CHAPTER 16
LOUISIANA’S
CONTEMPORARY ERA:
PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS
Pages 508-543
Focus on Skills
Identifying a State Issue
Page 510
Section 1
Challenges
Pages 511-516
Section 2
Louisiana’s Contemporary
Governors
Pages 517-524
Section 3
Quality of Life
Pages 525-531
Section 4
Twenty-first Century
Lifestyles
Pages 532-535
Meeting Expectations
The Economics of the 1984
New Orleans World’s Fair
Page 536
Chapter Summary
Page 537
Activities for Learning
Pages 538-539
16
Louisiana’s
Contemporary Era:
Problems and
Prospects
Chapter
TEACH
Reading Strategy
Predicting
Ask students to brainstorm what
Louisiana might be like in 2084.
T508
Have students discuss how their
culture and Louisiana have shaped
their lives. How has their culture
impacted where they live, what
they do, and what they believe?
Guiding Question 10-2
Multidisciplinary Activity
Math Have students make graphs
summarizing the types of activities
in which they are involved. Ask
them how living in Louisiana has
allowed them to do these things.
Which ones could they not do if
they lived somewhere else? For
example, could they visit wetlands if
they lived in Arizona?
Chapter Preview
Terms: recession, OPEC,
Medicaid, TOPS, gaming,
bankruptcy, EPA, DEQ
People: David Treen, Russell
Long, John Breaux, Mary
Landrieu, Charles “Buddy”
Roemer, Murphy “Mike” Foster,
Cleo Fields, Bobby Jindal,
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Places: Versailles
Focus
Share an excerpt or summary
from George Orwell’s novel 1984
with the class. (You may also show
the movie.) Discuss what Orwell
thought life would be like in 1984
and ask students to list ten things
they think will be discussed in the
study of Louisiana history between
1980 and 2005.
Class Discussion
508
Reading Strategy
Y
ou are the story of twenty-first century Louisiana—connecting
the past, the present, and the future. You share the interests and
dreams of all American young people. At the same time, the unique
culture and environment of Louisiana shape your way of life.
Some of you will stay after school in the computer lab, while others may
be part of a group completing a water quality test in an outdoor science lab.
At another school, you may vote to elect your student body president or participate in a service project. Somewhere else, the school band practices for a
concert while another group finishes the school newspaper. A basketball game
Louisiana The History of an American State
is being played in a school gymnasium while a soccer team practices on the
school field.
Like students anywhere in the USA, some may head to the mall, while others go to the arcade. You may go to after-school tutoring or to piano lessons.
Perhaps you baby-sit or mow lawns, just like people your age in other states.
Louisiana also offers special experiences. A group of friends may head out
for a canoe trip on a nearby bayou. Two cousins meet for practice with the
family zydeco band. A family plans a crawfish boil. The special place that is
Louisiana still influences who we are, what we do, and where we are going.
Chapter 16
Above: When Hurricane
Katrina hit in August 2005,
levees designed to hold back
Lake Pontchartrain failed.
About 80 percent of New
Orleans flooded.
Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
509
Writing Activity
Reading Strategy
Reading Strategy
This unit focuses on the issues
and concerns of the future as they
will affect the lives of young
people today. Have students write
a short autobiography, which
includes significant events in
their lives, their hobbies and
interests, and their future plans.
Reviewing
Ask students to think about
their own lives and make a list of
events that have occurred since
their births. To determine what
they know about these events, ask
them to choose three events that
they believe are significant and
write two or three sentences
describing each. Put these aside
to be discussed in class at the end
of the unit.
Categorizing
Have students make a list of all the activities in which they participate – at
home, at school, in the community. You may want them to make a chart like the
following.
With Family
At School
For Personal
Growth
In the
Community
Reinforcing GLE Vocabulary
Have students review the
definition of primary source. (Refer
back to page 456 in Chapter 14.)
Ask them to list examples of
primary sources, e.g., diaries,
photographs, memorabilia. Then
have students choose a primary
source to represent their lives.
Picnic
Visiting family
Band, Debate,
Football
Music lessons
Movies
Shopping
T509
Each Focus on Skills defines a skill,
gives the teacher an opportunity to
conduct a guided practice on the
skill, and finally allows students to
apply their understanding by
practicing the skill on their own.
Try This!
After students have shared their
list of issues with another student,
ask them to choose two that they
believe are the most important to
the state of Louisiana. Then, have
each pair share their issues with the
class. Remove any duplications, and
ask students to rank all of the
students’ ideas. Make a class ranking
by tabulating the students’ rankings
or come to consensus through
discussion.
It’s Your Turn!
Examine the lists submitted by
older people. Compare those lists to
the one generated by students. Note
any similarities and/or differences.
Discuss why the lists might be different.
Focus
on
Skills
Identifying
a State
Issue
Defining the Skill
Every state is unique, with its own goals and issues. Just as individuals look at things from a personal point of view, a state tends to look at events
and issues from its own perspective. Each state has
concerns about its economic well-being as well as
the personal well-being of its citizens. As a result,
each state acts to promote its own interests. State
interests may change from year to year as circumstances change. Because there is never enough money
to address all the identified goals or issues, leaders
must determine a system to evaluate the importance
and cost effectiveness of each proposal.
To identify issues that are important to Louisiana
1. read the newspaper or listen to news
broadcasts to identify current issues in
Louisiana;
2. talk to family members, friends, and
neighbors to find out what issues they
believe are important in the state;
State Issue
1._________________________________________
2._________________________________________
3._________________________________________
4._________________________________________
5._________________________________________
6._________________________________________
7._________________________________________
8._________________________________________
9._________________________________________
10._________________________________________
510
3. compile a list of laws passed in a recent
session of the legislature; and
4. match the laws passed by the legislature with
the issues you identified in #1 and #2.
Try This!
Read pages 528-532 and, on a separate sheet of
paper, list the issues in twenty-first-century Louisiana that are described there. Rank the issues according to their importance—from #1 being the most
important to #4 being the least important. Share
your ideas with another student.
It’s Your Turn!
1
Section
SECTION 1
CHALLENGES
Challenges
INTRODUCE
As you read, look for:
Outline
• the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,
• the changes to Louisiana’s economy,
• political changes, and
• vocabulary terms recession and OPEC.
The people, the events, and the ideas of the past formed the foundation of
today’s Louisiana. The economic, political, and social aspects of present-day
Louisiana explain our state’s twenty-first-century direction.
The 2005 Hurricanes
On August 28, 2005, Louisiana was moving positively into the future. The
very next day, that future shifted with the blow from Hurricane Katrina. The
Above: The floodwaters from
Hurricane Katrina deposited this
car on a house.
Figure 33 Timeline: 1980–2005
Read newspapers or ask parents and friends to
identify other issues. Try to come up with at least
ten issues. Copy the graphic organizer shown below
on a separate sheet of paper and rank each issue
from most important (#1) to least important (#10).
Be prepared to give reasons for your ranking.
Reason for Ranking
_____________________________________________
___________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
____________________________________________
1984
Louisiana World
Exposition
1986
Education trust fund
established
1979
David Treen elected
first Republican
governor since
Reconstruction
1980
1987
Buddy Roemer
elected governor
1985
1980
Ronald Reagan elected
president
1986
Space shuttle
Challenger exploded
1988
George H. W. Bush elected president
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
1991
Edwin Edwards
won fourth term
as governor;
State lottery
started
1990
1995
Mike Foster
elected governor
2005
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
2003
Kathleen Blanco
elected governor
1996
Mary Landrieu elected to
U.S. Senate
1995
2000
1992
Bill Clinton elected president
1991
Persian Gulf War
1989
Berlin Wall torn down
2000
George W. Bush
elected president
Section 1
2005
2003
War on Iraq
2001
Terrorists attacked World
Trade Center, Pentagon
Challenges
511
Materials
Textbook, pages 511-519
Blackline Masters
Unemployment Statistics,
page 211
Using the Census, page 212
New Orleans and Other World
Ports, page 213
Congressional Districts in
Louisiana, page 214
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Tell students that some people
have referred to the 1980s as the
“Decade of Greed” and the “Me
Decade.” Discuss why focusing only
on personal or individual goals and
gains does not help society as a
whole.
TEACH
Objectives
GLE 10: Analyze the population characteristics and other demographic information
about the United States and Louisiana, including rates of increase/decrease for
demographic variables.
GLE 13: Describe factors that contribute to economic interdependence at the
local, national, and global level, as related to Louisiana’s past and present.
GLE 16: Analyze the distribution and uses of Louisiana’s natural resources.
GLE 24: Identify current government leaders at the state, local, and national
levels in the United States.
GLE 27: Describe ways by which public policies are formed, including the role of
lobbyists, special interest groups, and constituents.
GLE 30: Evaluate a type of tax in a historical context (e.g., severance tax).
T510
A. The 2005 Hurricanes
B. The Economy
1. The Oil Industry
2. Economic Goals
C. Education
D. Political Trends
1. Becoming a Two-Party State
2. Louisiana in Congress
Reading Strategy
Reviewing
Have students skim Chapters
12-16 to review events that occurred
during the 20th century. Ask them
to list fifteen events and ten people
that they believe had the greatest
impact on the century in Louisiana.
Ask them to highlight any of the
events that appeared on their
personal timelines.
Guiding Questions 10-23, 10-27,
and 10-28
T511
Class Discussion
Ask students
• how they personally were affected
by the hurricanes of 2005.
(Knowledge)
• how the hurricanes affected the
state’s geography, economy, politics,
and culture. (Comprehension)
Critical Thinking
Introduce the idea of putting
together home safety or emergency
kits for use in the event of severe
weather. List a number of items on
the chalkboard and have students
eliminate the nonuseful ones. Have
them provide a reason for the items
they choose to be in their safety kit
and those they exclude. Then have
them add items they believe should
be included in a family kit. (NOTE:
suggested items might include
Sterno, box of cereal, diapers, large
flashlight, canned fruit, electric can
opener, aluminum rope, AA batteries, oatmeal, water, pots, aluminum
bowl, portable television, lamp,
plastic sheets, broom, plastic bowls,
aluminum foil, compass, cooking oil,
nails, rain gauge, lightning rod,
butane lighter, fresh vegetables,
light bulbs, matches, towels,
chocolate bars, thermometer, etc.
Suggested items to be added might
include: D batteries, hammer. For a
complete list of recommended
supplies, go to www.redcross.org/
services/disaster/0,1082,0_3_,00
.html.)
Above: Louisiana’s National
Guard helped clean up the
debris left by Hurricane
Katrina.
512
flooding of New Orleans and Hurricane Rita compounded the crisis. The hurricanes of 2005 altered Louisiana, both present and future. These disasters affected not only the state’s geography but also its economy, politics, and culture.
Hurricane Katrina has been described as one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Millions of coastal residents evacuated before the storm,
but some either could not or would not leave.
Below New Orleans, St. Bernard and
Plaquemines Parishes were wrecked
by the storm’s wind and water. The
suburban parish of Jefferson flooded
extensively, and St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes suffered tremendous wind damage.
Initially, New Orleans appeared to
have escaped the worst, but the story
changed when the city began to flood.
Breaches in several levees allowed the
waters of Lake Pontchartrain into the
low-lying areas of the city. Soon, about
80 percent of the city was flooded, and
the pumping process to remove the water took weeks.
The days after Katrina held misery,
misinformation, and misunderstanding. It was impossible to get an accurate
account of conditions in the city because the communication systems failed.
First responders could not communicate with each other or with a central command. Despite this lack of information, a massive search and rescue effort began
as people were stranded on rooftops, in the Superdome, and in the Convention
Center. Brave rescuers set out in boats to find survivors. Helicopter pilots hovered over rooftops to save others.
This rescue effort was still underway when Hurricane Rita hit southwest
Louisiana less than a month later. Luckily, most of the region had evacuated,
but Lake Charles flooded and Cameron Parish was almost completely destroyed.
Hurricane Rita also flooded the small towns of Delcambre and Erath.
The areas destroyed by these hurricanes looked like bomb sites. Houses,
schools, churches, stores, and hospitals were flattened or flooded. The wind
and water pushed houses and boats onto highways and leaned cars against
trees. Utilities were out for months in some places, and a major Interstate 10
bridge was heavily damaged.
The magnitude of the impact of the hurricanes is not easily conveyed by words.
Even photographs and video are limited, because the entire scene cannot be shown.
Members of Congress who have come to Louisiana have said the situation cannot be understood unless it is seen in person. Many of them changed their minds
about the need for federal help after they saw the devastation.
Writing Activity
Have students write a short story
about either Hurricane Katrina’s or
Hurricane Rita’s effect on Louisiana.
