand Dérangement, was the forced removal by the British of the Acadian people from the present day Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island —an area also known as Acadie.

The Acadians traveled by ship to their new home.

Where did they go? The Acadians exiled to many different places. However, one of the most prominent areas of settlement was Louisiana. When the first Acadians arrived in April of 1764, Louisiana was owned by Spain but still retained all of its French culture.

Louisiana reverted to France in 1800 and was sold by Napoleon to the U Louisiana reverted to France in 1800 and was sold by Napoleon to the U.S. on the 30th of April in 1803. The southern part (territory of Orleans) became the state of Louisiana in 1812.

La Louisiane et Napoleon France regained control of the Louisiana territory in 1800 under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte. A slave revolt in Haiti and an impending war with Great Britain led French officials to sell the Louisiana territory to the United States, who originally sought to purchase the city of New Orleans and its adjacent lands.

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (Vente de la Louisiane) was the acquisition of the Louisiana territory by the United States from France in 1803. The U.S. paid sixty-eight million francs ($15,000,000 USD) for the territory. Thomas Jefferson extended his presidential power to purchase this sale, he was criticized for this extension of power.

Louisiana Culture A complex blend of French, Spanish, German, African, Irish, and Native American influences created a unique regional culture. The culture of Louisiana is mostly defined by the presence of the Cadiens or Cajuns.

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles • Oct 9-11, 2015 Food Crawfish, potatoes, and corn Gumbo Jambalaya