CHAPTER 7
LOUISIANA’S SPANISH
COLONIAL ERA: STABILITY
AND SUCCESS
Pages 206-235
Focus on Skills
Inferring
Page 208
Section 1
Louisiana Becomes a Spanish
Colony
Pages 209-216
Section 2
Spanish Control
Pages 217-221
Section 3
Louisiana in the American
Revolution
Pages 222-225
Section 4
Spanish Louisiana after the
American Revolution
Pages 226-231
Meeting Expectations
The Possessions of John
Fitzpatrick
Page 232
Chapter Summary
Page 233
Activities for Learning
Pages 234-235
7
Louisiana’s Spanish
Colonial Era: Stability
and Success
Chapter
T206
Ask students
• to describe the reasons the
Acadians were deported from Nova
Scotia. (Comprehension)
• why the Acadians were so willing
to join the Spaniards in their fight
against the British. (Comprehension)
Guiding Question 5-4
Lagniappe
In 1861, while the owners of
Destrehan Plantation were in
Europe, the Union Army seized the
house and set up a place where
newly freed slaves could learn a
trade. After the war, the house was
returned to its owner.
Chapter Preview
Terms: treason, Cabildo, surveyor,
neutral, militia, siege, French
Revolution, right of deposit
People: Antonio de Ulloa,
Alejandro O’Reilly, Luis de
Unzaga y Amezaga, Bernardo de
Gálvez, Esteban Rodriguez Miro,
Francisco Luis Hector Baron de
Carondelet, Etienne de Boré
Places: Nova Scotia, Fort Miro
Writing Activity
Have students write a journal
entry describing what their life
would have been like as an early
Acadian settler in Louisiana.
Guiding Questions 4-3, 5-14
M
elissa Guilbeau of Iberville Parish has been taught about her heritage by her grandfather, Joe Guilbeau. One of his favorite sayings
is “Cajuns were lucky to end up in Louisiana, and Louisiana was
lucky to get us too.” Melissa has understood since she was a very
young girl that she is a descendant of the Acadian people who came from Nova
Scotia when Louisiana was a Spanish colony. Her grandfather took her to see
the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, where a huge mural shows those Acadian
people who came to Louisiana. Melissa learned that local Acadians posed for
the portraits of their ancestors of the same name.
Focus
Write this quotation on the
chalkboard: “Cajuns were lucky to
end up in Louisiana, and Louisiana
was lucky to get us too.” Ask students to explain the meaning of the
quotation.
Guiding Question 5-4
Ask students to list all the things
they know about the Acadians and
their influence on the history of
Louisiana. Make a class list of their
ideas.
Guiding Questions 4-2, 4-3, and
5-4
Class Discussion
206
The leader of those early Acadians was Beausoleil Broussard, Melissa’s
famous ancestor. It was his son who later became a rifleman with the Attakapas
Militia, which helped Spanish General Bernardo Gálvez capture British Florida
during the American Revolution. Melissa’s grandfather told her the story of
her seventh great-grandfather, Jean-Baptiste Broussard, who joined the Spanish to capture the British Fort New Richmond at what is now Baton Rouge. The
battle took place on September 21, 1779. This was less than twenty-five years
after the British had deported the Acadians from their homeland in Acadia,
and they were very willing to join the Spanish in their war against the British.
Louisiana The History of an American State
Chapter 7
Above: The Cabildo was built
in 1795-1799 as the seat
of the Spanish colonial
government in New Orleans.
Today, it is the Louisiana
State Museum.
Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
207
Addressing Learning Styles
Lagniappe
Research Activity
Visual/Spatial
Have students go to www.acadi
an-cajun.com/quilt.htm to view
an Acadian quilt on display in the
Acadian Museum in St. Martinville.
After studying the meaning of the
different sections, ask students to
design a quilt depicting events in
their lives.
Guiding Questions 4-16, 5-12
• Destrehan is the oldest documented plantation in the lower
Mississippi Valley.
• A Fall Festival is held in
November at the Destrehan
Plantation to raise money for the
River Road Historical Society,
which works to preserve the site
as well as other historical sites
along the River Road.
Melissa Gurilbeau knows about
many of her ancestors — dating
back to the 1700s. Have students
trace their family trees back as far
as they can. Ask them to share
any interesting family stories they
find.
BLM Assign students Vocabulary
Choices from page 85 in the BLM
book.