Social Studies Skill
Making a Map
In the days after Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita, Louisiana residents
were evacuated to many other
states. Have students research and
make a map that shows where
Louisianians went.
Social Studies Skill
Living in Louisiana today, you are observing history as it is being written. The
accounts available now are the immediate and incomplete version. This story
will need the passage and perspective of time to become history rather than news.
One important story already recorded shows the concern of other Americans. First responders came from many other states to rescue people trapped
by the flood. Nurses used their vacations to come to Louisiana to provide medical
care. Thousands of high school and college students used their spring break to
help with the cleanup. Teachers from Colorado came to help a school in Erath.
Elementary school children sent gifts to Louisiana schools. Habitat for Humanity
began building houses for families who had lost everything. This personal support from volunteers encouraged the survivors of the storms as they faced an
uncertain future.
The widespread devastation disrupted the lives of many of Louisiana’s people.
Some had been evacuated to other states and may not return because they
have no homes, no neighborhoods, and no jobs left. Others returned and began to rebuild.
As individuals and families attempted to recover, so did the state’s economy.
The port of New Orleans was closed and took many months to return to normal. In southwest Louisiana, the fishing industry lost boats and processing
plants. Throughout the Gulf Coast region, buildings and equipment were destroyed, workers could not return because of a lack of housing, and fewer people
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Above: The tremendous wind
and waves from Hurricane
Rita stranded this shrimp
boat in a parking lot.
Making a Timeline
Have students make a timeline of
the events from August 2005 to the
present to review the hurricanes and
the recovery efforts.
Lagniappe
• The dangerous energy from a hurricane is equal to the electric energy
used by the United States in a year!
• The national Weather Service
retired the names Katrina and Rita
after the 2005 season,
Civic Participation
If a destructive hurricane or
tornado occurs, encourage students
to volunteer in cleanup, fundraising,
or collecting supplies to help those
who were affected.
Section 1
Challenges
513
Civic Participation
Students might visit other
classrooms to share their ideas for
emergency kits or make a
presentation on the usefulness
of such kits at a school function.
T512
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 37: Explain the role of nation-states in various alliances and international
organizations (e.g., NATO, the United Nations, OPEC) and identify effects of their
decisions upon Louisiana.
GLE 38: Explain how U.S. foreign policy has affected Louisiana (e.g., tariffs,
NAFTA).
GLE 51: Use economic concepts (e.g., scarcity, opportunity cost) to explain
historic and contemporary events and developments in Louisiana.
GLE 52: Explain how supply and demand affect prices.
GLE 55: Identify the costs and benefits of a given government policy (e.g., trade
agreements, minimum wage) on a competitive market.
GLE 57: Explain reasons for trade between nations and the impact of
international trade.
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 58: Describe historical and economic factors influencing the economic
growth, interdependence and development of Louisiana and the nation (e.g., mass
production, oil boom and decline).
GLE 59: Explain the meaning of various economic indicators that help describe the
state of an economy (e.g., GDP, CPI, stock market indices, rate of unemployment or
inflation).
GLE 62: Construct a timeline of key events in Louisiana history.
GLE 64: Compare and contrast events and ideas from Louisiana’s past and present,
explaining political, social, or economic contexts.
GLE 65: Analyze the causes, effects, or impact of a given historical event in
Louisiana.
T513
Class Discussion
Ask students what ideas they
might suggest for rebuilding New
Orleans and the southeastern and
southwestern parishes.
Social Studies Skill
Taking a Survey
Have students take a survey of
the businesses in your town, city, or
parish. Find out whether they suffered damage from the 2005
hurricanes, how the hurricanes
affected their business, and plans
for recovery.
Social Studies Skill
Making a Map
Have students locate the member
nations of OPEC on an outline map
of the world. Ask students to
describe what the map tells them
about the location of oil deposits.
Have them identify other locations
of oil deposits, e.g., Louisiana,
Texas, Alaska. Ask why the United
States is not a member of OPEC.
Have students explain how the data
illustrates the United States’s interdependence with the rest of the
world.
Guiding Questions 10-4, 10-7,
10-12, and 10-16
Above: Revelers returned to
New Orleans for Mardi Gras
in 2006, but it will be years
before the crowds resemble
those before the hurricanes.
Lagniappe
Current OPEC members are
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Venezuela, Qatar,
Libya, Indonesia, the United
Arab Emirates, Algeria,
and Nigeria.
514
meant fewer customers. State and local government faced the challenges
of the loss of tax revenue and the need
for recovery planning.
Recovery will also require finding
answers to many questions. Why did
the levees fail? Can adequate hurricane protection be provided? What
steps can be taken to better prepare
for hurricanes? Can government at all
levels improve disaster response?
Other questions can be answered
only in the context of future events.
How soon will the city of New Orleans
rebuild? Will Congress increase Louisiana’s share of offshore oil royalties to
be spent to slow coastal erosion? How
will politics be influenced by the population change? How will the economy
be affected in the long term?
These devastating hurricanes changed Louisiana in ways that will be felt far
into the future.
The Economy
The hurricanes had a negative economic impact that halted growth in coastal
Louisiana. The state’s economy now needs to rebound from those devastating
storms.
Capital investments were damaged or destroyed and must be rebuilt. Almost 20,000 businesses were lost, including essential seafood processing plants
in southwest Louisiana. The human capital needed to support a strong economy
was often not available because workers had lost their homes and could not
return to work. Other workers could not return because their jobs were no
longer available.
Louisiana must recover and rebuild before it can move forward. These events
have become a major chapter in the boom-and-bust economy of Louisiana.
The Oil Industry
During the twentieth century, Louisiana’s economy was like a seesaw, pushed
up and down by oil. When the price of oil was high, the economy boomed. But
the state struggled when the price of oil dropped.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, oil prices reached record highs. The price of
oil is affected most by OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. This group controls the price as well as the amount of oil they export.
Other oil-producing countries also influence the market, but OPEC exerts the
most control.
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
In 1970, oil prices were $2 a barrel. In 1975, oil prices skyrocketed to $12 a
barrel and to $40 a barrel in 1981. The severance tax on the oil produced in
Louisiana added millions of dollars to state revenues.
But the oil boom turned into an oil bust. The economies of countries that
had to import the high-priced oil suffered. This caused a worldwide recession,
a temporary economic downturn. The demand for oil dropped. The drop in
demand combined with overproduction to create an oil surplus. Oil prices began to drop sharply. The price of oil dropped so low that drilling new wells was
no longer profitable. In Louisiana, unused oil field equipment was stacked in
vacant lots.
The state suffered because its economy relied on oil. The severance tax revenue dropped, and the state had trouble meeting its basic budget needs. At
the same time, the federal funding that had supported many programs was
reduced.
The state budget was slashed. Funding for education was reduced, with big
cuts to colleges and universities. Money was not available to maintain roads
and state buildings. Many state parks were closed during this budget crisis.
Businesses failed, and Louisiana had the highest unemployment rate in
the nation. The population declined as people moved to other states to find
work. The bumper sticker “Will the last person to leave Lafayette please turn
out the lights?” showed the attitude about the oil crash. The future seemed
bleak.
Low oil prices continued throughout the 1980s. The state’s economy began
to improve in the early 1990s. One reason for the increase was the Persian Gulf
War of 1991. However, the oil industry in Louisiana did not return to the boom
level that existed before the drop of the 1980s. The state could no longer pay
for government services without changes in taxes. Louisiana needed to develop a diverse economy so that it would no longer be at the mercy of a single
industry.
During the 1990s, the U.S. economy expanded, and Louisiana’s economy
improved. Much of the U.S. growth resulted from the booming information
technology industry. States with large technology industries did better than
Louisiana until that industry too experienced a bust in 2000-2001. This change
was as rapid and dramatic as the bust in the oil industry had been a decade
before. Louisiana felt the effects of this downturn but not nearly as much as
other states.
By 2005, Louisiana’s economy was again improving, with a focus on tourism. Advertising campaigns sent invitations around the world to potential visitors. Those visitors spent billions of dollars each year in New Orleans alone.
Hurricane Katrina halted this industry for months, but New Orleans celebrated
Mardi Gras in 2006 to show the state’s desire to rebuild. The state needs the
recovery and growth of the tourism industry as part of its economic base. But
now, more than ever, Louisiana needs a broader and stronger economy. The
economic goals for the state promote a diversified economy.
Reading Strategy
Figure 34
Louisiana’s
Population,
1985-1995
Year
Population
1985
4,408,118
1986
4,406,919
1987
4,344,148
1988
4,288,863
1989
4,242,894
1990
4,217,362
1991
4,241,224
1992
4,273,734
1993
4,290,100
1994
4,314,630
1995
4,338,072
Reinforcing Vocabulary
Have students recall how the
severance tax was calculated in
Louisiana (page 494). Ask them to
explain why the severance tax was
important to Louisiana.
Guiding Question 10-11
Building Vocabulary
Have students define the term
recession. Ask how the high price of
oil started a chain reaction that
eventually resulted in the decline of
oil prices. (Reinforce the concept of
supply and demand.)
Guiding Questions 10-15, 10-16,
10-18, and 10-22
BLM Assign Unemployment
Statistics on page 211 in the BLM
book.
Guiding Question 10-19
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at Figure 34.
Ask them to make some general
statements about Louisiana’s population based on the data on the
chart. Have them calculate the net
change in population in the state
between 1985 and 1995 (-70,046).
Guiding Question 10-3
Section 1
Challenges
515
BLM Assign Using the Census on
page 212 in the BLM book.
Guiding Question 10-3
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 66: Analyze how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course of
Louisiana’s history.
GLE 69: Propose and defend potential solutions to past and current issues in
Louisiana.
GLE 72: Describe leaders who were influential in Louisiana’s development.
GLE 73: Describe and explain the importance of major events and ideas in the
development of Louisiana.
GLE 79: Explain how Louisiana’s natural resources have shaped its history (e.g.,
petroleum).
GLE 80: Trace the state’s economic development and growth toward economic
diversity (e.g., fur trade, tourism, technology).
T514
T515
Education
Geography Activity
Making a Map
Have students use a highway
map to locate the interstate
highways in Louisiana. Tell them
the state Department of
Transportation has chosen them to
plan a new interstate highway
through the state. Have them plot a
route for the highway that would
provide the greatest economic
opportunities for the largest number
of people.
Guiding Question 10-30
Research Activity
Divide the class into groups and
ask each group to list tourist
opportunities in Louisiana under
each of these categories: Active
Outdoor Adventure (such as hiking),
Culture and History (festivals),
Destination Hub (resorts),
Scenic/Sightseeing (back roads),
and Soft Adventure (golf).
Guiding Question 10-30
Above: Interstate 49, called
the “Gateway to the Gulf of
Mexico,” provides access for
five of Louisiana’s ports.
Critical Thinking
Ask students
• how phasing out business taxes
can actually generate more money
for the state.
• how improvements in roads,
bridges, ports, and telecommunications can promote business and
industry. (Ask them to give reasons
for each item.)
Guiding Question 10-26
Internet Activity
Economic Goals
Economic planning now focuses on rebuilding as well as new economic development. The state’s long-range goals must be reexamined to include plans
for recovery from the hurricanes of 2005.
These goals are part of a plan developed to lead Louisiana into the twentyfirst century. This long-range economic development plan, called Vision 2020,
focuses on improving business, infrastructure, bioscience, and education. The
plan emphasizes public and private research, with the state universities playing key roles. Improvements are also needed in roads, bridges, and ports and
the new infrastructure of telecommunications.
Interstate 49, opened in the 1990s, will be extended to connect Louisiana’s
ports to Arkansas and beyond. The United States plans to build another interstate from Mexico City to Toronto. This highway, Interstate 69, will cross northwest Louisiana from Texas to Arkansas.
The plans for improving the state’s
infrastructure now include repairs due
to hurricane damage. Extensive work
was needed to restore utilities and
There are close to 900 miles
communications services in the afof interstate highways in
fected areas. Highway planning inLouisiana.
cludes additional improvements to
create better evacuation routes.
Lagniappe
516
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Like the economy, education in
Louisiana was hit hard by Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita. More than 800
schools were damaged, and 40 schools
were destroyed. More than 170,000
students were displaced from their
schools. Several universities were also
damaged. Some had to close for
months and then reopen in temporary
buildings.
As recovery and rebuilding decisions were made, the state’s long-term
education goals were considered. This
plan, titled Reaching for Results, combines requirements of the Louisiana legislature and the federal No Child Left
Behind legislation. The plan for PreK-12 education includes state tests to measure student progress. The state continues to focus on improving education
despite the setback of the hurricanes.
