Enhanced History of New Orleans

The Overview

New Orleans: 1723

New Orleans: Present Day

The history of New Orleans began with the discovery of the Mississippi River by Hernado DeSoto in 1541, by the Spanish (Garvey 11). The area claimed for France by Robert Cavelier de LaSalle in 1682 and called the land Louisiana after the King Louis of France (Garvey 12). Two brothers Iberville and Bienville settled the area, and arrive at the Mississippi River on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.  Iberville started Baton Rouge in 1699, and Bienville started New Orleans in 1718. Since 1718, New Orleans has been under control of 3 countries, of which it has emerged as a unique American city.

           

                            

 Iberville                                          Bienville

Why Build In a Swamp?

As retailers say, “Location, location, location”. Bienville noted that the location where New Orleans is sits at a crossroads point where the city is near the mouth of the river and is at a spot where people travel through when traveling east and west by land. The location has its drawbacks for sure, it is a swamp, mosquitoes are abundant (which carried yellow fever), and the location is at a high risk for flooding. Bienville knew this and deemed the benefits of the spot outweighed the drawbacks, and after some arguing with the royal engineer, they both agreed to start a settlement there. The location of New Orleans is a perfect spot to set up a trading town. The Mississippi river is the largest river in the United States and runs all the way up to Canada, not to mention all the other rivers that empty into the Mississippi River, such as the Illinois River and Wabash River. In other words if you threw a bottle into a river in the Midwest, that bottle would eventually get to New Orleans. Back in the early days the fastest method of mass shipping was done by ships, and New Orleans is the closest port to the gulf, so ships bound for Europe and the Caribbean traded goods in New Orleans with the wares that were shipped to New Orleans down the Mississippi River. 

The Mississippi River's Watershed

The French Era: 1718-1763

Philippe II, Duc D’Orleans

Philippe II, duc d’Orleans was born August 2^nd, 1674, and died December 2, 1723.  He was both nephew and son-in-law of King Louis XIV, and was regent of France to young Louis XV from 1715 to 1723.  Regent meant he was basically the de-facto leader of France while Louis XV came of age.  Though New Orleans is named in honor of him, Philippe II did not found the city, nor did he have a direct impact on its founding; his impact on the city after its founding was great, but had more to do with those he trusted and empowered during his time as regent of France.

Louisiana was originally claimed for France in 1682, and a pair of brothers by the surname Le Moyne, formally known as Sieur d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville, founded New Orleans in 1718.  It was named in honor of Philippe II, but Orleans is also the name of a city in France, and the French name was chosen, in part, to encourage French settlers who may have been more hesitant moving across the world to a city with an unfamiliar, Indian name.

The history of New Orleans, of course, must start with some history of Louisiana.  By 1712 Louisiana as a settlement had not prospered for France, and was transferred by Louis XIV to a wealthy banker by the name of Antoine Cozart, who, for the next 15 years would have control over the settlement; he gave it up after only 5 years, saying he had spent 4 times his original investment, and had not seen a profit.  So, in 1717 Louisiana was again transferred, this time to the Company of the West (known later as Company of the Indies), which was to have authority over Louisiana for the next 25 years, and would populate the colony with 6000 white settlers, and 3000 blacks within 10 years.  Company of the West was headed by one of the aforementioned people whom Philippe II trusted and empowered; a man named John Law.

John Law

John Law

John Law was a protestant, a Scotsman, a professional gambler, a “financial genius”, a manipulator and womanizer, and a fugitive from England, where he killed a man in a duel.  Additionally, John Law became a friend and advisor to Philippe II, himself known as something of a womanizer and rogue.  With the position Law held with Philippe II, he had the backing to enact his scheme to populate the colony of Louisiana, while making himself a hefty profit.  This scheme called for nobles and rich businessmen to invest in Louisiana land, and to entice (or force) Europe’s poor to colonize the land and to work as field hands.  Profits were to come to the investors when gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls were inevitably be found in the new world.  Money flooded in from investors, and with Philippe’s blessing, Law signed a contract with the government of France to establish a private bank to provide all the capital he needed.

