Desk Reference 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
200 YEARS IN THE MAKING Extent of Guiding Questions 1 Louisiana 1. Why were the political boundaries of the new state of Louisiana different from the boundaries of the Louisiana Territory? 2. Following the acquisition of statehood, hen Louisiana was which events and individuals helped W define the boundaries of the young state? admitted as a state in 1812, its political boundaries were far different from those of the 3. How have location and physical features expansive Louisiana Territory that was influenced both historical events in purchased by the United States just nine years Louisiana and the development of the earlier. state? 8 DCRT Education, www.crt.state.la.us/education Colonial Boundaries Right: The Iberville Stone, In 1682, René-Robert 1699 Louisiana State Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, Museum took possession of the Mississippi River, its STUDENT tributaries, and all the lands ACTIVITY drained by the river for Louis Make your own “Iberville XIV, king of France. The vast stone.” See territory claimed by La Salle page ten for directions. included the Mississippi River valley north to Canada and the Missouri River valley as far west as the Rockies. La Salle named this vast expanse "Louisiane" in honor of his king. In the eighteenth century, French settlements began to define the boundaries of Louisiana. Pierre Le Moyne, Boundary Changes sieur d’Iberville, established the first French settlement in The Seven Years' War Louisiana on the eastern shore (also called the French and Opposite Page: Carte de la of the Bay of Biloxi. Other Indian War) effectively redrew Louisiane et du Cours du Mississipi settlements followed at the European colonial boundaries Guillaume Delisle mouth of the Mississippi River in North America. In the face 1718 of significant British victories, Louisiana State Museum and at New Orleans. Inland, strategic fortifications were France transferred Louisiana Carte de la Louisiane is a west of the Mississippi and the “foundation map” that was located at Opelousas and widely copied by early Attakapas and along the Red Isle of Orleans to Spain with eighteenth century cartographers. River at Fort St. Jean Baptiste, the 1762 Treaty of present-day Natchitoches. Fontainebleau. A year later, MAP INVESTIGATION With the exception of a few the Treaty of Paris formally 1. What is a “foundation map?” posts established along the ended the war, placing Spanish 2. Why is Delisle's map northern sections of the Florida and French Louisiana considered a foundation east of the Mississippi River map? Mississippi and its tributaries, 3. What is different (and most French settlements in under British control. For important!) about Delisle’s colonial Louisiana were administrative purposes, first and second editions of Britain divided her new this map? located inside the borders of the present state, primarily Florida colony into East and Visit http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/3- West Florida. However, 4a.htm for information about this around New Orleans. The British rule along the Gulf map and answers to the three majority of the territory questions shown above. Coast was short-lived. remained a wilderness. DCRT Education, www.crt.state.la.us/education 9 During the American San Ildefonso ultimately Revolution, Spanish troops benefitted the United States. led by Bernardo de Galvez, Although Napoleon governor of Spanish Bonaparte envisioned a Louisiana, seized British renewed French empire in outposts at Baton Rouge in North America, his troops 1779 and later captured could not suppress the Mobile and Pensacola. In rebellion of enslaved 1783, another Treaty of Paris Africans in the sugar- ended the American producing colony of Saint- Revolution and returned both Domingue (modern-day East and West Florida to Haiti). Without Saint- Spain. It also gave the young Domingue, there was no United States control of land reason to hold Louisiana. located between the Napoleon agreed to sell Appalachian Mountains and Louisiana to the Americans the Mississippi River. These in 1803 for $15 million. new boundaries extended Above: Governor Bernardo de Galvez Spain's empire in North United States Territory Louisiana State Museum America, but brought it On December 20, STUDENT ACTIVITY directly into conflict with a Read the surrender terms for the 1779 Battle new rival, the United States. 1803, French colonial of Baton Rouge. Access the desk reference at The retrocession of prefect Pierre Clément de www.crt.state.la.us/education for the URL. Louisiana from Spain to Laussat transferred control France in the 1800 Treaty of of Louisiana to United States ART ACTIVITY: IBERVILLE STONE GLEs— Grade Eight: 4, 71, 72; Grade Three: 48. 53. 