Education has not always been a high priority in Louisiana. In the twentieth century, high school graduates could get good paying jobs in the oil industry. Neither the people nor the economy needed higher education for success.
Earlier in the state’s history, education had even less importance. An agricultural economy needed laborers, not educated workers. Public education received
little attention.
In early Louisiana, the first schools were operated by the Catholic Church.
Other early private schools were partly supported by state funds. The Louisiana constitution of 1845 called for a public school system, but the legislature
provided little money to support the schools.
The Civil War slowed the development of education even more. During Reconstruction, the Freedmen’s Bureau operated schools for African Americans.
Public schools were open to all, but many white children did not attend the
integrated schools. When Reconstruction ended, the state developed a segregated school system. This so-called separate-but-equal system deprived many
children of an adequate education.
In the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, the U.S. Supreme Court
ruled that segregation is unconstitutional. In 1958, the New Orleans branch of
LSU (now the University of New Orleans) was opened to all students regardless
of their race. This signaled not the end of segregation but the beginning of a
slow move in that direction.
The long struggle to desegregate schools in Louisiana continued into the
twenty-first century. Some school districts are still under federal court supervision because of desegregation. These ongoing conflicts have complicated the
development of public education in Louisiana.
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• explain how schools can better
prepare students for jobs of the
future. (Comprehension)
• tell why education was not a
high priority throughout many
different periods of history.
(Knowledge)
Social Studies Skill
Making a Timeline
Have students create a timeline
as a way to review the move from
segregated to desegregated schools.
Guiding Question 10-20
Group Activity
Top: Improving public
education in Louisiana has
taken on increased importance with the passage of
federal and state legislation.
Above: Technical and
vocational schools, such
as this one near Houma,
provide important work skills
to Louisiana residents.
Section 1
Challenges
517
Ask students to make a list of
the course offerings at their school.
Have them evaluate the importance
of these courses as preparation for
jobs of the future. Ask them to
propose a new course. They should
give a rationale for the course,
goals, and a content outline.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Language Arts/Art Have students
plan the “ideal” school of the
future. Some students may brainstorm and plan the school. Others
may take those plans and design a
floor plan and/or school exterior.
Writing Activity
Have students write a letter to
their local board of education
requesting more funds for a specific
school project.
Have students use a search
engine to find information on
Louisiana’s Vision 2020 Plan. (You
might want some students to look
at each of the areas addressed in the
plan: business, infrastructure, bioscience, and education.)
BLM Assign New Orleans and Other
World Ports from page 213 in the
BLM book.
T516
T517
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• describe the benefits of a twoparty system. (Application)
• explain how the open primary
law backfired against the Democrats.
• identify the following political
figures: David Treen, Henson Moore,
Russell Long, John Breaux, J.
Bennett Johnston, and Mary
Landrieu.
Guiding Question 10-9
Social Studies Skill
Reading Charts and Tables
Have students look at Figure 35.
Ask them what the list of
Louisiana’s members of Congress in
2005 says about the existence of a
two-party system.
Reading Strategy
Reviewing
Ask students to look back in
Chapter 4 to find the requirements
to run for the United States Senate.
Ask them how senators can help
their states.
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
Mary Landrieu (D)
District 1
David Vitter (R)
District 2
William Jefferson (D)
District 3
Charlie Melancon (D)
T518
Bobby Jindal (R)
Reading Strategy
The civil rights movement pushed
Louisiana toward a more open political system. By the 1980s, more
women and African Americans held
elected offices. The number of women
and African Americans in the state
legislature continues to grow slowly.
Reviewing
Have students review the purpose
of the Electoral College. Ask them to
find how Louisiana’s electors voted
in the 2004 presidential election.
Ask them to look back at a number
of other presidential elections, perhaps from the 1970s or 1980s. Ask
them to find out how many times
the electors voted for the
Republican candidate and how many
times they voted for the Democratic
candidate. How many times did the
electors actually vote for the candidate who won the election?
Becoming a Two-Party State
Another major political change has
been the shift away from one political party. Today, more Louisiana citiDistrict 5 Rodney Alexander (R)
zens vote for Republican candidates.
District 6 Richard Baker (R)
This growth of Republican support led
District 7 Charles Boustany (R)
the state toward a two-party system.
Before this time, most voters were registered as Democrats. Political battles
took place within the Democratic Party rather than between the two parties.
But by 1972, Louisiana sent a Republican to Congress for the first time since
Reconstruction. David Treen was elected to represent his Jefferson Parish district. In 1974, Henson Moore of Baton Rouge became the second Republican
An expert in taxes, Russell
congressman from Louisiana.
Long (below) made a
Republicans continued to gain strength after Louisiana’s open primary law
famous comment describing
was passed in 1975. Voters could vote for candidates from any political party.
the public attitude toward
The Democrats who proposed this change intended to benefit Democratic cantaxes, “Don’t tax you,
didates. They assumed the Republican candidates would be eliminated in the
don’t tax me, tax that man
primary. Instead, Democrats began voting for Republicans.
behind the tree.”
District 4
Jim McCrery (R)
Lagniappe
Social Studies Skill
Making a Map
Have students use a search
engine to find maps showing
Louisiana’s congressional districts.
Ask them to draw these districts on
an outline map of the state. (You
may assign Congressional Districts in
Louisiana from page 214 in the BLM
book.) Then, have them record the
names of the parishes in each district. Are the districts approximately
the same shape or size? (You may
want students to find the current
population of the various parishes
to see if the congressional districts
are similar in number of people represented in each.)
Political Trends
Figure 35
Louisiana in Congress, 2005
518
Louisiana in Congress
Louisiana’s congressional delegation reflects the growth of the Republican Party.
The state’s voters now elect both Republicans and Democrats to Congress.
Louisiana’s twentieth-century senators were influential in Washington.
Russell Long, the son of Huey Long, was elected to the United States Senate in
1948, when he was only thirty years old. By the time he retired in 1986, Russell
Long had become a well-respected senator.
John Breaux of Crowley was elected in 1986 to replace Long and became another powerful senator from Louisiana. He was a moderate Democrat who solved
problems through compromise. When he announced his retirement in 2003, Senator Breaux said his goal had been to “make government work for everyone.” Republican David Vitter of Metairie was elected in 2004 to replace Breaux.
Another long-time senator, J. Bennett Johnston from Shreveport, was first
elected in 1972. He served as the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee, a position that helped oil-rich Louisiana. Johnston’s 1996
retirement led to another major political change. Mary Landrieu became the first
woman senator elected from Louisiana. The daughter of a former mayor of New
Orleans, Landrieu had been elected to the Louisiana house of representatives
when she was just twenty-three. A Democrat, Landrieu defeated Republican Woody
Jenkins. The vote was so close that Jenkins contested the election, but the United
States Senate investigated and declared Landrieu the winner.
Louisiana’s representation in Congress changed in 1990 when the first African American was elected in the twentieth century. William Jefferson from
New Orleans was joined in 2004 by Bobby Jindal, a young Indian American
from Kenner.
Check for Understanding
Above: U.S. Senator Mary
Landrieu, first elected in
1996, hosted the "Summit
on the Tsunami Generation"
in January 2005 to address
the problems faced by those
affected by the disaster in
South Asia.
Ask students to tell what was
unusual about the senatorial
election of 1996.
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
1. How did the drop in oil prices in the 1980s hurt Louisiana?
2. What are two details about the long-range plan for the
economy?
3. Why is education more important for today’s economy?
4. What are two ways Louisiana has changed politically?
5. Why was the election of William Jefferson important?
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Class Discussion
Section 1
Challenges
519
Internet Activity
Research Activity
Alternative Assessment
Lesson Closure
Have students locate the web
site of each of Louisiana’s two
senators and seven members of
the House of Representatives.
Have them make a list of the programs each congressional representative is promoting.
Guiding Question 10-9
Ask students to use a search
engine or other reference materials to research one of the following: David Treen, Henson Moore,
Russell Long, John Breaux, J.
Bennett Johnston, or Mary
Landrieu. After students share
information they find, ask the
class to compare and contrast the
political figures.
Guiding Question 10-9
Have students outline Section
1. Be sure they include key people and events. Then ask them to
exchange outlines and, using an
outline they did not write,
identify the events and people
who are included.
Have students identify a
present-day history maker that
they would like to interview. Ask
them to write three questions
they would ask that person.
1. The state suffered because
the economy relied on oil.
2. One part of the plan calls for
state universities to play key
roles in public and private
research while another part of
the plan calls for
improvements to be made in
roads, bridges, ports, and
telecommunications.
3. Because a changing economy
needs workers with new job
skills
4. The number of women and
African Americans in the
state legislature continues to
grow, and there has been a
shift away from one political
party.
5. The election of William
Jefferson marked the first
time in the 20th century that
an African American was
elected to represent Louisiana
in the national Congress.
T519
SECTION 2
LOUISIANA’S
CONTEMPORARY
GOVERNORS
2
Section
Louisiana’s
Contemporary
Governors
INTRODUCE
Outline
A. David Treen
B. Edwin Edwards
C. Charles “Buddy” Roemer
D. The Return of Edwin Edwards
E. Murphy J. “Mike” Foster
F. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
As you read, look for:
• the governors of the period, and
• vocabulary terms Medicaid and Tuition Opportunity
Program for Students.
These political trends are reflected in the governors chosen by the
voters. Electing a woman as Louisiana’s first twenty-first-century governor made an even stronger statement of political change.
Materials
Textbook, pages 520-527
Blackline Masters
Comparing the Governors,
page 215
Who Am I?, page 216
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
David Treen
Above: In 1979, David Treen
of Jefferson Parish was the
first Republican elected
governor of Louisiana
in the twentieth century.
Focus
The election of government
officials usually reflects the times in
which they are elected. For example,
many historians say Franklin D.
Roosevelt was elected four times and
George W. Bush was reelected in
2004 because the American people
did not want to change presidents
during time of war. Ask students to
recall elected officials at the
national or state level where this
belief seemed to be true.
520
Lagniappe
By 1979, Louisiana’s Republican Party was strong enough to elect a governor. David Treen won that election and became the state’s first Republican
governor in the twentieth century.
Treen had first run for governor in 1971 but was defeated by Edwin Edwards.
After serving two consecutive terms, Edwards could not run in 1979. This opened
the door for a new governor.
At the beginning of Treen’s term, the state was still receiving major revenues from oil severance taxes. Because of this, the governor encouraged the
legislature to cut the state’s income tax as a benefit for voters. At the same
time, the governor and the legislature increased the budget and added new
programs. When the price of oil—and the severance taxes collected by the
state—dropped, funding the budget became much more difficult.
To raise additional money, Governor Treen favored a special tax on companies that operated in the wetlands. Called the Coastal Wetlands Environmental
Levy (CWEL), the tax would not only raise money for the state but also help
protect the fragile environment. However, the governor could not get enough
support to pass his tax plan. Without the money from the proposed tax, the
governor struggled to meet the state’s basic financial needs.
Governor Treen had a difficult term. The economic problems made those years
hard for Louisiana. He was criticized for using state money to help pay for the
1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans. Also, Treen’s leadership style was described as
too low-key. Critics said he was not available to the people. Louisiana expected
its governor to be a public figure, seen frequently around the state.
Edwin Edwards
Because of these problems, the voters chose to return Edwin Edwards to the
More than 600 people went
governor’s office in 1983. For
on the trip, which cost
the beginning of his third
contributors $10,000 each.
term, Edwards arranged quite
a show. Versailles, the palace
of King Louis XIV of France,
heard talk about Louisiana in the eighteenth century, when it was a
French colony. In the twentieth century, conversation about Louisiana again filled Versailles for one unusual night. The state’s Cajun governor took his supporters on an extravagant fund-raiser to the elegant
palace outside Paris, where they had dinner.
Attention soon shifted from the excitement of the trip to new problems. By February 1985, the U.S. attorney had indicted (formally accused) Edwards and seven others for wrongdoing regarding hospital
and nursing home permits. The first trial resulted in a hung jury; that
is, the jurors could not agree on a verdict. In the second trial, Edwards
was acquitted (found not guilty).
Edwards also faced serious economic problems in this third term. The low price
of oil meant the state’s economy still struggled. Edwards’s style seemed more
suited to the easy years than to this time of crisis. It was hard to give the people
what they wanted from government without taxing them directly. The severance tax on oil could not support big government programs as it had in the past.
Charles “Buddy” Roemer
Edwards’s problems brought out a long list of opponents in the 1987 election. In the first primary, Edwards did not win the most votes. The list was
headed by Charles E. “Buddy” Roemer III. Because he had lost support, Edwards
dropped out of the race entirely.