Now inundated with cash, and with the backing of the government of France, Law put is plan into action.  Soon, a massive, unprecedented marketing campaign blanketed France, Germany, and Switzerland, promising land, transport, and provisions to those who would volunteer to colonize the new world.  It was said that the soil of Louisiana bore 2 crops a year without cultivation, and that the Indians would essentially work for free, as they so loved the white settlers.  There were promises of riches, and even of a climate where disease and old age did not exist.  Despite these promises and lofty claims, not enough people volunteered, so many colonists were vagrants, criminals, prostitutes, or simply the poor, who were kidnapped or coerced into populating the Louisiana territory.  Many prisoners, regardless of the validity of the charges, chose the new world over an old jail.  Prisoners were often paired with prostitutes and married, chained together, and sent off to the new world.

Meanwhile, during this time Bienville had begun building and establishing the city of L Nouvelle Orleans (New Orleans, of course).  He chose the site in part because he felt it was safe from hurricanes and tidal waters, and sat safely between two forts.  His vision ultimately succeeded despite many doubts and objections, including from the royal engineer.  This site was, after all, located in the middle of a swamp.  In 1718 the first wave of immigrants from Law’s campaign arrived, doubling Louisiana’s population in a single day.  Though they came from multiple nations in Europe, with a notable German presence, most came from France.  Louisiana, and especially New Orleans, was, and still is decidedly French.  French language and culture dominated through Spain’s rule of Louisiana, and remained once it became part of the United States, standing in stark contrast to the mostly protestant, largely puritanical original colonies.  A city founded and populated by rebels, rouges, and rabble, and that culture colored the soul of the city which still remains; loose, loud, maybe a bit lascivious, but ever welcoming, and, of course, fun.

The settlement made it through from year to year, some fur shipments were starting to come down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, but France was not making money from the settlement. The French and Indian War was from 1740-1763, France was fighting the British and the American colonies, and the result of the War forced France out of colonial America. King Louis XV of France offered Louisiana to his cousin King Charles III of Spain; King Charles III accepted, and New Orleans went to the control of Spain in 1763 (Garvey 38).

The Spanish Era: 1763-1803

The people of New Orleans were used to the French laissez-faire type of government, culture, and language. When the first Spanish governor took office, there were conflicts between the settlers and the local Spanish government. The first governor was forced out of Louisiana by the French settlers. The second Spanish governor, O’Reilly, executed 6 of the ringleaders of the French settlers, which established O’Reilly as the governor (Garvey 42-45). Even though the Spanish was the controlling government, the Spanish culture was not forced upon the settlers, so the French culture didn’t change. The Spanish governors had a more of a paternal style of government, and assimilated to the French culture by learning French, and marrying local women.

The Spanish governors improved New Orleans by setting up public works such as a fire department and schools. Two fires destroyed part of New Orleans, so the governor changed the way buildings were built to make them more fire resistant by incorporating tile roofs, wrought iron, and brick in the construction of the buildings. Trade increased as the settlers from the Atlantic coast moved west and used the Mississippi River to ship goods. New Orleans grew in population and in trading. The local Spanish government traded with the Americans and British for the supplies New Orleans needed, even though the government in Spain discouraged it. New Orleans was becoming a city with trade as its primary industry.

The American Era: 1803-Present

The year 1803 was a very interesting year for New Orleans. Just a few years earlier in 1801, Napoleon requested Louisiana from King Charles IV of Spain, and King Charles granted the request, so New Orleans was technically back in possession of France, but the transition between governments was slow. War between Napoleon and Britain raged, and President Thomas Jefferson was began negotiations with Napoleon in order to buy New Orleans and parts of Florida for $15,000,000. With Napoleon needing money and facing capture, didn’t want the Louisiana territory to go the British, and offered New Orleans and parts of Florida with the addition of all the Louisiana territory. The purchase became known as the Louisiana Purchase. The American flag was raised in the Place d’Armes in December of 1803 (Garvey 59).

