La Louisiane

Baton Rouge = Red Stick This marked the area between two Native

American tribes and the French.

La Capitale

Who founded the area?

The French; René Robert Cavalier de la Salle claimed it for France.

What is the origin of the name? Named in honor of King Louis XIV

How did the U.S. obtain it? In 1803 France (Napoleon) sold it to the U.S.

for $15 million in the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the U.S.

L’Histoire de la Louisiane

The Louisiana

Purchase

L’Histoire des

Acadiens

How did the whole thing begin?

1604

People from western France came to Nova Scotia, which was called Acadia (Acadie) at the time.

France gave Acadia to the British (due to a lost

battle)

Acadia became a British colony.

The Acadians (who were French and had founded the area) refused to swear allegiance to the British crown.

What changed it all?1713

The British governor was fed up with the

Acadians not cooperating, so… …he decided to expel them… Villages were attacked, people were

imprisoned, houses were burned. Families were separated and put on boats, first men and then women and children.

This was one of the cruelest events in Canadian history.

How did it get worse?1755

How did it end up?

1760 Acadians bounced down

the east coast (Virginia, Georgia, the Antilles) but did not stop. Why? They were British

colonies! They ended up in Haiti

and Louisiana. Why? They were French

colonies!

The Acadians rebuilt their community in

Louisiana.

Other immigrants (German, Spanish, English, Blacks) became adopted Acadians.

Now close to 1 million Acadians in la Louisiane.

The Créoles were already there from (Part I) and the Caribbean in the cities.

How did it end up?1760

A changed form of the French word “acadien”; the

Créoles couldn’t pronounce it.

These people came from Acadia (Acadie).

Settled in the bayous.

Cajuns

A blend of French, Spanish, African, and American

Indian language and food.

These people are from the Caribbean and France.

Arrived in Louisiana first.

Settled in the cities.

http://www.frenchcreoles.com

Créole

Cajuns

Fishing and farming

Créoles

Tourism and regular jobs

How does each group make their living?

A distinct variation of French

A blend of Créole, French, and American Indian

Dying language now, the teachers aren’t French. Older people are upset about it because they don’t want to lose their culture.

Language

Chop the g off the words that end with ing.

Looking becomes lookin’; pinching becomes pinchin’.

Substitute all long i sounds and short a sounds with ah.Time becomes tahm; half becomes hahf.

Sift out the hard consonants at the ends of words.Told becomes tol’; best becomes bes’.

Boil all th sounds till the h evaporates.Throughout becomes t’roughout; Thing becomes t’ing.

Finely dice “correct grammar” to a pulp. Stir in a lilt, and add a pinch of music to the voice. Simmer into a rich stew. Spice with humor, a relish for festivity, a love for

relaxation, and a dash of dramatic. Cook at approximately 80 to 90ºF.

Bon appétit!

Recipe for a Cajun Accent

A. There are no counties, people live in

Parishes (from Roman Catholic France).

B. The laws are based on Napoleonic code, not British common law.

French Influences: Catholic religion, language, holidays, festivals, some food.

Les Choses Uniques(Unique Things)

1st city settled; the largest city What is it called by the natives?

Nawlins

Le Vieux Carré? Literally means “The Old Square”= The French

Quarter; was originally a walled city. Bourbon Street is the heart of the French

Quarter.

New Orléans

Food

Music

Mardi Gras

3 Biggest Attractions

En général

Seafood—crawfish (mudbugs), catfish, frog’s legs, alligator

Beignets Po’ Boys Spicy!

Food

Cajun (Poor)

Rice, gumbo, jambalaya Blackened with Cajun spices to cover poor

quality or taste

Food

Classic French (créoles & the rich)

French Revolution—chopped off heads; chefs needed jobs

1800’s—massive slave rebellion in Caribbean; owners fled to New Orleans and needed chefs.

Food

Birthplace of Jazz Zydeco = accordian, fiddle, washboard; a

blend of créole, cajun and african traditions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHlHt7Djcg

0

Music

What would you see if you went there?

Mardi Gras World St. Louis Cathedral Street artists

fortune tellers, palm readers, caricature artists, clowns, jugglers…

Architecture balconies and wrought iron balconies

Cemeteries Can’t be buried, would be below sea level!

La Nouvelle Orléans

Mardi Gras World

St. Louis Cathedral

Architecture

Cemeteries

What to watch out for!

Very high crime, especially in cemetaries and during Mardi Gras

Murder capital of America

La Nouvelle Orléans

Mardi Gras