That meant that Roemer became the governor without a runoff election.
Buddy Roemer had been considered an unlikely winner because the other candidates began with more statewide name recognition. Roemer had served Louisiana as a congressman from the Shreveport district.
Roemer had campaigned as an outsider who would bring reform. Although
he is a Harvard graduate, he talked more about his boyhood on a Bossier Parish farm. He received a big boost when most of the major newspapers of the
state endorsed (supported) him.
As governor, Roemer faced major budget problems. The state did not have
enough money to operate and faced a huge budget deficit. The governor and
the legislature established a new system that allowed the state to borrow money.
This plan was praised by some as a way to save the state’s finances and criticized by others as poor management.
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Section 2
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Edwin Edwards faced serious
economic problems during his third
term. He faced a dilemma of how to
give people the services they
expected and wanted from government without raising taxes. Have
students debate the issue of which
is better: paying higher taxes or
receiving fewer services.
Guiding Questions 10-17 and
10-26
Reading Strategy
Above: Controversial Governor Edwin Edwards answers
reporters’ questions outside
the federal courthouse on
the first day of his 1985
trial, which ended in a hung
jury. Edwards was acquitted
following a second trial.
Louisiana’s Contemporary Governors
Compare and Contrast
Remind students to add Edwin
Edwards and Charles “Buddy”
Roemer to their chart.
Class Discussion
Ask students
• why Charles “Buddy” Roemer was
able to win the governorship in
1987. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 10-27
• to decide if allowing state government to borrow money is a good
idea. Ask them to give reasons to
support their opinion. (Application)
Guiding Question 10-26
Reading Strategy
521
Reviewing Vocabulary
Have students review the term
runoff election. Ask them how
Buddy Roemer became governor
without a runoff election.
Critical Thinking
TEACH
Critical Thinking
Ask students to discuss whether
Governor Treen’s Coastal Wetlands
Environmental Levy (CWEL) was a
good or bad idea.
Guiding Question 10-26
BLM Assign Comparing the
Governors on page 215 in the BLM
book. (Tell students to begin with
David Treen and add other governors
as they are introduced in the reading.)
T520
Objectives
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 24: Identify current government leaders at the state, local, and national
levels in the United States.
GLE 27: Describe ways by which public policies are formed, including the role of
lobbyists, special interest groups, and constituents.
GLE 30: Evaluate a type of tax in a historical context (e.g., severance tax).
GLE 38: Explain how U.S. foreign policy has affected Louisiana (e.g., tariffs,
NAFTA).
GLE 41: Explain the importance of being an informed citizen on public issues,
recognizing propaganda, and knowing the voting issues.
GLE 53: Explain and analyze factors affecting production and allocation of
goods/services in Louisiana and the United States.
GLE 55: Identify the costs and benefits of a given government policy (e.g., trade
agreements, minimum wage) on a competitive market.
GLE 57: Explain reasons for trade between nations and the impact of international
trade.
GLE 58: Describe historical and economic factors influencing the economic
growth, interdependence and development of Louisiana and the nation (e.g., mass
production, oil boom and decline).
GLE 64: Compare and contrast events and ideas from Louisiana’s past and present,
explaining political, social, or economic contexts.
GLE 65: Analyze the causes, effects, or impact of a given historical event in
Louisiana.
Ask students to explain how
newspaper endorsements can be a
boost to political candidates.
T521
Business people were concerned about economic losses if the state elected
Duke. Some national groups said they would cancel conventions scheduled for
New Orleans if Duke became the governor. People throughout the United States
had strong feelings against Duke’s ideas.
Even though Edwards had lost some of his earlier support, many
people urged his election. The idea of David Duke as governor frightened many Louisiana citizens, both black and white. Because of this
reaction to Duke, Edwin Edwards became governor for the fourth time
in 1992. No one else has ever been elected so many times.
The huge increase in Medicaid spending became an important issue during this term. Medicaid is a program that provides health care
for the poor, partly funded by the federal government and partly by
the state. This program became the target of federal investigators
because some people were submitting improper Medicaid charges.
In addition, concern about state-sponsored gambling increased.
Edwards’s attention was focused on a land-based casino in New Orleans. The proposed casino faced strong opposition. The governor surprised the state when he announced he would not run for office again.
Critical Thinking
Have students evaluate the tax
and education proposals of Governor
Roemer. Ask them to propose other
programs that Roemer might have
endorsed.
Guiding Questions 10-17 and
10-26
Ask students why a political figure might change his political party.
Ask students why they think
Edwin Edwards was elected governor
so many times.
Guiding Question 10-27
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• name the gubernatorial candidates in 1991. (Knowledge)
• explain why the Louisiana governor’s election received so much
media attention in 1991.
(Comprehension)
Reviewing/Evaluating
Have students review information
on Edwin Edwards’s four terms as
governor. Ask them to compare the
programs enacted in each of his
terms. Then, have them decide
which term was his most progressive
or successful. Have them give reasons for their choice.
Guiding Question 10-27
Critical Thinking
Murphy J. “Mike” Foster
Above: When he was
inaugurated governor in
1988, Charles “Buddy”
Roemer of Bossier Parish
faced serious problems
with the state budget.
Writing Activity
Have students imagine that they
are members of the media in 1991.
Ask each to write a news article
about the governor’s race. Have
some students write an article that
tells who, what, when, where, and
how. Ask others to write an article
that includes propaganda or bias
against one of the two candidates.
Guiding Question 10-10
Reading Strategy
Governor Roemer also proposed a change in state taxes. He wanted to reduce
taxes on business by increasing other taxes, including personal income taxes.
His plan would have also lowered the amount allowed for the homestead exemption from property taxes. This would have given the state more money from property taxes. The tax reform plan failed. Louisiana residents preferred to keep their
property taxes low and the homestead exemption untouched.
Another Roemer program focused on education. The governor believed that
evaluating teachers would improve education. He increased teacher pay and
developed a plan for intense teacher evaluation.
One of Governor Roemer’s actions surprised the state. He had been a longtime Democrat who spoke of his admiration for President Kennedy. During his
term, he announced that he was changing to the Republican Party. Some of
his supporters criticized this action.
The Return of Edwin Edwards
In the next primary election, Edwin Edwards receive the highest number of
votes; David Duke was second, and Governor Roemer was third. The runoff
election was a race between Edwards and Duke.
The election attracted media attention from around the world. Duke was
known as a former leader in the Ku Klux Klan. By 1989, he had toned down his
speeches and was elected to the state legislature from Jefferson Parish. During
Duke’s campaign against Edwards, reporters uncovered more information about
his past. They reported his earlier statements of support for the beliefs of Hitler
and Nazi Germany.
522
In 1896, Louisiana voters elected Murphy Foster as governor. One
hundred years later, in 1996, his grandson took the governor’s oath of
office. This Murphy Foster, who prefers to be called “Mike,” is a Republican. He had announced his change to the Republican Party before he
entered the race.
Mike Foster described himself as a conservative businessman and promised
to run the state the same way. His opponent, Cleo Fields, was the first African
American candidate to reach the runoff election in the twentieth century. Fields
had been a member of Congress before he ran for governor. Both candidates
promised not to campaign on race but to debate the issues.
As governor, Foster benefited from a stronger economy. The national economy
and the oil industry had improved since the 1980s, and growth in other industries had helped move Louisiana away from its total dependence on oil. Louisiana’s
economic growth provided a good climate for Foster’s programs.
Governor Foster appointed 24-year-old Bobby Jindal to head the important
Department of Health and Hospitals. Jindal faced a budget crisis that threatened health care and Medicaid funds. The governor credited him with heading
the program in the right direction.
Governor Foster also directed his attention to other insurance programs.
Voters were concerned about the high cost of insurance and demanded reforms.
The 1997 legislature voted to raise the driving age from fifteen to sixteen to
help bring down the insurance rates.
Education also received Governor Foster’s attention. One popular new state
program pays tuition for qualified students at state universities and at com-
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Section 2
Above: Republican Murphy
(Mike) Foster, a motorcycle
and outdoor enthusiast, was
elected governor in 1995
and again in 1999.
Louisiana’s Contemporary Governors
Reading Strategy
Building Vocabulary
Have students define the term
conservative and use it in a sentence. Ask them which political
party today is considered more conservative. Have them list some
beliefs of conservatives.
Class Discussion
523
Research Activity
Have students use a search
engine or other reference material
to research David Duke. Have them
create a timeline of his life.
Guiding Question 10-23
T522
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 66: Analyze how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course of
Louisiana’s history.
GLE 67: Analyze given source material to identify opinion, propaganda, or bias.
GLE 69: Propose and defend potential solutions to past and current issues in
Louisiana.
GLE 72: Describe leaders who were influential in Louisiana’s development.
GLE 73: Describe and explain the importance of major events and ideas in the
development of Louisiana.
GLE 80: Trace the state’s economic development and growth toward economic
diversity (e.g., fur trade, tourism, technology).
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students examine the
photograph of Governor Murphy
(Mike) Foster. Ask them how this
photo of a governor differs from
that of most governors pictured in
the textbook. What does this
image say about how the public
view of a governor has changed?
Some people feared Duke’s
election as Louisiana’s governor
would result in great economic loss
for the state. Ask students to
explain how the election of a
governor can affect national and
international deals.
Guiding Question 10-13
Reading Strategy
Evaluating
Have students examine the
policies of Governor Murphy,
including a budget crisis that
included a threat to health care,
the high cost of insurance, and
education. Ask them to decide
which crisis was the most serious
and evaluate the way the governor
addressed it.
Guiding Questions 10-22 and
10-26
Ask students to
• identify the problems Edwin
Edwards had in his fourth term as
governor. (Knowledge)
• explain the Medicaid program.
(Comprehension)
• tell what connection Murphy J.
“Mike” Foster had to the Louisiana
governorship in the past.
(Knowledge)
• identify these political figures:
Cleo Fields and Bobby Jindal.
(Knowledge)
Guiding Question 10-27
T523
Reading Strategy
Reviewing
Ask students
• how receiving the news about the
September 11, 2001, attacks was
different from receiving the news
about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
(Analysis)
• to describe how the reaction of
the U.S. government was different
after September 11 and Pearl
Harbor. (Analysis)
Guiding Question 10-28
Reading Strategy
Making Connections
Ask students what they can
remember about the attacks on
America on September 11, 2001.
Have them share where they were,
what they were doing, what grade
they were in, and their reactions to
the event. Point out to students
that, in different decades of life,
some events are so universal in their
impact that they define the times:
9/11 was one of those. For most
Americans of this decade, the
attacks on New York and
Washington of 9/11 will be their
defining moment. Ask students why
they think these events made such
an impact on those who lived at the
time they occurred.
Guiding Question 10-28
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“Today our nation saw evil” President Bush said on
the day that shocked America. Terrorists hijacked
two airplanes and crashed them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. A short
time later, another hijacked jet hit the Pentagon
outside Washington, D.C.
A fourth hijacked plane crashed because passengers rushed the terrorists to prevent them from hitting their target. We know what happened on this
flight because passengers were able to make cell
phone calls before the crash. The plane crashed in a
field in Pennsylvania. The intended target may have
been the United States Capitol Building or the White
House.
No one knew what was happening to the United
States as people watched the live television coverage in horror. Americans learned later that about
3,000 people died in these attacks by terrorists. A
militant Islamic extremist group planned and carried out the attacks.
Confusion was quickly replaced by action. All airplanes were grounded and all flights were canceled
across the United States. In Louisiana, security was
immediately increased at airports, ports, chemical
plants, and the nuclear power plant near St.
Francisville. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port suspended operations, and security was increased at
the Louisiana Strategic Petroleum Reserve Facilities.
These underground reservoirs hold oil stored by the
U.S. government to be used in emergencies.
Throughout the days ahead, people in Louisiana
followed the news reports of the search for those
wounded or killed in the attacks. Many people wondered if more attacks might come, even in Louisiana.
524
Addressing Learning Styles
Intrapersonal
Ask students to write a journal
entry describing their feelings upon
hearing of the September 11, 2001,
attacks. (If they don’t remember the
event personally, you may want
them to imagine they heard a
first-hand account of the event and
write what their thoughts would
have been.)
T524
Above: The terrorist attacks of 9/11 brought down the
World Trade Center in New York City.
As the rescue efforts began in New York and Washington, lines formed at blood donor centers around
the state. People wanted to help the victims. Groups
of Louisiana citizens headed to New York with huge
trailers filled with food and supplies. Rescue workers at the World Trade Center site were served hot
meals of Louisiana gumbo and jambalaya. Flags were
soon sold out in every store because people wanted
to show their support for their country.