Social Studies Skill
Locating
On a map of North America, have
students locate Nova Scotia. Ask
them to estimate the distance
between Nova Scotia and Louisiana.
Remind them that most Acadians
were exiled to British coastal
colonies and did not move to
Louisiana until after the American
Revolution. Have students describe
hardships people may have encountered moving from Nova Scotia to
Louisiana.
Guiding Questions 4-18, 5-4,
and 5-10
T207
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.
Focus
Before students read “Defining
the Skill,” ask students what it
means to infer. Ask students
• to describe instances when they
have made inferences.
• if inferences might change the
meaning of something.
Try This!
Student answers will vary;
however, they may mention the
following:
• The people continued to speak
French.
• The people remained loyal to
France.
• The people continued their same
lifestyle.
• The people continued to celebrate
the same holidays.
• The people ignored the Spanish
leaders.
The evidence to support or refute
their predictions will vary according
to what each student writes.
It’s Your Turn!
Students’ conclusions will vary;
however, they may include the following:
• Many lost their homes.
• Their lives would undergo major
change.
• They would no longer have close
contact with France.
• The Indians would no longer be
their allies.
The evidence will vary depending
on the conclusion that each student
makes.
T208
Focus
on
Skills
Inferring
Defining the Skill
Inferences are made when main ideas and supporting details are not clearly defined or when information is missing or not available in a text or
story. Inferences can also be used to go beyond the
literal meaning of the text. When you read, you may
want to use some of your own knowledge, beliefs,
or experiences to interact with the text.
There are a number of ways you can make inferences. These include:
• drawing conclusions,
• making predictions,
• interpreting what you have read, and
• making judgments.
Try This!
The statement that follows makes a general statement about Louisiana after the French and Indian
War. After reading the paragraph, record on a separate sheet of paper a prediction of what you think
Louisiana was actually like during that period of
time. (You will be inferring what you think Louisiana was like.)
When France lost most of her land in North America as a result of the French and Indian War, the French colony of Louisiana became a Spanish possession. Louisiana, however,
continued to be more of a French colony than a Spanish colony.
After you have written your prediction (inference),
read pages 213-216 in your textbook and cite evidence to support or refute your idea(s).
It’s Your Turn!
Drawing conclusions is another method of making inferences. Copy the graphic organizer below on
a separate sheet of paper. What conclusions can you
draw from the statement in Column 1? Record your
conclusions in Column 2. As you read pages 213216, find evidence that supports or refutes (shows
to be wrong) each conclusion. Record the evidence
in the appropriate column.
Drawing Conclusions
Conclusions
Settlers in
Louisiana were
unhappy with
the outcome of
the French and
Indian War.
208
__________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Evidence
Support
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Refute
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
1
Section
SECTION 1
LOUISIANA BECOMES A
SPANISH COLONY
Louisiana Becomes
a Spanish Colony
INTRODUCE
As you read, look for:
• the arrival of the Acadians,
• the events that led to the French and Indian War and the
transfer of Louisiana from France to Spain,
• the colonists’ reaction to the transfer, and
• vocabulary term treason.
In 1762, during the French and Indian War, France transferred Louisiana to
Spain. This was done with the secret Treaty of Fountainebleu. France needed
money and military aid from Spain. As payment, France gave up Louisiana west
of the Mississippi and the “Isle of Orleans.”
Figure 18 Timeline: 1750–1800
1764
First Acadians arrived in Louisiana
1762
Louisiana transferred to Spain
1750
1760
1754
French and Indian
War began
1768
Colonists rebelled
against Ulloa
1769
O’Reilly arrived
in colony
1770
1773
Boston Tea Party
Section 1
The kings of France and
Spain had signed an
agreement, the Family
Compact of 1757, pledging
to support each other in
case of conflicts.
1777
Isleños began arriving in Louisiana
Gálvez became governor
1779
Spain entered American Revolution
1780
1775
American
Revolution
began
1763
French and Indian War ended
Proclamation of 1763 forbade settlement
west of the Appalachians
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Lagniappe
1794
First newspaper in
colony published
1795
Pinckney’s Treaty
1790
1800
1789
George Washington elected
first U.S. president
A. The Acadians
B. The Secret Transfer
C. Arrival of the Spanish
Governor
D. The Rebellion
E. Arrival of the Military
Materials
Textbook, pages 209-216
Blackline Masters
Colonial Wars, page 86
Washington’s Letter, page 87
The French and Indian War,
page 88
Battles of the French and
Indian War, page 89
Evangeline and the Acadians,
page 90
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
1787
U.S. Constitution written
1783
American Revolution ended with Treaty of Paris
Louisiana Becomes a Spanish Colony
Outline
209
Ask students to look at the timeline and choose the event that had
• the greatest impact on Louisiana.