The War of 1812 and Battle of New Orleans

Soon after the United States acquired the land, Louisiana became a state in 1812, was broke out with the British and the United States. The fighting out on the East Coast went more the British way than the United States would have liked. The White House was burned to the ground, but the British did suffer some defeats at the Great Lakes. Later Britain turned its attention to the city of New Orleans; and the aid of General Andrew Jackson was requested by Governor Claiborne.

Battle of New Orleans Video by the History Channel

The victory of the Battle of New Orleans was sung about later on in American folk music.

Jean Lafitte

Jean Lafitte

A smuggler, privateer, and pirate near New Orleans, who didn’t get along with Governor Claiborne, was approached by the British Navy and offered the rank of Captain and money if he fought for the British. Being more of a patriot, Jean Lafitte refused and gave word to Governor Claiborne of the British’s activity in the area. General Jackson was recruiting every man that could bear arms for the defense of New Orleans; Jean Lafitte and his pirates were promised full pardons if they fought with General Jackson. Lafitte agreed, he and his pirates showed up for war.

Pre-Civil War Era: 1820-1860

This is the ear that New Orleans became a boom town due to the increased southern production of cotton and granulation of sugar (Garvey 77). Steamboats were invented which made shipping up and down the Mississippi River faster. The population if New Orleans tripled during this time with immigrants that came from various countries. Suburbs developed, entertainment became popular, and the saloons had great business from all the traffic the river brought them.

 

Yellow fever had become an epidemic in the 1853 with one out of every 10 people dying from it. The disease symptoms included jaundice and vomiting blood; mosquitos carried the disease. This took its toll on the people of New Orleans, and strengthened the attitude of the society to enjoy today for there might not be a tomorrow.

Baroness Pontalba

Baroness Micaela Pontalba

The Baroness Micaela Pontalba was the sole heir of her father’s real estate and vast fortune. She married Celestin de Pontalba, son of Baron in France. Micaela was 16 when she married and started having children, and lived in France. When the she was pregnant with the first child, she refused to sign a paper claiming her husband as the beneficiary if she died in childbirth. This didn’t go over well with her husband’s family; especially her father-in-law, Baron Pontalba. Money got in the way of the marriage as both families were wary of each other. Micaela Pontalba divorced in 1831, and moved to New Orleans. Three years later her son ran away from the French military school, and Baron Pontalba dropped him from his will. Micaela went over to France to reconcile the will with Baron Pontalba. Baron Pontalba waited until she was alone in the room and shot her five times, then shot himself. Micaela survived and moved back to New Orleans. She owned the land on both sides of the Place d’ Armes, and designed apartment buildings. Other old buildings in the French Quarters were falling apart, and Baroness Pontalba renewed the public’s interest in restoring the old buildings. Place d’ Armes was renamed Jackson Square, after General Andrew Jackson, with the support of Baroness Pontalba.

Pontalba Apartments

Civil War and Reconstruction: 1860-1876

Tensions between the South and North came to a head in 1860 when the Civil War started by the Confederates firing on Fort Sumter. The people in New Orleans were not eager to succeed from the United States and fight for the Confederacy because much of New Orleans’ trading partners were the Northern states. Instead the people of New Orleans would have rather negotiated an agreement so that slavery was allowed.

Since New Orleans was a key location to control the Mississippi River, it was attacked by the Union earlier in the war in 1862. The Union Navy sailed up the river and blew through the defenses of New Orleans with relative ease since the city over estimated its defenses. The control of the city went to the Federal general: General Butler, he was hated by the people of New Orleans, but the city fared better than the other occupied cities of the Confederacy. Firstly, General Butler didn’t bombard the city, so all the building remained intact, and despite Confederacy efforts to bring on a yellow fever plague, the Union commander employed people to keep the streets clean. Trade was at a standstill until General Grant captured Vicksburg on July 4^, 1863, opening up all the Mississippi River for shipping.