Governor Foster and the Louisiana State Fireman’s
Association later raised enough money to buy three
fire trucks to donate to the city of New York. These
fire trucks were manufactured in Holden in Livingston
Parish. They are now in firehouses in New York, a
symbol of the generosity and concern of the people
of Louisiana. New York firefighters came to New Orleans as first responders after Hurricane Katrina to
show their thanks for Louisiana’s generosity.
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at the
remains of the Twin Towers of the
World Trade Center in New York.
Have them compare this picture
to one or more showing
bombed-out buildings during
World War II. Ask them how the
pictures are similar. Ask why this
picture is not a war scene.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Ask students why, if the fire
truck was donated to the city of
New York, this ceremony took place
at the White House.
Ask what fund-raising activities
they have participated in and why
they are important.
Research Activity
munity colleges and technical schools. Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) pays tuition for all Louisiana high school graduates who meet
the requirements. To qualify for TOPS, students must take required high school
courses, earn a specified grade point average, and make the minimum required
ACT score. TOPS awards are based on achievement and not income.
Governor Foster was re-elected in 1999, winning in the first primary with
61 percent of the vote. His closest opponent, Congressman William Jefferson,
received 30 percent of the vote. The second-term governor considered this vote
strong support for his programs.
However, debate continued about
the best way to fund these programs.
Critics have long said Louisiana’s tax
Murphy Foster had led the
structure is not fair and hurts the
conservative Democrats
economy. People have paid low propagainst the challenge of the
erty taxes and high sales taxes. The
Republicans and the
governor and the legislature proposed
Populists. He might be
a change in state taxes, the Stelly
surprised at the party of his
Plan, named for the legislator who degrandson, but he would
veloped it. Voters agreed to amend the
not disapprove of his
state constitution to remove the sales
conservative views.
taxes on food and utilities and to increase state income tax rates.
Lagniappe
Section 2
Above: In December 2001,
Governor Mike Foster
(second from right) brought
the "Spirit of Louisiana" fire
truck to the White House.
The state donated the fire
truck to the city of New
York to replace one of those
destroyed in the 9/11
attack. The New York City
firefighters returned to
Louisiana with the fire
truck to help in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina.
Louisiana’s Contemporary Governors
Have students find the specific
requirements a student must meet
to qualify for a TOPS (Tuition
Opportunity Program for Students)
award. Ask students to evaluate the
importance of the TOPS program.
Ask if they have friends or relatives
who have received TOPS awards.
Economic Activity
Have students explain the
provisions of the Stelly Plan. Ask
them if they think the plan is a
good idea. Would it help or hurt
more people? Which groups of
people would receive the greatest
benefit from the plan?
Guiding Question 10-10
Group Activity
525
Ask students to look at all the
tax plans proposed by various
governors. Have them propose a tax
structure that would prove
beneficial to a majority of Louisiana
citizens.
Guiding Question 10-6
Group Activity
Have students select one aspect
of life in the United States that
has been impacted by the events
of 9/11/01; for example, security
procedures in airports or creation
of the Department of Homeland
Security. Ask each group of
students to illustrate one of the
changes through skits,
role-playing, slide shows, etc.
Guiding Questions 10-22 and
10-28
T525
The Foster administration also left a visible change in the capital city. The
state replaced buildings that did not meet current fire and safety codes and
stopped renting expensive office space. New office buildings join the Capitol
as the headquarters for government business. The new buildings complement
the Art Deco design of the Capitol. The LaSalle Building opened in 2001, more
than three hundred years after that explorer claimed the Mississippi River for
France. The names of the other buildings—Iberville, Bienville, Galvez,
Livingston, Claiborne, and Poydras—honor important people from Louisiana
history. A new visitors’ center and a new state museum will complete the
changes in Capitol Park.
Group Activity
Murphy “Mike” Foster made a
visible change in Baton Rouge by
replacing buildings that did not
meet fire and safety codes. Ask
students to research one of the new
buildings, e.g., the LaSalle, Iberville,
Bienville, Galvez, Livingston,
Claiborne, and Poydras buildings.
Ask them to find out for whom the
buildings are named as well as what
purpose they serve. Ask them to
find a picture of the building they
research.
Guiding Question 10-27
Above: Governor Kathleen
Blanco waved to the crowd
after her inaugural address
on January 12, 2004.
Social Studies Skill
Civic Participation
Ask students to write a letter to
the governor, requesting the
construction and/or naming of
buildings based on the class
consensus. Have students provide a
strong rationale for their
recommendations.
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Critical Thinking
Ask students to propose the
names of people today for whom a
new government building might be
built or named. When they
nominate a person, ask them to list
the person’s qualifications to receive
such an honor. After all students
have had a chance to nominate
someone, have the class come to
consensus on four new buildings.
BLM Assign Who Am I? on page
216 in the BLM book.
526
In 2003, Louisiana elected the state’s first woman governor, Democrat
Kathleen Blanco. Her Republican opponent, Bobby Jindal, served in the Foster
administration and then worked for President George Bush as a health care
specialist. Their run-off campaign brought positive attention. The national media
described Louisiana as progressive for choosing a woman and the son of immigrants as their candidates. Jindal’s parents had come to Louisiana from India.
Blanco had served two terms as the lieutenant governor and had earlier been
elected to the Louisiana house of representatives and the Public Service
Commission. She is proud of her Cajun heritage and took the oath of office in
English and French, surrounded by her large family.
Governor Blanco promised to continue Governor Foster’s education programs.
She tied these reforms to her economic plan, saying Louisiana needs educated
people to create a strong economy.
Another issue tied to economic improvement is business taxes. The new
governor heard from business people who said the state’s taxes keep new businesses from coming to Louisiana. One of the first actions of Governor Blanco
and the legislature was to begin changing these taxes.
Another reason businesses give for not coming to Louisiana is the reputation for corruption in government. Political scientist Wayne Parent says that
Louisiana’s oil economy in the twentieth century helped create this atmosphere.
When much of the money to pay for state programs came from taxes on the oil
industry, people did not view corruption as costing them money. These views
are beginning to change because the tax burden is shifting to the citizens.
Also, the dependence on this one industry to support the economy and the
government gave that group tremendous power and influence.
Governor Blanco emphasized the need to change Louisiana’s image. She encouraged the legislature to improve ethics laws to show Louisiana wants good
government. Ethics laws regulate the way government officials conduct their
business. For example, a new ethics law says that campaign contributions cannot be accepted during the legislative session.
This need to improve the state’s political image became crucial after
the hurricanes. The governor and Louisiana’s members of Congress struggled
with this negative perception as the state sought federal funds to help in the
recovery process.
Governor Blanco and other political leaders faced tremendous difficulties
after the disastrous hurricanes. In addition to the loss of infrastructure, businesses, hospitals, and schools, more than 300,000 homes were flooded by Katrina
and Rita. A shift in the state’s population required adjustments by state and
local government. The storms added a layer of complex problems to the other
critical issues affecting the state.
Check for Understanding
Above: President George W.
Bush walks with U.S. Army
Lt. General Russel L. Honore
(left), Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff,
and Governor Kathleen
Blanco in New Orleans after
Hurricane Katrina.
Alternative Assessment
1. Why did Governor Treen cut income taxes? What happened?
2. How did budget problems hurt Governor Edwards?
3. Why did Governor Roemer create a new way for the state to
borrow money?
4. How did Governor Foster describe himself?
5. Why did some people think state taxes should be changed?
6. What are two areas receiving attention from Governor
Blanco?
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Section 2
Louisiana’s Contemporary Governors
527
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• name the first woman governor of
Louisiana. (Knowledge)
• explain how the candidates in the
2003 gubernatorial campaign represent the changing times.
(Comprehension)
Guiding Question 10-9
T526
1. As a benefit for voters; state
revenues dropped when the
price of oil dropped. This
made funding the budget
more difficult.
2. He could not provide big
government programs because
of the price of oil.
3. Because the state did not
have enough money to
operate and faced a huge
budget deficit
4. As a conservative businessman
5. Some argued that Louisiana’s
tax structure is not fair; some
have paid low property taxes
and high sales taxes.
6. Louisiana’s image and
education
Have students write the names of
the governors on index cards. On
other cards, ask them to write
problems or programs associated
with each governor. Then, have the
students match the problems/programs with the correct governor.
(Students could do this by
categorizing the problems/programs
under each governor or by playing a
matching game.)
Guiding Question 10-27
Lesson Closure
Multidisciplinary Activity
Economic Activity
Critical Thinking
Art Ask students to design a
building for someone who is
living today. Have them consider
the style and function.
Ask students to review the
various tax proposals of the
governors in this section. Have
them determine which were the
most beneficial to the citizens of
the state.
Guiding Question 10-22
Ask students to explain why
some economists and political
scientists blame Louisiana’s oil
industry for creating an
atmosphere that keeps other
industries from coming to the
state. Ask them why it is unwise
for a state to depend heavily on
one industry to support the
economy.
Guiding Questions 10-18 and
10-30
Go around the room and ask each
student to name a governor mentioned in this section and tell one
thing associated with his or her
term.
T527
SECTION 3
QUALITY OF LIFE
3
Section
INTRODUCE
Quality of Life
Outline
As you read, look for:
A. Health Care
B. Gaming
C. Crime
D. The Environment
• the challenges facing Louisianians, and
• vocabulary terms gaming, bankruptcy,
Environmental Protection Agency, and
Department of Environmental Quality.
To change the image of Louisiana, the state needs to
improve the negatives and accentuate the positives. A
sound economy, good education, and a positive political
climate are essential to improvement. Other quality-oflife issues must also be addressed.
Materials
Textbook, pages 528-532
Blackline Masters
Pollution Standards Index,
page 221
Protect Your Future, page 222
Planning for the Future,
page 223
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Ask students what they believe
they will be doing 15-20 years from
now. Ask them how often they
think about what life in the future
will be like — for them personally,
for the state of Louisiana, for the
United States, for the world. Ask
them to predict how life will be different in 15-20 years. Tell students
that, in this section of the chapter,
they will read about some issues
that will affect the future.
Health Care
Above: The Casino Rouge
in Baton Rouge is just one
of the riverboat casinos
anchored in the Mississippi
River.
The state has many people who cannot afford health
insurance. The Medicaid program provides health care for
people with low incomes. Louisiana also has a public
hospital system to help meet these health care needs.
A large part of the state’s budget goes to health care,
and decisions must be made about the best ways to use
this money.
Louisiana’s health care problems were compounded when the hurricanes of
2005 damaged several public and private hospitals and medical schools. The
state’s largest public teaching hospital was destroyed. The remaining hospitals
struggled to meet the medical needs of the region. Long-range recovery must
include plans for health care.
Gaming
Gaming is the term for legal gambling. In 1991, Louisiana became one of a
growing number of states to use a lottery to raise money for the state. However, unlike the corrupt private lottery of the nineteenth century, this lottery
is operated by the state under close regulation.
The legislature then began to approve other forms of gaming. Video poker
machines and riverboat casinos also became legal in 1991. The riverboat casinos
in Lake Charles, Shreveport, and Bossier City attract large crowds from nearby
Texas. New hotels and other related businesses have been built near the casinos.
The legislature then approved a land-based casino in New Orleans. Controversy developed when the gaming company opened a temporary casino and
528
then said it could not pay what it owed. They claimed bankruptcy, a legal
process that allows a debtor to eliminate some debts.
In 1996, Louisiana citizens voted on gaming. These were local option votes,
in which local citizens decided whether or not to allow some activity. Voters
could choose to end any form of gaming or all gaming in their parish. Many
parishes voted to make video poker illegal. Experts consider video poker to be
the most addictive form of gaming. Parishes that voted for video poker argued
for the economic benefits.
But state-sponsored gaming has brought problems along with a new revenue source. The legislature had limited the number of riverboat casinos that
can operate in Louisiana. Companies interested in operating a riverboat casino
had to apply for one of the licenses. Competition was high because these casinos were so profitable.
Some state officials were charged with taking bribes. Former Governor Edwards was charged
with illegal activity related to the gaming industry. A jury in federal court found Edwards
guilty of criminal conspiracy, money laundering,
and extortion. They agreed that he was guilty
of taking money from people who wanted
riverboat licenses. In exchange, he used his influence to get them the licenses. The conspiracy
conviction meant that other people joined him
in this illegal plan. Money laundering meant they
tried to hide the source of the money.
Lagniappe
In the early 1990s, the
Louisiana legislature
enacted a crime victim’s
“bill of rights.”