• the greatest impact on the
American colonies.
Discuss students’ choices.
Guiding Questions 4-14, 5-9
TEACH
Objectives
GLE 11: Explain why humans settled and formed societies in specific regions or
why immigrant groups (e.g., Acadians) settled in specific areas of Louisiana.
GLE 63: Interpret data presented in a timeline correlating Louisiana, U.S., and
world 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.
GLE 66: Analyze how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course
of Louisiana’s history.
GLE 70: Conduct historical research using a variety of resources and evaluate
those resources to answer historical questions related to Louisiana history.
GLE 72: Describe leaders who were influential in Louisiana’s development.
Reading Strategy
Making Predictions
After students look at the timeline, ask them to predict what they
will study in this chapter. Have
them identify any specific information they know about any of the
broad topics on the timeline.
Guiding Questions 4-7, 5-9
T209
BLM Assign students Colonial Wars
from page 86 in the BLM book.
Geography Activity
It took General Edward Braddock
32 days to travel from Fort
Cumberland to Fort Duquesne, a distance of 110 miles. Use a modern
map of the area and identify some
of the places the British forces
would pass through if the voyage
were made today. Calculate the
mileage between the two locations
using modern highways. Estimate
the amount of time it would take to
travel between the two locations.
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Choose one student to represent
General Edward Braddock. Have the
class prepare a list of questions to
ask the general. Select a panel of
students to conduct the actual
interview.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at the
illustration of a battle during the
French and Indian War. Ask them to
compare the style of fighting with
that used in modern warfare, e.g.,
Iraq.
Guiding Question 4-14
Internet Activity
Have students go to www.phila
printshop.com/frchintx.html to
read a short history of the French
and Indian War. Ask them to list ten
important facts associated with the
war.
T210
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Connecting with U.S. History
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The French and Indian War
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From 1689 to 1763, France, Spain, and Great Britain
fought a series of wars in Europe and in North
America. The names of the wars changed, and the
official reasons for them changed. Sometimes a war
started when a king died and a struggle resulted
over who would hold the power. One war was called
the “War of Jenkins’s Ear” because the Spanish cut
off the ear of a smuggling British sea captain.
The key war in this long list was called the Seven
Years’ War in Europe and the French and Indian War
210
BLM Assign students Washington’s
Letter from page 87 in the BLM
book.
Social Studies Skill
Reading a Map
Have students look at Map 23 on
page 178 and Map 25 and answer
the following:
• What country got most of the
land after the French and Indian
War? (Great Britain)
• What happened to the French
claims after the French and Indian
War? (They had to give them up.)
• What happened to Louisiana after
the French and Indian War? (It
became a Spanish colony.)
• How might history have been
changed if the French had won the
French and Indian War? (Answers
will vary.)
Guiding Question 4-17
in America. The British colonists called it the French
and Indian War because they fought against the
French and their Indian allies.
Below: During the French and Indian War, British
General Edward Braddock was mortally wounded in a
battle near present-day Pittsburgh. His continental
style of fighting had made his army an easy target for
the French and the Indians. His death and the defeat
of his army was a terrible blow to the British.
BLM Assign students The French
and Indian War from page 88 in the
BLM book.
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• identify the cause of the French
and Indian War. (Knowledge)
• describe the location and importance of Fort Louisburg.
(Comprehension)
• identify why Spain got involved
in the French and Indian War.
(Knowledge)
• list the terms of the Treaty of
Paris of 1763. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 4-17
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Objectives (Cont.)
Critical Thinking
Social Studies Skill
GLE 73: Describe and explain the importance of major events and ideas in the
development of Louisiana.
GLE 74: Describe the causes and effects of various migrations into Louisiana.
GLE 75: Describe the contributions of ethnic groups significant in Louisiana
history.
GLE 77: Describe major conflicts in context of Louisiana history (e.g. Rebellion of
1768, the French and Indian War)
Ask students who got the
better deal — the British getting
Florida from Spain or the Spanish
getting Cuba from Great Britain.