54, 55 Overview Encourage students to commemorate the bicentennial of Louisiana’s statehood by exploring interesting Louisiana locations and discovering what makes Louisiana unique. Ask students to make their own Iberville Stone marker for one of their favorite Louisiana locations. Materials Two cups of warm water, three cups of flour, bowl, large spoon, newspapers, flat box for form (students will shape their stone in this box), pencil Directions Spread newspaper on the work surface. Mix all ingredients and stir until smooth. Paste should be thick and smooth, but easy to stir. Add more flour or water as needed for the proper consistency. Pour the paste into the form, shaping it into a flat “stone.” While the mixture is still wet, use a pencil to “carve” the stone. Carve either the name or initials of your group members as well as the name of the location and the date the stone was made. 10 DCRT Education, www.crt.state.la.us/education Right: Carte Générale des Ètats- Unis, 1829 Louisiana State Museum DIGITAL MAP ACTIVITY View this map in the LOUISiana Digital Library to examine the extent of the United States in 1829. Access the desk reference at www.crt.state.la.us/education for the URL. commissioners William C. C. Claiborne and General James Wilkinson. The acquisition of the new territory more than doubled the physical size of acknowledged the middle of between Louisiana and Texas. the United States. However, the Mississippi River as the since the territory had never legitimate eastern boundary of West Florida been surveyed or mapped Louisiana to the 31° north In early 1804, thoroughly, the treaty did not latitude, the two countries Congress passed the Mobile outline the exact boundaries of disagreed over control of Act claiming control of West Louisiana. territory in West Florida and Florida to the Perdido River, President Thomas along the present-day border Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the Louisiana Territory; however, Jefferson also pursued a very broad vision of the territorial boundaries. This pursuit led the young nation into conflict with both Britain in the north and Spain in the southwest and southeast. Although the United States and Spain Right: Louisiana and West Florida as claimed by the United States Louisiana State Museum DCRT Education, www.crt.state.la.us/education 11 (1801) transferred Louisiana line between the Spanish at from Spain to France. Neither Los Adaes and the French at was it mentioned in the Fort St. Jean Baptiste. Louisiana Purchase Treaty of However, the United States 1803. argued that Louisiana's border Spanish authorities stretched at least to the Sabine continued to occupy West River and possibly even to the Florida despite American Rio Grande. claims. It was only in 1810, Negotiations to resolve after the Anglo-American the western border dispute settlers in West Florida broke down when Spain and rebelled against Spanish rule the United States severed and set up their own diplomatic relations in 1805. government, the West Florida Rumors circulated that both Republic, that the United sides were gathering troops States moved to annex the near the contested area. area. Even then, American General Wilkinson managed to authority only extended to avert warfare and found a roughly the Pearl River. This solution acceptable to both reduced West Florida was sides. The compromise that included within the borders of was reached with Spain the state of Louisiana in 1812. established a "neutral strip" in A series of armed the disputed area, with neither confrontations and power presiding over it for negotiations settled the over a decade. Finally, the remaining West Florida 1819 Adams-Onis Treaty Above: Border Bottle from Texas/ Louisiana Border boundary issues. American placed the boundary between Louisiana State Museum forces seized Mobile in 1813, Texas and the United States and the1819 Adams-Onis along the Sabine River, where Treaty secured all of Spanish it remains today. Florida for the United States. Two Territories the current boundary between Neutral Strip the states of Alabama and Following the transfer Florida. France had Spain and the United of Louisiana to the United administered their earliest States disagreed concerning States, Congress moved settlements in this area as part Louisiana's western border quickly to organize its new of Louisiana, and Spain had with Texas. Spanish officials acquisition. In March 1804, the continued the practice maintained that the traditional U.S. Congress passed following the American Texas border had extended to legislation entitled "An Act Revolution. However, this area the Arroyo Hondo, a dry gulch Erecting Louisiana Into Two had not been clearly specified west of Natchitoches. The Territories, and Providing for when the treaties of San Arroyo had served as the the Temporary Government Ildefonso (1800) and Madrid eighteenth century dividing Thereof," which divided the 12 DCRT Education, www.crt.state.la.us/education Purchase at 33° north latitude, PRIMARY SOURCES establishing the Territory of Orleans and Internet Resources the District of Louisiana. The present The Louisiana Purchase Legislative state of Louisiana, minus the Florida Timeline, Library of Congress http:// parishes, made up the Territory of memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/ Orleans.