Crime
Louisiana’s crime rate is high. When the states
are ranked by population size, Louisiana is number twenty-two, but the state is in the top five
in crime rates. Many crimes are committed by
repeat offenders whose first offense occurs before they are eighteen years old.
The state is changing its approach to juvenile justice. The new program will focus on rehabilitation in an attempt to reduce the number of repeat offenders. Before 2004, juveniles who were convicted
of crimes had been sent to secure state juvenile prisons, at a cost of $157 a day.
The new state approach focuses on community-based treatment.
Above: Senator John Breaux
encouraged Congress to pass
legislation to protect
Louisiana’s coastal wetlands,
like these in Cameron Parish.
Addressing Learning Styles
Body/Kinesthetic
Verbal/Linguistic
Ask students to debate the issue
of punishing or rehabilitating juvenile offenders. Have them focus on
the cost of incarcerating these
young people versus sentencing
them to a community-based
program.
Guiding Question 10-17
Group Activity
Divide the class into an even
number of groups. Ask half of the
groups to make a list of reasons to
protect the environment. Ask the
other half of the groups to make a
list of the reasons to support
environmental change for the good
of the economy. Ask similar groups
to get together to combine their
ideas. Have each side present their
arguments. Then, ask the class to
discuss the points that were
presented. Have each student take
a stand after listening to all the
class discussion.
Guiding Questions 10-5, 10-6,
and 10-18
The Environment
The hurricanes of 2005 brought more attention to the state’s biggest environmental threat—coastal erosion, the loss of the land itself. In 2002, Louisiana designed a national advertising campaign called “Save America’s Wetland”
to bring attention to this problem.
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Section 3 Quality of Life
529
TEACH
Critical Thinking
Ask students to identify some
negatives and positives of Louisiana.
Ask them how improving negatives
and appreciating the positives of
Louisiana can change the image of
the state. Have students prioritize
the order in which the negatives on
their list should be addressed.
Guiding Questions 10-17, 10-22,
and 10-26
T528
Objectives
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 7: Explain how or why specific regions are changing as a result of physical
phenomena (e.g., changes in the coastal wetlands).
GLE 9: Explain ways in which goals, cultures, interests, inventions, and
technological advances have affected people’s perceptions and uses of places or
regions in Louisiana.
GLE 14: Analyze, evaluate, and predict consequences of environmental
modifications on Louisiana landforms, natural resources, and plant or animal life.
GLE 15: Analyze the benefits and challenges of the Louisiana physical
environments on its inhabitants (e.g., flooding, soil, climate conducive to growing
certain plants).
GLE 17: Identify a contemporary Louisiana geographic issue, and research possible
solutions.
GLE 41: Explain the importance of being an informed citizen on public issues, recognizing propaganda, and knowing the voting issues.
GLE 51: Use economic concepts (e.g., scarcity, opportunity cost) to explain historic
and contemporary events and developments in Louisiana.
GLE 55: Identify the costs and benefits of a given government policy (e.g., trade
agreements, minimum wage) on a competitive market.
GLE 58: Describe historical and economic factors influencing the economic
growth, interdependence and development of Louisiana and the nation (e.g., mass
production, oil boom and decline).
T529
The news media in other states began reporting this story as awareness spread. In a
letter to the New York Times in 2004, Governor Blanco said “Congress has begun restoring the Chesapeake Bay and the Florida
Everglades, and now we’re restoring Iraq’s
wetlands. National leaders should address
an environmental and economic crisis more
significant than any of these: the loss of
‘America’s Wetland’ in coastal Louisiana.”
This warning became clear after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast.
The predictions of scientists had come true—
the impact of the storms had been worse because Louisiana had lost much of the natural
protection provided by the barrier islands
and the coastal marsh. More than one hundred additional square miles of fragile marsh
were lost after these powerful hurricanes,
Maurice LaRochelle drew this cartoon, which was
leaving the state even more vulnerable to
published in the Baton Rouge Advocate, to highlight
storm damage.
Louisiana’s vanishing coastline.
The environment had already begun to
receive more attention in the latter part of
the twentieth century. Scientists began to
educate Americans about protecting the environment, and people learned that
damaging the environment can hurt humans also.
Federal and state agencies now oversee efforts to protect the environment.
Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana legislature established the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
These agencies examine water pollution, solid waste, air quality, hazardous
waste, nuclear energy, litter control, recycling, and the wetlands. Their efforts
sometimes create a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection. For example, the environmentalists and the oil industry disagree about
the danger of oil field waste.
In 1980, Congress acted to clean up hazardous waste sites. It established a
“Superfund” to pay for this expensive effort. The chemical and petroleum industries are taxed to pay for the work. Louisiana has many sites on the program’s
cleanup list, but these projects have not been completed because of a cut in
funding.
In the 1990s, a new PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plant was planned in St. James
Parish. Some residents favored the economic growth, while others said their
neighborhood was unfairly chosen. Critics say that poor communities get industries that others do not want in their neighborhood. This is called the NIMBY
(Not In My Back Yard) attitude.
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• identify environmental problems
that exist in Louisiana. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 10-8
• describe the duties of the
Environmental Protection Agency
and the Department of
Environmental Quality.
(Comprehension)
BLM Assign Pollution Standards
Index from page 221 in the BLM
book.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Language Arts Have students write
an editorial supporting or opposing
drilling oil in a wetlands area.
Guiding Questions 10-1, 10-2,
and 10-5
The Art of Politics
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSS
Class Discussion
Ask students to
Guiding Question 10-8
Name the most pressing
environmental threat to the state.
(Knowledge)
Social Studies Skill
Making a Political Cartoon
Ask students to draw a political
cartoon highlighting an
environmental issue facing
Louisiana. Share individual
cartoons with the class and ask the
class to identify the subject and
point of view of each.
Guiding Question 10-25
530
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 64: Compare and contrast events and ideas from Louisiana’s past and present,
explaining political, social, or economic contexts.
GLE 65: Analyze the causes, effects, or impact of a given historical event in
Louisiana.
GLE 68: Interpret a political cartoon.
GLE 69: Propose and defend potential solutions to past and current issues in
Louisiana.
GLE 73: Describe and explain the importance of major events and ideas in the
development of Louisiana.
GLE 79: Explain how Louisiana’s natural resources have shaped its history (e.g.,
petroleum).
T530
Spotlight
Basin
Atchafalaya
Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin is one of the most
beautiful natural environments in the country. The
hardwood forests, stands of cypress, and bayous are
part of the largest swamp in the United States. The
basin is filled with wildlife, including white-tailed
deer and a small number of the protected black bear.
Hundreds of species of birds, including egrets, great
blue herons, and soaring hawks, fill the water, the
trees, and the sky above.
Humans have been part of the life of this great
swamp for generations. A small but special population lived in harmony with this natural world. These
early inhabitants supported themselves by gathering
moss, trapping, alligator hunting, and crawfishing.
They fished and hunted to feed their families. This
traditional way of life continued into the twentieth
century but has now almost disappeared.
Above: The Basin is a popular destination for canoeists.
People experience the basin in a different way
today. Some may be tourists who take a boat tour to
see this vast, mysterious swamp. Others fish and
hunt regularly and maintain camps in the region.
Serious naturalists come to bird watch or canoe
through the waterways.
But some people have only seen the basin as they
crossed the eighteen-mile raised portion of Interstate 10 near Lafayette. At the welcome and environmental education center just off I-10, the state
promotes the Atchafalaya Trace. Thirteen parishes
are included in this program designed to promote
preservation and economic growth. Even a one-day
visit can create strong supporters for the protection
of this irreplaceable treasure.
Section 3 Quality of Life
531
Internet Activity
Have students use a search engine
to research the Atchafalaya Basin.
Ask them to list five facts they did
not know about the area. (You may
want to go to dnr.louisiana.gov/
sec/atchafalaya/ to find lesson
plans from the Department of
Natural Resources for teaching about
the Atchafalaya Basin.)
Guiding Question 10-6
Critical Thinking
Ask students to
• describe how human interaction
maintained the natural environment
of the Atchafalaya Basin into the
20th century. How has man’s interaction with the area changed today?
Guiding Question 10-6
• describe conservation efforts that
can be used to protect the natural
environment.
Guiding Questions 10-1, 10-2,
10-5, and 10-29
Research Activity
Have students use a search
engine or other reference materials
to research endangered species in
Louisiana. Ask them to propose
ways endangered species can be
protected. (A web site that lists the
endangered animals and plants in
Louisiana is www.endangered
specie.com/states/la.htm.)
Guiding Questions 10-1 and 10-2
Multidisciplinary Activity
Art Ask students to make a poster
encouraging the conservation of
Louisiana’s natural environment or
highlighting conservation methods.
T531
4
Section
Writing Activity
Have students write a letter to a
member of Louisiana’s
congressional delegation
describing an environmental
problem and proposing a solution.
(Assign Writing to Your
Congressional Representative on
page 224 in the BLM book.)
Guiding Question 10-26
Twenty-first Century
Lifestyles
Outline
Despite the serious challenges facing the state, people
in Louisiana enjoy life. The heritage of the many
blended cultures results in an interesting mix of activity. Along with the many festivals celebrated around
the state, life and culture are also expressed in other
ways. These cultural elements show how cultural diversity has expanded and enriched Louisiana’s lifestyle.
Lesson Closure
Have students write a letter to a
future grandchild describing what
life is like in today’s world. Have
them include their predictions
and/or hopes for the future.
T532
Materials
Music
Check for Understanding
Have students collect current
news articles. Ask them to consider
the historical importance of each
article. Finally, ask them to rank the
probable impact of the event that is
discussed.
A. Music
B. Theater
C. The Arts
D. Literature
E. Sports
F. State Parks
• elements of the Louisiana lifestyle, and
• important Louisianians in the arts and
literature.
ASSESS
Alternative Assessment
INTRODUCE
As you read, look for:
BLM Assign Protect Your Future on
page 222 and Planning for the
Future on page 223 in the BLM
book.
1. Medicare and a public hospital
system
2. Gaming is the term for legal
gambling. It has provided
money to the state to
promote a variety of
programs.
3. Possible answers might
include gambling addiction or
increasing crime.
4. There will be a focus on
rehabilitation in an attempt
to reduce the number of
repeat juvenile offenders.
5. Coastal erosion
SECTION 4
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
LIFESTYLES
Above: Since 1989, old
Christmas trees have been
used to build “brush fences”
to protect Louisiana’s
coastal wetlands.
The small community of Grand Bois in Lafourche Parish received national
coverage in 1997 over an oil field waste disposal dump. This situation is part of
a national problem. Congress exempted oil field waste from the strict controls of
the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Transporting dangerous chemicals on the state’s highways and waterways
creates risks to people and the environment. A barge accident on the Mississippi River in 1997 sent a chemical cloud over Baton Rouge for days. Hundreds
of nearby residents were evacuated until the area was safe. Stricter regulations
now control hazardous waste.
Check for Understanding
1. What are two ways Louisiana provides health care?
2. What is gaming? What is one way gaming helps Louisiana?
3. What is one problem caused by gaming?
4. What change has been made in juvenile justice?
5. What is the most pressing environmental threat?
532
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Music of the past and present combines to enrich
Louisiana’s culture. Young people are learning the old
songs and techniques and showing a renewed interest in their cultural inheritance. Beginning musicians
study jazz piano, blues harmonica, and Cajun fiddle.
Other Louisiana music lovers, young and old, enjoy
more recent forms of music including rap and reggae.
Symphony orchestras and opera were first heard in
New Orleans when Louisiana was still a colony. Today,
these classical forms of music are still enjoyed around
the state.
Lagniappe
Both the Strand Theatre
and the Saenger Theatre are
on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Theater
Theater also began with the colonial culture. For years, one theater in
New Orleans presented plays in French,
while the “American” theater offered
the English-language version. Theater
today includes professional acting
companies as well as community
groups. Broadway touring companies
Section 4
Above: The New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festivals
features a variety of music
styles in addition to jazz.
Twenty-first Century Lifestyles
533
Objectives
GLE 9: Explain ways in which goals, cultures, interests, inventions and technological advances have affected people’s perceptions and uses of places or regions in
Louisiana.
GLE 27: Describe ways by which public policies are formed, including the role of
lobbyists, special interest groups and constituents.
GLE 65: Analyze the causes, effects, or impact of a given historical event in
Louisiana.
GLE 72: Describe leaders who were influential in Louisiana’s development.
GLE 73: Describe and explain the importance of major events and ideas in the
development of Louisiana.
GLE 79: Explain how Louisiana’s natural resources have shaped its history (e.g.,
petroleum).