Guiding Question 4-17
Making a Map
After researching battles of the
French and Indian War, have students locate the sites of those
battles on an outline map of the
United States. Have them identify
the present-day states in which
the battlefields are located.
BLM Assign students Battles of the
French and Indian War from page 89
in the BLM book.
Writing Activity
Have students write headlines
that might have appeared in the
newspaper describing various events
during the French and Indian War.
T211
The arrangement was hidden from Great
Britain, because it might have affected the war
and its results. If Great Britain had known that
Louisiana already belonged to Spain, it might
have demanded the colony in the war settlement. It did try to bargain for New Orleans, but
failed. The capital of the French colony became
the capital of Spanish Louisiana.
The new colony would be very expensive for
Spain to operate. The military expense alone
would be huge; keeping a soldier in Louisiana
cost five times as much as in Spain. For its part,
Great Britain hoped that operating this expensive colony would further weaken Spain.
Even so, Spain wanted the colony. Louisiana
would serve as a buffer and keep the British
away from the Spanish silver mines in northern Mexico. Spain’s control of the Mississippi
River offered even more protection for Mexico.
This strategic location made the colony worth
the expense to Spain.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Ask students to describe what is
happening in the illustration on this
page.
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• describe why the transfer of
Louisiana from France to Spain was
done secretly. (Comprehension)
• list reasons the Spaniards wanted
Louisiana. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 4-14
Research Activity
Have students research the
routes by which the Acadians came
to Louisiana, including intervening
stops in the American colonies.
Guiding Questions 4-15, 5-13
Social Studies Skill
Making a Map
After students have researched
the routes of the Acadians, have
them draw those routes on an
outline map of the United States.
Identify through which present-day
states the routes ran.
Guiding Questions 4-18, 5-1,
5-13
The Acadians
Above: The British doubted
the loyalty of the French
colonists in Acadia (presentday Nova Scotia). In 1755,
during the French and Indian
War, the British evicted the
Acadians from their land.
Many eventually found their
way to southern Louisiana.
Critical Thinking
Ask students why it cost five
times as much to keep a soldier in
Louisiana as it cost to keep a soldier
in Spain.
212
The French and Indian War also brought new
colonists to Louisiana. The Acadians were exiles from French Acadia, which had become the
British Nova Scotia in 1713.
The Acadians were peasants who had come
from France to Canada in 1632. In Acadia, their Canadian home, they were
hard-working trappers and farmers. The land, their families, and their Catholic
faith defined their lives. Even though Canada changed governments several
times, the Acadians continued to farm and live their simple lives. They ignored
the clashes in Europe that spilled over into North America, until the violent
conflict pushed its way into their villages. All around them, the French and
English struggled for control of land and forts.
In 1755, early in the French and Indian War, a British officer claimed these
farmers were enemies because they refused to take an oath of allegiance to the
Protestant British king. The British evicted the Acadians from their land. They
were sent to British colonies on the Atlantic coast and told they must “learn to
become good British subjects.” After the tragic events of this journey and the
years following, some Acadians made their way to Louisiana. The first group
arrived in 1764.
The king of France had arranged for the Acadians to go to Louisiana but had
not provided supplies to help them get settled. The confusion in the colonial
government increased their problems. But the French colonial officials gave the
new settlers supplies from the government warehouses and sent them to live in
the Attakapa region. The prairies there offered a place to raise livestock, as they
had done in their homeland. Other Acadian settlements developed in the colony.
More Acadians continued to come to Louisiana after Spain took over the colony.
Today Louisiana is home to the descendants of these hardy people.
Lagniappe
The Acadians arrived in Louisiana
in several different groups from
1764 to 1785. Louisiana’s French
government gave the first group six
months’ worth of supplies — flour,
hardtack, hulled rice, salt pork, and
beef. The Spanish Louisiana government supplied later groups with
corn, an axe, a scythe, a spade, ten
hens, a rooster, and a pig.
Guiding Question 5-11
The Secret Transfer
The French sent a government official to transfer the colony
to Spain. When he arrived in 1763, he inspected the colony. In
his report to France, he said the government was understaffed
and corrupt and the warehouse and the treasury were nearly
empty. The French government was almost bankrupt and had sent
the colony little other than complaints about its expense.