After the Civil War ended in 1865, Louisiana became the first state to accept President Lincoln’s plan for reconstruction. Corruption during reconstruction was a major problem, funds were misappropriated, and the proud people of New Orleans were sore about losing the war, and were much poorer than before the Civil War began. New Orleans still had federal troops garrisoned in the city until 1876 when the Presidential election brought about an agreement to pull all federal troops from occupied cities. New Orleans then in 1876 was at liberty to conduct business as it pleased (Garvey 148).

Resurgence

The years following the Civil War were some of the most difficult for the people of New Orleans. Eventually trade started again, and New Orleans became one of the biggest port cities in the United States, and at one point was the biggest. The Civil War pointed out the weakness of the South, that it had a specialized economy that was focused on cotton and sugar with little industrialization. After the Civil War, railroads and factories were being built to become more industrialized. Railroads brought a more efficient method of shipping especially when traveling from east to the ever expanding west. The rest of the history of New Orleans has been shaped by the same events that shaped the rest of the country: World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, the civil rights movement, and Sept. 11^th. More recently a second resurgence of the city developed in the crisis that Hurricane Katrina brought.

As it is evident, New Orleans has been through much; having been under multiple countries’ rule, becoming a key trading port brought together many different sorts of people that wouldn’t have come together otherwise. The city of New Orleans has taken them and melted them together, adding their own flavor for the city that is different from the rest of the cities in the United States. 

How the City Speaks Through Its History

The aspects of New Orleans' history was evident when visiting the city in the present day. After several days of touring, there is a prevalence of the French culture that is more relaxed than the cultures of the Americans or Spanish, that have been ruling over New Orleans, not to say that being under the Spanish or America hasn't shaped the culture and history in certain ways, it is evident that the people of New Orleans want to preserve the laid back approach to life that they enjoyed for years. Disease and the dirtiness of the city, especially since there was no plumbing for many years, encouraged sickness and death to many of New Orleans' residence which strengthened that attitude of living for today because tomorrow you may die.  

With being a port city, they have had many different people make up the city; a common gathering place for everyone. One gathering place for slaves and free blacks was the Congo Square where they enjoyed dancing and music, mixing the African drumming with European dance. Music had historically been important to New Orleans; with being the birthplace for national movements like jazz and rock 'n roll; music is much a part of New Orleans today as it was in the past.
 

Sources

"French History in New Orleans." French History in New Orleans. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/multicultural/multiculturalhistory/french.html>

  Garvey, Joan B., and Mary Lou Widmer. Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans. Gretna: Pelican Publishing Company, 1982. Print

"Philippe II, duc d'Orleans". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 14 Dec. 2015
<http://www.britannica.com/biography/Philippe-II-duc-dOrleans>.

History of New Orleans

The Overview

New Orleans: 1723

New Orleans: Present Day

The history of New Orleans began with the discovery of the Mississippi River by Hernado DeSoto in 1541, by the Spanish (Garvey 11). The area claimed for France by Robert Cavelier de LaSalle in 1682 and called the land Louisiana after the King Louis of France (Garvey 12). Two brothers Iberville and Bienville settled the area, and arrive at the Mississippi River on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.  Iberville started Baton Rouge in 1699, and Bienville started New Orleans in 1718. Since 1718, New Orleans has been under control of 3 countries, of which it has emerged as a unique American city.

           

                            

 Iberville                                          Bienville

Why Build In a Swamp?

As retailers say, “Location, location, location”. Bienville noted that the location where New Orleans is sits at a crossroads point where the city is near the mouth of the river and is at a spot where people travel through when traveling east and west by land. The location has its drawbacks for sure, it is a swamp, mosquitoes are abundant (which carried yellow fever), and the location is at a high risk for flooding. Bienville knew this and deemed the benefits of the spot outweighed the drawbacks, and after some arguing with the royal engineer, they both agreed to start a settlement there. The location of New Orleans is a perfect spot to set up a trading town. The Mississippi river is the largest river in the United States and runs all the way up to Canada, not to mention all the other rivers that empty into the Mississippi River, such as the Illinois River and Wabash River. In other words if you threw a bottle into a river in the Midwest, that bottle would eventually get to New Orleans. Back in the early days the fastest method of mass shipping was done by ships, and New Orleans is the closest port to the gulf, so ships bound for Europe and the Caribbean traded goods in New Orleans with the wares that were shipped to New Orleans down the Mississippi River. 