Textbook, pages 533-539
Blackline Masters
Surfing the Internet:
Louisiana Personalities,
page 217
Sports Hall of Fame, page 218
Louisiana’s State Parks,
page 219
Another Noted Louisianian,
page 220
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Tell students that people from
Louisiana have excelled in every
aspect of life—from entertainment
to medical research. Ask them to
name famous people from Louisiana.
Have them categorize the people
under Music, Theater, The Arts,
Literature, and Sports, (Make a class
list to refer to as you study the
section. Tell students they will add
to this list as they read about
people in this section.)
TEACH
Multidisciplinary Activity
Music Have students bring in
samples of jazz, blues, Cajun, opera,
symphony, rap, and reggae music.
Have them listen and compare the
various styles of music associated
with Louisiana.
Guiding Question 10-2
T533
In his nature photography and writings, C. C. Lockwood of Baton Rouge shares
his outdoor adventures in the Atchafalaya Basin and the coastal wetlands.
Sculpture is the means of expression for two well-known Louisiana artists.
Some of Frank Hayden’s outdoor works depict the history of Louisiana. Clyde
Connell created huge wood carvings in her studio near Lake Bistineau.
Another Louisiana artist, William Joyce of Shreveport, is also a writer who
has combined these talents to create best-selling children’s books. Joyce has
also worked with Disney studios to create an animated television show with
his characters, including the popular Rolie Polie Olie.
Social Studies Skill
Making a Map
Ask students to find the names
of major museums in Louisiana.
Have them locate these museums on
an outline map of the state. Have
students include a key that shows
the type of artifacts that are found
in each museum.
Literature
Multidisciplinary Activity
Art Discuss with students the
different media that artists use. Ask
students to choose one medium,
e.g., watercolor, photography,
tempera, or clay, and create a
work of art.
provide another theatrical experience. Two beautifully restored
theaters, the Strand in Shreveport and the Saenger in New Orleans, provide the proper setting for the big musicals and dramas from the New York stage.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students complete Surfing
the Internet: Louisiana Personalities
on page 217 in the BLM book.
Guiding Question 10-27
Opposite page, above:
This painting of a baptism is
by folk artist Clementine
Hunter of Melrose Plantation.
Opposite page, below:
William Greiner’s “Girl with
a Yo Yo, New Orleans 2004.”
In 2004, Greiner received a
Louisiana Endowment for
the Arts Fellowship in
photography. Below: Originally trained to be a doctor,
novelist Walker Percy, seen
here at his home in Covington, was one of Louisiana’s
important writers.
The Arts
The arts are celebrated in formal and informal ways around the
state. Art galleries and museums display important works of wellknown artists. For example, the New Orleans Museum of Art was
built in 1910 with a donation from a wealthy sugar planter. Much
of the history of art in Louisiana can be learned from studying the
exhibits there. In Shreveport, the Norton Art Gallery has free admission because this family used their wealth from the Rodessa
oil field to bring art to their community.
One of Louisiana’s famous artists is Clementine Hunter. A selftaught artist, she painted scenes of her days on Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches Parish. In strong, bright colors, Hunter
depicted details in the daily lives of her neighbors. Hunter’s simple
but powerful expressions are prized by collectors worldwide.
Photography is art as well as technology. Photographers record
the Louisiana we all see, while showing us images through the
artist’s eye. William Greiner photographs the people and places of
Louisiana in vivid color. His book The Reposed documents Louisiana’s cemeteries.
Phillip Gould records the people and the landscape of South Louisiana. Neil Johnson
has offered scenes of North Louisiana, as well as a photographic story of the state.
Ask students to examine the folk
art of Clementine Hunter. Ask them
to discuss how they feel about this
type of art. Ask them to find pictures of other types of art, e.g.,
realism, surrealism, gothic, impressionism. Compare the various types
of art and ask each student to
choose the type that he/she likes
best. Try to limit the types of art to
that done by Louisiana artists.
Critical Thinking
Ask students to discuss how art
can record history. Have them look
through the textbook and find
examples of art that illustrate some
historical event.
The art of the written word has described Louisiana since the journals of
the explorers. Early well-known writers described the culture and history of
Louisiana. George Washington Cable reported life as he saw it, receiving criticism during his lifetime but praise for his honesty from today’s readers. Another nineteenth-century writer was Kate Chopin, whose fiction is considered
ahead of its time.
More recent Louisiana writers have also received recognition. Francis
Parkinson Keyes wrote historic fiction set in Louisiana, and Lillian Hellman
was a twentieth-century playwright. The Pulitzer Prize has been awarded to
these twentieth-century Louisiana writers: Oliver La Farge, Shirley Ann Grau,
Robert Penn Warren, John Kennedy Toole, and historian T. Harry Williams. Two
of the most renowned twentieth-century writers are Walker Percy of Covington
Internet Activity
534
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Research Activity
Have students research one of
these Louisiana authors: George
Washington Cable, Kate Chopin,
Francis Parkinson Keyes, Lillian
Hellman, Oliver LaFarge, Shirley Ann
Grau, Robert Penn Warren, John
Kennedy Toole, T. Harry Williams,
Walker Percy, or Ernest Gaines. Ask
them to find personal information
about the author as well as samples
of his or her works.
Guiding Question 10-27
Writing Activity
After students have read sample
writings by Louisiana literary
figures, ask them to try their hand
at writing a poem or short story in
that artist’s style.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Section 4
Twenty-first Century Lifestyles
535
Subjects of artists and writers can
come from almost anywhere. Look
at the picture of novelist Walker
Percy and write an essay depicting
what you think the person’s life is
like. (Instead of an essay, you may
want students to write a caption for
the picture, a poem, or lyrics for a
song describing the scene.)
Internet Activity
Ask students to use a search
engine to find a site with Louisiana
images that could be sent to friends
and family via the Internet as
e-postcards. Images that portray
Louisiana music may be found at
wwoz.org/postcards/.
T534
Group Activity
Objectives (Cont.)
Have students take photographs of buildings, landscapes,
events, etc., in their local area.
Have them share these with the
class. Ask the class to choose a
number that could be used to promote Louisiana tourism.
Guiding Question 10-30
GLE 80: Trace the state’s economic development and growth toward
economic diversity (e.g., fur trade,
tourism, technology).
T535
Group Activity
Group Activity
Have students brainstorm a list of
topics for novels set in Louisiana.
Ask students to work in groups to
create a short story based on one of
these ideas.
Have students brainstorm a list of
sports in which Louisianians can
participate. Then have them
categorize those sports under one
of the following headings: personal
sports, school sports, professional
sports.
Reading Strategy
Read Aloud
Choose a work by a Louisiana
writer. Read the work aloud to the
class. (You may spread this reading
out over several days or weeks
depending on its length. You may
also want to purchase a copy of a
work for each student and have
them read the work aloud during
class.)
Research Activity
Have students use a search engine
to find information on the Lousiana
Book Festival. You will find information at www.louisianabookfestival
.org/. This site contains the names
of authors who participated during a
given year as well as a summary of
their works. The authors are categorized by the type of work they have
done, e.g., childrens books, biography, historical fiction. There is also
information on workshops that participants may attend. (On this site,
you may find an example of a work
by a Louisiana writer that you could
use as a read-aloud.)
Class Discussion
Ask students
• why people are so interested in
sports. (Comprehension)
• to name some important sporting
events held in Louisiana that have
attracted national attention.
(Knowledge)
T536
Critical Thinking
Ask students to discuss the role
sports play in society. Ask if they
believe too much emphasis is placed
on sports. Ask what they think
about the increasing violence that is
seen at sporting events.
Above: The writer Ernest
Gaines walks along a dirt
road near the River Lake
Plantation in Cherie Quarters,
Louisiana. Opposite page,
above: The LSU Tigers’ win
over the Oklahoma Sooners
in the 2004 Sugar Bowl gave
them their first national
title since 1958. Opposite
page, below: The Pointe
Coupee girls’ volleyball team
rides the ferry to a game.
and Ernest Gaines of Pointe Coupee Parish. Percy’s novels are considered literary masterpieces, and Gaines is noted for his writing about African American
experiences in Louisiana.
In 2004, Ernest Gaines was nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature. He
was selected for this important honor because he is recognized as one of the
greatest writers in the world today. His writing is described as “giving voice to
the voiceless.” Gaines was also awarded the first Louisiana Writers Award in
2000. This appreciation for an outstanding living Louisiana writer was presented at the state’s first Louisiana Book Festival. This annual event celebrating literature in Louisiana is sponsored by the state library. Crowds of readers
join Louisiana writers on the Capitol grounds to share their love of books.
Sports
The climate of Louisiana makes outdoor sports a favorite activity. One of
the state’s regions has even been called “Sportsman’s Paradise.”
Today, organized sports are available to anyone who wants to participate.
Children and adults enjoy the fun and competition. Soccer has become a popular
activity for both boys and girls in many towns and cities.
All of the state’s college teams attract loyal fans. The Louisiana Tech women’s
basketball team, the LSU baseball team, and the LSU and Southern University
football teams are among the championship teams that attract huge crowds.
536
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
BLM Assign Sports Hall of Fame on
page 218 in the BLM book.
Lagniappe
Social Studies Skill
Influencing Public Opinion
Have students nominate someone
to be included in the Sports Hall of
Fame. Ask them to research their
nominee and give a rationale for the
nomination. After the class has
heard all the nominations, ask them
to vote on the recommendations.
Tell them the top two vote getters
will be “inducted.”
Guiding Question 10-10
The first Sugar Bowl was
held in 1935 at Tulane
Stadium in New Orleans.
The two teams competing
were Tulane University
and Temple University.
Tulane won 20-14.
In 2004, Louisiana went wild when the LSU football team won the Sugar
Bowl and the National Bowl Championship and the Southern Jaguars won the
SWAC championship. The purple and gold of LSU and the black and gold of
Southern waved together in a Parade of Champions in Baton Rouge.
Professional football attracts sell-out crowds to cheer on the New Orleans Saints
in the Superdome. Professional hockey teams have added an interesting sport to
this southern state where enthusiastic fans cheer the Mudbugs in Bossier City.
Section 4
Twenty-first Century Lifestyles
Addressing Learning Styles
537
Intrapersonal
Have students write journal
entries describing their favorite
sport. (If any students do not like
sports, have them write about why
they dislike sports.)
T537
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• list the various purposes of parks.
(Knowledge)
Guiding Question 10-29
• name various parks and/or
commemorative areas and tell what
is found there, e.g., a restored
antebellum home is found at Winter
Quarters. (Knowledge)
Have the students look at Map
40. Ask them to identify the names
of the parishes in which the state
parks, state forests, national forests,
and national wildlife refuges are
located.
Guiding Question 10-29
Internet Activity
Research Activity
Have students use a search
engine to find information on
Louisiana’s state parks. Ask them to
use Louisiana’s State Parks on page
219 in the BLM book to record
information that they find.
Some of the state parks are called commemorative areas. These are locations with special historical importance. The Audubon State Commemorative
Area near St. Francisville features Oakley Plantation, the home where John J.
Audubon stayed while he painted Louisiana birds. Further north, in Newellton,
is Winter Quarters, the restored antebellum country home of a wealthy Natchez
plantation owner whose lands were on the Louisiana side of the river. Los Adaes
is the site of a colonial Spanish fort established to keep the French from entering Spanish Texas. As you walk on the grounds, you can imagine that long-ago
life in the wilderness.
Interpretive programs at the commemorative sites provide more of the
history of the sites. People in costume take you back in time to learn more
about the past.
Research Activity
Have students research one of
the state parks located in Louisiana.
Ask them to find where the park is
located and the various activities
that are available there.
Addressing Learning Styles
Visual/Spatial
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students create a brochure
to attract tourists to one of
Louisiana’s state parks.
Guiding Question 10-30
Check for Understanding
T538
1. What are two kinds of traditional music still being played?
2. When did people start attending the theater in Louisiana?
3. What important award was Ernest Gaines nominated for?
4. What are three popular sports in Louisiana?
Multidisciplinary Activity
Math Have students calculate the
distance from their home to the
state park they wish to visit. Have
students calculate how long it will
take them to get to the park if they
average 60 miles an hour in the
family car. (You may also want them
to calculate the cost of gasoline,
lodging, food, admissions, etc., in
order to determine the final cost of
the family vacation.)
Guiding Question 10-30
Have students research one of
the commemorative areas located in
Louisiana. Ask students to design an
interpretative program to highlight
the events that are commemorated
at that site.
Section 4
Social Studies Skill
Making a Map
Have students plan a family
vacation to one of the state parks.