Because France did not send supplies, the colony asked the
British at Pensacola to sell them flour. In addition, the poor conditions made keeping order more difficult. More troops were
needed, but France sent none.
The transfer of Louisiana to Spain was kept secret from the
colonists while French officials waited for the arrival of the Spanish. This situation lasted for almost two years.
Finally, on September 30, 1764, the French government officially announced the transfer of the colony to Spain. The news had
already begun to leak out, and the colonists were very bitter about
this betrayal by their country. After they received official word of
the transfer, the colonists held a meeting to decide what to do.
Delegates from the colony headed to France to ask the French
government to keep the colony. The group’s leader was a wealthy
merchant, Jean Milhet. He spent almost two years in Paris urging France to keep
Louisiana. The eighty-six-year-old Bienville, who had retired to France, tried to
help him speak for the colony. The king did not want to hear from his former
colonists, and all the other officials refused to help. Back in the colony, the people
struggled along, hoping that a change in government would not come.
Arrival of the Spanish Governor
The Spanish government sent Antonio de Ulloa (ool YO a) to Louisiana as
its governor. Ulloa was a high-ranking and competent naval officer with experience in other Spanish colonies. Unfortunately, he was not a forceful leader
but a reserved scientist. His quiet manner and low-key style were not effective
with these people who did not accept his authority.
Ulloa arrived on March 5, 1766, with only seventy-five soldiers and one ship.
The New Orleans weather that day hinted at his unpleasant stay in the colony.
A heavy downpour made his entrance less than dignified. The small number of
soldiers made a poor show of strength.
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Section 1
Critical Thinking
After reading the Lagniappe above
to the students, ask them how the
treatment Acadians received from
each of these governments affected
the colony.
Guiding Question 4-8
Social Studies Skill
Above: King Carlos III of
Spain was the cousin of
French King Louis XV and
came to his aid during the
French and Indian War. To
keep Louisiana out of
the hands of the British,
Louis XV gave the colony
to Spain in 1762.
Louisiana Becomes a Spanish Colony
213
Reading Strategy
Connecting Information
Have students review what they
remember about the Acadians from
Chapter 1. Compare their comments
to the class list that was made to
introduce Chapter 7.
Guiding Questions 5-4, 5-10,
5-11, 5-12
T212
Making a Map
Have students research places
where the Acadians settled. Ask
them to locate the settlements on
an outline map of Louisiana.
Guiding Questions 4-18, 5-1
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• discuss the reasons for the transfer of Louisiana to Spain.
(Comprehension)
• describe how the French government let the colony in Louisiana
down. (Comprehension)
Guiding Question 4-8
Critical Thinking
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students go to www.aca
dianmemorial.org/english/mural.
html to view the Acadian mural in
St. Martinville. Ask students to
look at the illustration and write
(or discuss) their thoughts about
the people — their physical
stature, expressions, dress, etc.
BLM Assign students Evangeline
and the Acadians from page 90 in
the BLM book.
Guiding Question 4-3
Writing Activity
Reading Skill
Have students write a letter to
Jean Milhet, advising him of
arguments to present to the
French government to encourage
them to keep control of Louisiana.
Compare and Contrast
A number of Louisiana governors are introduced in the chapter.
Ask students to begin a chart on
which to record information –
dates of services and accomplishments – about each governor.
Guiding Question 4-9
Ask students to list the leadership traits of Antonio de Ulloa. Have
them use the list of traits of a good
leader that were previously developed. Evaluate Ulloa’s leadership
ability according to the list.
Guiding Question 4-9
T213
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at the
illustration of Antonio de Ulloa. Ask
them to describe what the items in
the picture represent.
Lagniappe
Spain sent teachers to introduce
the Spanish language and culture to
the colony, but the French
inhabitants would not send their
children to the school.
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Visual/Spatial
Have students make an illustrated book that includes ten facts
about the French or Spanish colonial
periods. Depending upon which
foreign language they study, ask
them to write the numbers in
Spanish or French and beside each
number include specific information
relating to colonial Louisiana.
Guiding Question 4-8
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• identify why Ulloa did not
immediately take control of
Louisiana. (Knowledge)
• describe what impact the Spanish
trade laws had on Louisiana.
(Comprehension)
• describe how the social behavior
of Ulloa and the French governors
differed. (Comprehension)
Guiding Question 4-13
Critical Thinking
Ask students if they knew the
United States was going to be
placed under the government of a
foreign country, what questions
would they have. Have them write
questions to discuss with the whole
class.