The Mississippi River's Watershed

The French Era: 1718-1763

Philippe II, Duc D’Orleans

Philippe II, duc d’Orleans was born August 2^nd, 1674, and died December 2, 1723.  He was both nephew and son-in-law of King Louis XIV, and was regent of France to young Louis XV from 1715 to 1723.  Regent meant he was basically the de-facto leader of France while Louis XV came of age.  Though New Orleans is named in honor of him, Philippe II did not found the city, nor did he have a direct impact on its founding; his impact on the city after its founding was great, but had more to do with those he trusted and empowered during his time as regent of France.

Louisiana was originally claimed for France in 1682, and a pair of brothers by the surname Le Moyne, formally known as Sieur d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville, founded New Orleans in 1718.  It was named in honor of Philippe II, but Orleans is also the name of a city in France, and the French name was chosen, in part, to encourage French settlers who may have been more hesitant moving across the world to a city with an unfamiliar, Indian name.

The history of New Orleans, of course, must start with some history of Louisiana.  By 1712 Louisiana as a settlement had not prospered for France, and was transferred by Louis XIV to a wealthy banker by the name of Antoine Cozart, who, for the next 15 years would have control over the settlement; he gave it up after only 5 years, saying he had spent 4 times his original investment, and had not seen a profit.  So, in 1717 Louisiana was again transferred, this time to the Company of the West (known later as Company of the Indies), which was to have authority over Louisiana for the next 25 years, and would populate the colony with 6000 white settlers, and 3000 blacks within 10 years.  Company of the West was headed by one of the aforementioned people whom Philippe II trusted and empowered; a man named John Law.

John Law

John Law

John Law was a protestant, a Scotsman, a professional gambler, a “financial genius”, a manipulator and womanizer, and a fugitive from England, where he killed a man in a duel.  Additionally, John Law became a friend and advisor to Philippe II, himself known as something of a womanizer and rogue.  With the position Law held with Philippe II, he had the backing to enact his scheme to populate the colony of Louisiana, while making himself a hefty profit.  This scheme called for nobles and rich businessmen to invest in Louisiana land, and to entice (or force) Europe’s poor to colonize the land and to work as field hands.  Profits were to come to the investors when gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls were inevitably be found in the new world.  Money flooded in from investors, and with Philippe’s blessing, Law signed a contract with the government of France to establish a private bank to provide all the capital he needed.

Now inundated with cash, and with the backing of the government of France, Law put is plan into action.  Soon, a massive, unprecedented marketing campaign blanketed France, Germany, and Switzerland, promising land, transport, and provisions to those who would volunteer to colonize the new world.  It was said that the soil of Louisiana bore 2 crops a year without cultivation, and that the Indians would essentially work for free, as they so loved the white settlers.  There were promises of riches, and even of a climate where disease and old age did not exist.  Despite these promises and lofty claims, not enough people volunteered, so many colonists were vagrants, criminals, prostitutes, or simply the poor, who were kidnapped or coerced into populating the Louisiana territory.  Many prisoners, regardless of the validity of the charges, chose the new world over an old jail.  Prisoners were often paired with prostitutes and married, chained together, and sent off to the new world.

Meanwhile, during this time Bienville had begun building and establishing the city of L Nouvelle Orleans (New Orleans, of course).  He chose the site in part because he felt it was safe from hurricanes and tidal waters, and sat safely between two forts.  His vision ultimately succeeded despite many doubts and objections, including from the royal engineer.  This site was, after all, located in the middle of a swamp.  In 1718 the first wave of immigrants from Law’s campaign arrived, doubling Louisiana’s population in a single day.  Though they came from multiple nations in Europe, with a notable German presence, most came from France.  Louisiana, and especially New Orleans, was, and still is decidedly French.  French language and culture dominated through Spain’s rule of Louisiana, and remained once it became part of the United States, standing in stark contrast to the mostly protestant, largely puritanical original colonies.  A city founded and populated by rebels, rouges, and rabble, and that culture colored the soul of the city which still remains; loose, loud, maybe a bit lascivious, but ever welcoming, and, of course, fun.

