Vocabulary Terms
What is a geographical feature?
A natural part of the Earth such as rivers, mountains, oceans, deserts, forests, and swamps.
Who was the first Frenchman to sail and explore the Mississippi River, later claiming it for King Louis the XIV?
De la Salle
Who are the Choctaws and Chickasaws?
Indigenous tribes of the Gulf Coast that allied with the French. They helped Governor Bienville to protect the territory against the British and their native allies.
What was one effect of the Natchez Revolt?
1. The native Natchez people lost control of their ancestral lands and were killed or sold into slavery in Haiti.
2. French colonists did not want to risk the violence of creating plantations on indigenous lands, so France lost money it was trying to generate in Louisiana.
What difficult conditions did colonists face when they settled in Louisiana?
They struggled with harsh weather and could not get the resources needed to survive on their own.
What is a monarch?
A king or queen that rules over a monarchy government. They are the sole decider in a country or empire's actions and the most powerful voice in government.
Who was the first proprietor of French Louisiana? He is famous for failing to manage the colony and losing France about 1 billion dollars in the process.
Crozat
Who are the Acadians?
A French cultural group that was kicked out of Canada by the British and invited to settle in Lower Louisiana. They brought French food, music, language and customs with them and intermarried with creole, African, and native people.
What was an effect of the 7 Years War?
France lost control of the Louisiana Territory.
What were some advantages of the geography of New Orleans when Governor Bienville made it the capital of New France?
1. Plenty of fertile soil for agriculture
2. Bodies of water like rivers and bayous made transportation easy
What is a proprietor?
A manager of land. In Louisiana they were in charge of the colony's economy and law. They needed to keep peace in the colony and earn profits for the monarchy.
Who was the second proprietor of French Louisiana? He was famous for turning the colony into a company and creating the "Mississippi Bubble" by making fake promises to investors. He ended up putting France into debt when the colony didn't make enough money to pay back its joint-stock investors.
John Law
Who are the Isleños people?
Colonists from the Canary Islands that Spain invited to settle in Louisiana. They were placed in four locations of Lower Louisiana to spread Spanish culture and to protect against the British taking land or control of the territory.
What was one effect of the Treaty of Fontainebleau?
1. The French ceded (gave up) control of New Orleans and all land West of the Mississippi River to Spain.
2. The British took control of all of France's land East of the Mississippi River.
Why did Governor Bienville choose New Orleans as the capital of New France over the cities of Mobile and Biloxi?
It had better access for trade, flooded less because of elevation, and had fertile soil because of the Mississippi River.
What is a coup?
To take over a government's power by force. To overthrow the people in charge of a country or colony so that they no longer control the law or economy.
Who was the first proprietor of Spanish Louisiana? He is famous for showing up three years late to his job and allowing the French government to continue managing Louisiana in his absence. When he did show up, he failed by changing taxes and laws to the point that a coup was held by the French citizen to chase him out of town.
Ulloa
Who are the Gens de Couleur Libres people?
Free people of color in the Louisiana Territory. Often also called "creoles" these were people of mixed or African decent born in the colony as free citizens. They were important influences on culture, economy, and politics of the colony as they often held powerful positions in the community.
How were the Quaker's beliefs and Puritan's beliefs in conflict?
The Quakers believed all people deserved freedom and equality. The Puritans believed all people should follow their religion and supported slavery.
Which Spanish proprietor took an aggressive approach to dealing with the Louisiana Territory and which Spanish governor had a passive approach?
1. Aggressive = O'Reilly
2. Passive - Ulloa
What is an insurrection?
A battle or uprising against larger forces for power. Also called a "rebellion" or "revolt" and involves physically fighting the people in power.
Who was the second proprietor of Spanish Louisiana? He is famous for carrying out the Spanish king's punishment on the French citizens for their insurrection against Proprietor Ulloa. His nickname in New Orleans for that punishment is fitting for Halloween.
Bloody O'Reilly
How did the Haitians influence New Orleans culture and what brought them to Louisiana?
The Haitian immigrants influenced New Orleans culture by bringing strong beliefs of abolishing slavery, by sharing traditional foods, and by spreading their religion of Voudu. They fled to Louisiana because of the violence of the Haitian Revolution against France.
What was one result of the insurrection against Spanish proprietor Ulloa?
1. Bloody O'Reilly built the Cabildo
2. Bloody O'Reilly made alliances with native people
3. Bloody O'Reilly ended Ulloa's trade restrictions
What soup did the Spanish colonists from the Canary Islands make that influenced Louisiana culture?
Caldo