Have them use a highway map to
mark the route from their home
to the park. Also, ask them to
identify any sites along the way
that they might wish to visit. The
chosen state park should be at
least one parish away.
Guiding Question 10-30
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
1.
2.
3.
4.
Top: The beautiful gardens
at Audubon State Commemorative Area. Above: Sailing
at Cypremort Point State
Park on the Gulf Coast.
Twenty-first Century Lifestyles
jazz, blues, Cajun
During the colonial period
The Nobel Prize for Literature
Basketball, football, baseball
Alternative Assessment
Have students complete Another
Noted Louisianian on page 220 in
the BLM book.
Lesson Closure
539
Have students complete a
“snowball fight.” Ask them to write
something they learned from this
section on a piece of paper. Then
ask them to wad the paper up to
look like a snowball. Give the
students 30-40 seconds to have a
snowball fight in which they can
“legally” throw the paper balls at
one another. At the end of the
allotted time, ask them to pick up
one “ball” and read the fact that
one of their classmates learned.
T539
Answers to Questions
1. It was 100 years after the World’s
Industrial and Cotton Centennial
Exposition, which was held in
New Orleans.
2. To attract tourists to Louisiana
3. The drop in the price of oil hurt
the economy.
4. It did not make money, and the
state and the city had to pay
more than had been planned.
5. The city now has a Convention
Center, the Riverwalk, and
expensive apartments and art
galleries at the site where the
fair was held. The economic
impact benefits the city and the
state.
6. One reason for: If state money
had not been used, the fair
would have been seen as a failure
and this would have been bad
publicity for the state.
One reason against: The state
really could not afford to spend
money on the fair because of the
state’s bad economy.
7. Possible primary sources include a
program from the fair, an
interview with someone who
attended, legislative records
relative to the funding, records of
planning meetings for the fair,
photographs of the fair.
Meeting Expectations
The Economics of the 1984
New Orleans World’s Fair
In 1884, New Orleans hosted the World’s Industrial
and Cotton Centennial Exposition. In the 1970s,
when the state’s economy was booming, having another World’s Fair one hundred years later seemed
like a good idea. New Orleans attracted many tourists, and the fair was expected to bring even more
people to the state. Planning for the event involved
private and public funding.
But by the time the Louisiana World Exposition
opened in May 1984, the state’s economy was struggling. Although more than 7 million people visited
the fair, more than 11 million visitors were needed to
meet expenses. Officials gave free tickets to schoolchildren to increase attendance. Those visitors who
did attend complimented the event. A favorite attraction for the children was the Kiddie Car Wash,
designed to cool them in the sweltering summer heat.
The state and the city provided money to cover
the costs. Today, that investment has proved to be a
long-term benefit for the New Orleans economy. The
exhibit hall constructed for the fair has been converted into a convention center. The Riverwalk, now
enclosed as a shopping and dining center, allows
visitors to enjoy a close view of the Mississippi River.
Shops, art galleries, and expensive apartments fill
the nearby historic warehouse district.
1. Why was 1984 chosen as the year to hold
the fair?
2. What was the economic purpose of the
1984 fair?
540
Above: The 1984 World’s Fair and Exposition opened
on May 12 along the Mississippi River.
3. The 1984 fair was planned in the 1970s.
What happened to the economy between
that time and the time when the fair
opened?
4. Why did some people consider the fair an
economic failure?
5. What has been the long-term economic
benefit of the 1984 World’s Fair? Does this
benefit only New Orleans or does the state
benefit also?
6. What was one reason to support using state
funds to cover the costs of the fair? What
wass one reason to oppose this?
7. What are some possible primary sources
about the 1984 World’s Fair?
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
Critical Thinking
Chapter Summary
Challenges
• The extensive damage from Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita had widespread and long-term impact.
• The oil bust of the 1980s hurt the economy, and
many people lost their jobs. The economy is now
improving, and long-range plans seek a diverse
economy.
• Education is more important because of a
changing economy and reforms have been made.
The TOPS program pays college tuition for
qualified students.
• Political trends have included a growth in the
Republican Party and more women and minorities elected to public office.
• Louisiana elects some influential senators and
congressmen in the twentieth century. Louisiana
now has both Democrats and Republicans.
Louisiana’s Contemporary Governors
• David Treen, the first Republican governor in the
twentieth century, had budget problems because
of the oil bust. He was also criticized because the
state had to help finance the World’s Fair of 1984.
• Democrat Edwin Edwards was elected to his third
term and faced legal problems. The economic
problems of the state made it harder for him to
fund state programs.
• Charles Roemer tried unsuccessfully to change the
tax structure to correct the budget problems. His
education reform focused on evaluating teachers.
Elected as a Democrat, Roemer changed to the
Republican Party during his term.
• Edwards was reelected for a fourth term, defeating David Duke. Medicaid spending was a major
problem during this term. Edwards also pushed
for a land-based casino in New Orleans.
• Mike Foster was a Republican who addressed the
health care issues and started major education
reform. He began a major building project in
Capitol Park.
• Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat, was elected the
first woman governor in 2003. She focused on
economic improvement and changing Louisiana’s
image. After the hurricanes of 2005, she faced
the challenge of recovery and rebuilding.
Quality of Life
• Health care is an issue because many people
cannot afford health care insurance.
• Gaming is legalized gambling. Louisiana has a
number of forms of gaming, including several
casinos. Former Governor Edwards was convicted
of crimes related to the gaming industry.
• Louisiana’s crime rate continues to be high. The
juvenile justice system has been changed to
keep more juveniles out of prison.
• Hazardous waste sites and chemical spills have
created dangerous conditions. Federal and state
agencies are correcting some of the problems.
• The state is urging the rest of the nation to help
save Louisiana’s coast.
Twenty-first Century Lifestyles
• People still enjoy traditional music as well as
other music ranging from classical to rap.
• Theater began in colonial times and now includes
professional performances and community
theater groups.
• Art galleries around the state feature many
Louisiana artists. The art includes folk art,
photography, and sculpture.
• Louisiana has had many well-known writers.
Ernest Gaines was nominated for the Nobel Prize
for his novels about Louisiana.
• The state’s parks and forests are a favorite
destination for residents and visitors alike.
Chapter Summary
541
Ask students to consider how
people lived in the beginning of the
21st century. Then, ask them to
look at the issues of the 21st
century. How were the issues an
outcome of the lifestyles? For
example, how did the rise in crime
cause concern for the prison
system?
Post-reading Strategy
Reviewing
Go back to the list of events the
students made at the beginning of
the chapter. Ask them to share any
events that have not been covered
in the textbook. Make a list of those
events and assign selected students
to research each. (Instead of having
students research, you might want
to see if other students can define
the event. You may just briefly discuss any events that no one knows.)
BLM Assign A Look at the Years on
page 224 in the BLM book.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Language Arts Have students write
an editorial promoting the conservation of the natural environment.
Addressing Learning Styles
Visual/Spatial
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students create a slogan to
improve Louisiana’s image throughout the nation and the world. The
slogan could be a statement or a
pictorial representation.
Research Activity
Have students use a search
engine or other reference
materials to research the 1984
World’s Fair. One source of
pictures from the World’s Fair is
www.wyes.org/programs/local
prod/worldsfair/worldsfair_pix.
html. (You may want to assign
one of the pictures from the site
to research or discuss.)
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T541
REVIEW
1. Answers will vary.
2. a. Oil
b. TOPS
c. Treen
d. Roemer
e. Capitol Park
f. Gaming
g. DEQ
h. Coastal erosion
i. Theater
j. Republican
3. a. More African Americans,
women, and Republicans have
been elected to office.
b. The price of oil dropped, and,
therefore, revenues from the
severance tax declined.
c. Medicaid and a casino for
New Orleans
d. Education and the tax
structure; his education plans
ended when he left office and
his tax plans were voted down.
e. Because his opponent, David
Duke, was such a controversial
figure
f. TOPS and the new state
buildings
g. Economy and education
h. Some people think it causes
too many problems because
people become addicted to
gambling. Others think it is
risky for the economy to
depend on gaming.
i. Because so many people can’t
afford health insurance
j. Music and art continue to be
part of Louisiana’s culture.
CONNECT
With Your World
1. Answers will vary.
Activities
for
Learning
A
w Review
1. Identify the key people and places and
explain the terms in your own words.
2. Connect each of these statements with a key
person, place, or term.
a. The economic bust in the 1980s was
caused by the drop in price of this
resource.
b. This state program is designed to help
eligible students get a college education.
c. He faced budget problems as governor
because of the oil bust.
d. This governor wanted major reforms but
had difficulty getting them approved.
e. This major building project in Baton Rouge
is an example of government spending.
f. This economic activity has brought
controversy to the state.
g. A change in the perception of the
environment led to the establishment of
this state agency.
b. Why did Governor Treen face budget
problems?
c. What were two major problems of Governor
Edwards’s third term?
d. Governor Roemer hoped to bring major
changes in two areas. What were they? Was
he successful?
e. Why did the election that led to Governor
Edwards’s fourth term receive negative
national publicity?
f. What two programs of Governor Foster will
influence the future of Louisiana?
g. What were two important issues that
Governor Blanco focused on in her
campaign?
h. Why does gaming continue to be a
controversial issue in Louisiana?
i. Why is health care an important issue for
Louisiana?
j. Give two examples of Louisiana’s twentyfirst-century lifestyle.
h. This major issue in Louisiana affects the
entire United States.
i. This form of entertainment began in
colonial times.
j. This political party has grown in recent
years.
3. Answer these questions.
a. What are three political trends that reflect
a change in Louisiana?
542
Connect
With Your World
1. What kinds of music do you enjoy? Is it part
of Louisiana’s traditional culture or is it a
newer kind of music?
Chapter 16 Louisiana’s Contemporary Era: Problems and Prospects
o
b
2. Sports are part of Louisiana’s lifestyle. How
do sports affect your life?
3. How can protecting Louisiana’s coastline
today affect your future?
With Geography
4. What federal and state agencies are responsible for protecting the environment?
5. How have technology and human goals
affected Louisiana’s coastline?
6. Can human goals for Louisiana’s environment
change? Explain your answer.
7. Why is coastal erosion in Louisiana important
to the entire United States?
With Economics
8. Why did Louisiana’s economy suffer during
the 1980s? How is this situation an example
of an interdependent economy?
9. What are two ways that Louisiana’s economy
is becoming more diverse?
10. Why is it considered an economic benefit to
spend state funds on education?
With Civics
11. Why did voters agree that Louisiana needed a
new constitution in 1973?
Extend
1. Select an issue that is important in Louisiana
today. Express your opinion about this issue
with a political cartoon or a letter to the
editor.
2. Design a billboard or newspaper ad to
encourage students to set TOPS qualification
as their high school goal. Include the
requirements.
3. Interview someone who is attending college
on the TOPS program. Ask them what advice
they would give students who are about to
enter high school.
4. Locate the official web sites of Louisiana’s
United States senators. What information is
provided there that helps explain their
responsibilities?
5. Research to learn why seniority is important
in Congress. How does this affect Louisiana?
6. Do a web search for Louisiana museums.
Select a museum and do a virtual tour. Write
a short description to invite others to view
the site.
7. Find examples of Louisiana art online. Select
one example and describe what you see.
Photo Question
This is Winter Quarters State Commemorative
Area. Where is it located?
12. How are Louisiana elections affected by the
open primary system?
13. Why are the sunshine law and the code of
ethics important for good government?
With U.S. History
14. How did the terrorist attack on September
11, 2001, affect Louisiana?
Activities for Learning
EXTEND
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Answers will vary.
6. Answers will vary.
7. Answers will vary.
543
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
With Geography
4. EPA and DEQ
5. People wanted the oil in the
Gulf of Mexico and had the
technology to get it. Oil
exploration is one of the factors
that has caused the erosion of
the coastline.
6. Yes, people can become more
aware of how human actions
affect the environment.
7. Because of the economic impact
With Economics
8. The price of oil dropped.
Actions in other nations
affected the price of oil, and
this impacted the economy of
Louisiana.
9. More technology-related
industry and the growth of the
movie industry
10. Because better educated people
contribute to a strong economy
With Civics
11. The previous constitution had
been amended too many times.
12. Voters do not have to vote for a
person who is in their party.
Two Democrats or two
Republicans can be in a runoff
election.
13. The sunshine law keeps
government from taking actions
secretly, and the code of ethics
keeps elected officials from
profiting from their public
office.
With U.S. History
14. People were shocked and unsure
of what would happen next.
Then they began to contribute
to the efforts to help the
victims of the attack.
PHOTO QUESTION
Newellton
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T543