The settlement made it through from year to year, some fur shipments were starting to come down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, but France was not making money from the settlement. The French and Indian War was from 1740-1763, France was fighting the British and the American colonies, and the result of the War forced France out of colonial America. King Louis XV of France offered Louisiana to his cousin King Charles III of Spain; King Charles III accepted, and New Orleans went to the control of Spain in 1763 (Garvey 38).

The Spanish Era: 1763-1803

The people of New Orleans were used to the French laissez-faire type of government, culture, and language. When the first Spanish governor took office, there were conflicts between the settlers and the local Spanish government. The first governor was forced out of Louisiana by the French settlers. The second Spanish governor, O’Reilly, executed 6 of the ringleaders of the French settlers, which established O’Reilly as the governor (Garvey 42-45). Even though the Spanish was the controlling government, the Spanish culture was not forced upon the settlers, so the French culture didn’t change. The Spanish governors had a more of a paternal style of government, and assimilated to the French culture by learning French, and marrying local women.

The Spanish governors improved New Orleans by setting up public works such as a fire department and schools. Two fires destroyed part of New Orleans, so the governor changed the way buildings were built to make them more fire resistant by incorporating tile roofs, wrought iron, and brick in the construction of the buildings. Trade increased as the settlers from the Atlantic coast moved west and used the Mississippi River to ship goods. New Orleans grew in population and in trading. The local Spanish government traded with the Americans and British for the supplies New Orleans needed, even though the government in Spain discouraged it. New Orleans was becoming a city with trade as its primary industry.

The American Era: 1803-Present

The year 1803 was a very interesting year for New Orleans. Just a few years earlier in 1801, Napoleon requested Louisiana from King Charles IV of Spain, and King Charles granted the request, so New Orleans was technically back in possession of France, but the transition between governments was slow. War between Napoleon and Britain raged, and President Thomas Jefferson was began negotiations with Napoleon in order to buy New Orleans and parts of Florida for $15,000,000. With Napoleon needing money and facing capture, didn’t want the Louisiana territory to go the British, and offered New Orleans and parts of Florida with the addition of all the Louisiana territory. The purchase became known as the Louisiana Purchase. The American flag was raised in the Place d’Armes in December of 1803 (Garvey 59).

The War of 1812 and Battle of New Orleans

Soon after the United States acquired the land, Louisiana became a state in 1812, was broke out with the British and the United States. The fighting out on the East Coast went more the British way than the United States would have liked. The White House was burned to the ground, but the British did suffer some defeats at the Great Lakes. Later Britain turned its attention to the city of New Orleans; and the aid of General Andrew Jackson was requested by Governor Claiborne.

Battle of New Orleans Video by the History Channel

The victory of the Battle of New Orleans was sung about later on in American folk music.

Jean Lafitte

Jean Lafitte

A smuggler, privateer, and pirate near New Orleans, who didn’t get along with Governor Claiborne, was approached by the British Navy and offered the rank of Captain and money if he fought for the British. Being more of a patriot, Jean Lafitte refused and gave word to Governor Claiborne of the British’s activity in the area. General Jackson was recruiting every man that could bear arms for the defense of New Orleans; Jean Lafitte and his pirates were promised full pardons if they fought with General Jackson. Lafitte agreed, he and his pirates showed up for war.

Pre-Civil War Era: 1820-1860

This is the ear that New Orleans became a boom town due to the increased southern production of cotton and granulation of sugar (Garvey 77). Steamboats were invented which made shipping up and down the Mississippi River faster. The population if New Orleans tripled during this time with immigrants that came from various countries. Suburbs developed, entertainment became popular, and the saloons had great business from all the traffic the river brought them.

