Louisiana has a rich, colorful
historical background. Early Spanish explorers were
Alvárez Piñeda, 1519; Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca,
1528; and Hernando de Soto in 1541. Sieur de la
Salle reached the mouth of the Mississippi and
claimed all the land drained by it and its
tributaries for Louis XIV of France in 1682.
Louisiana became a French crown colony in 1731 but
was ceded to Spain in 1763 after the French and
Indian Wars. (The portion east of the Mississippi
came under British control in 1764.) Louisiana
reverted to France in 1800 and was sold by Napoleon
to the U.S. in 1803. The southern part, known as the
territory of Orleans, became the state of Louisiana
in 1812.
During the Civil War, Louisiana joined the
Confederacy, but New Orleans was captured by Union
Adm. David Farragut in April 1862. The state's
economy suffered during Reconstruction; however, the
situation improved at the turn of the 20th century,
with the discovery of oil and natural gas and the
growth of industry.
Louisiana is a leader in natural gas, salt,
petroleum, and sulfur production. Much of the oil
and sulfur comes from offshore deposits. The state
also produces large crops of sweet potatoes, rice,
sugar cane, pecans, soybeans, corn, and cotton.
Leading manufactured items include chemicals,
processed food, petroleum and coal products, paper,
lumber and wood products, transportation equipment,
and apparel.
The state has become a popular tourist destination.
New Orleans is the major draw, known particularly
for its picturesque French Quarter and the annual
Mardi Gras celebration, held since 1838.
Other major points of interest include the Superdome
in New Orleans, historic plantation homes near
Natchitoches and New Iberia, Cajun country in the
Mississippi Delta Region, Chalmette National
Historic Park, and the state capital at Baton Rouge.
On Aug. 29, 2005, Louisiana was hit by Hurricane
Katrina, devastating New Orleans, and killing
hundreds elsewhere in the state, particularly in the
parishes of Jefferson and St. Bernard. As of Jan.
2006, the unofficial Louisiana Katrina death toll
was 1,100. Federal and local officials were widely
criticized for their slow and inadequate response to
the initial disaster and subsequent recovery
programs. |