Baroness Pontalba

Baroness Micaela Pontalba

The Baroness Micaela Pontalba was the sole heir of her father’s real estate and vast fortune. She married Celestin de Pontalba, son of Baron in France. Micaela was 16 when she married and started having children, and lived in France. When the she was pregnant with the first child, she refused to sign a paper claiming her husband as the beneficiary if she died in childbirth. This didn’t go over well with her husband’s family; especially her father-in-law, Baron Pontalba. Money got in the way of the marriage as both families were wary of each other. Micaela Pontalba divorced in 1831, and moved to New Orleans. Three years later her son ran away from the French military school, and Baron Pontalba dropped him from his will. Micaela went over to France to reconcile the will with Baron Pontalba. Baron Pontalba waited until she was alone in the room and shot her five times, then shot himself. Micaela survived and moved back to New Orleans. She owned the land on both sides of the Place d’ Armes, and designed apartment buildings. Other old buildings in the French Quarters were falling apart, and Baroness Pontalba renewed the public’s interest in restoring the old buildings. Place d’ Armes was renamed Jackson Square, after General Andrew Jackson, with the support of Baroness Pontalba.

Pontalba Apartments

Civil War and Reconstruction: 1860-1876

Tensions between the South and North came to a head in 1860 when the Civil War started by the Confederates firing on Fort Sumter. The people in New Orleans were not eager to succeed from the United States and fight for the Confederacy because much of New Orleans’ trading partners were the Northern states. Instead the people of New Orleans would have rather negotiated an agreement so that slavery was allowed.

Since New Orleans was a key location to control the Mississippi River, it was attacked by the Union earlier in the war in 1862. The Union Navy sailed up the river and blew through the defenses of New Orleans with relative ease since the city over estimated its defenses. The control of the city went to the Federal general: General Butler, he was hated by the people of New Orleans, but the city fared better than the other occupied cities of the Confederacy. Firstly, General Butler didn’t bombard the city, so all the building remained intact, and despite Confederacy efforts to bring on a yellow fever plague, the Union commander employed people to keep the streets clean. Trade was at a standstill until General Grant captured Vicksburg on July 4^, 1863, opening up all the Mississippi River for shipping.

After the Civil War ended in 1865, Louisiana became the first state to accept President Lincoln’s plan for reconstruction. Corruption during reconstruction was a major problem, funds were misappropriated, and the proud people of New Orleans were sore about losing the war, and were much poorer than before the Civil War began. New Orleans still had federal troops garrisoned in the city until 1876 when the Presidential election brought about an agreement to pull all federal troops from occupied cities. New Orleans then in 1876 was at liberty to conduct business as it pleased (Garvey 148).

Resurgence

The years following the Civil War were some of the most difficult for the people of New Orleans. Eventually trade started again, and New Orleans became one of the biggest port cities in the United States, and at one point was the biggest. The Civil War pointed out the weakness of the South, that it had a specialized economy that was focused on cotton and sugar with little industrialization. After the Civil War, railroads and factories were being built to become more industrialized. Railroads brought a more efficient method of shipping especially when traveling from east to the ever expanding west. The rest of the history of New Orleans has been shaped by the same events that shaped the rest of the country: World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, the civil rights movement, and Sept. 11^th. More recently a second resurgence of the city developed in the crisis that Hurricane Katrina brought.

As it is evident, New Orleans has been through much; having been under multiple countries’ rule, becoming a key trading port brought together many different sorts of people that wouldn’t have come together otherwise. The city of New Orleans has taken them and melted them together, adding their own flavor for the city that is different from the rest of the cities in the United States. 

Sources

"French History in New Orleans." French History in New Orleans. Web. 14 Dec. 2015. <http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/multicultural/multiculturalhistory/french.html>

  Garvey, Joan B., and Mary Lou Widmer. Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans. Gretna: Pelican Publishing Company, 1982. Print

"Philippe II, duc d'Orleans". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 14 Dec. 2015
<http://www.britannica.com/biography/Philippe-II-duc-dOrleans>.