T214
Above: Antonio de Ulloa was
the first Spanish governor of
Louisiana. A noted scholar,
Ulloa tried to impose
Spanish trade rules on the
colony. That eventually led
to a rebellion in 1768.
Lagniappe
Ulloa learned to speak
French when he was invited
to join a group of scientists
on a South American
expedition led by the French
Royal Academy of Science.
The group completed a
scientific study to measure
the length of the equator.
214
Arriving with such a small force was not Ulloa’s
intention. He had asked for seven hundred troops,
but was instead told the French soldiers in the
colony would join his military forces. But the few
French troops considered themselves French, not
Spanish, subjects.
Perhaps because he had so few troops, Ulloa did
not have the colony formally transferred to Spain
when he arrived. Instead of taking official control,
he worked with the French officials to conduct the
business of the colony. This confused the colonists
and encouraged them to think the transfer to Spain
might be temporary.
Some of the first changes made were very unpopular. Spain did not believe in helping other
nations develop their trade by using Spanish markets. Following orders from Spanish King Carlos III,
Ulloa announced that the colony must now follow
Spanish trade laws. The colony could trade only with
Spanish ports.
To the colonists, the Spanish trade laws meant ruin. While they were under
French control, the colonists had traded with the French ports in the Caribbean. They had also carried on a busy but illegal trade with the nearby British
colonies. The successful merchants resented the loss of this business.
The Spanish governor’s social behavior also offended the colonists. The French
governors had held ceremonies and provided formal parties in New Orleans.
The social life in the city had been led by the governors, and the French colonists expected this lifestyle to continue. They were also insulted when he had
a private wedding and did not invite them.
Because of these problems, the colonists gave Ulloa little credit for his positive actions. To improve the colonists’ safety, Ulloa toured and inspected the
forts. He communicated with the nearby British governor in West Florida to
make a positive connection. Ulloa also sought the goodwill of the Indians. He
gave them more gifts than the French had given them, even more than the
amount the Spanish government had allotted.
The Rebellion
The people had many concerns about the transfer of the colony to Spain.
Would the Spanish culture be forced upon them? Would Spanish become the
official language? When they cheered “Long live the king,” must they now say
Viva el Rey instead of Vive le Roi?
These fears, the strict enforcement of the Spanish trade laws, and Ulloa’s
other actions added to the growing complaints. The colonists still considered
the colony French because they did not accept the authority of Ulloa. He had
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
never informed the French Superior Council that he officially accepted the transfer of the colony.
By October 28, 1768, an armed mob had gathered in New Orleans. The merchants of New Orleans and the members of the Superior Council were its organizers. The leaders made sure that all
the colonists were represented to show unity. The Germans came
because they wanted to be paid for the produce purchased from
their farms. The Acadians came because Ulloa had forced some of
them to settle near Natchez, instead of allowing them to join relatives near St. Gabriel.
Ulloa could do little to stop the rebellion. He had sent most of
the Spanish soldiers to the frontier forts, and only ten were still
in New Orleans. The governor took his family and left the city on
the only Spanish warship at the dock.
After Ulloa left Louisiana, the people tried to justify their actions to the French king. They wrote a lengthy explanation in “The
Memorial of the Planters and Merchants of Louisiana.” The people
appealed to the king to return Louisiana to the French family.
Their pleas were ignored. King Louis XV did not want to offend
his ally, King Carlos III of Spain. In addition, the colony had always been an expensive burden. Why would the French king want it now?
After this rejection, the leaders of the rebellion knew they would need
the protection of a European country. Spain would certainly punish them.
So they contacted the British governor at Pensacola and requested help from
that government. But King George III was already hearing talk of independence from his own colonies. He would not help these colonists who had
shown disrespect to a king.
Class Discussion
Ask students why
• the people in Louisiana continued
to think of the colony as French.
(Comprehension)
• the French did not want to take
Louisiana back. (Comprehension)
Guiding Question 4-14
Addressing Learning Styles
Above: In 1768, the citizens
of Lousiana appealed to King
Louis XV of France to take
back control of the colony.
He refused.
When Ulloa reached Havana, he sent a report of the rebellion to Spain. The
Spanish considered the colonists’ actions to be treason (the crime of trying to
overthrow the government of one’s own state or country). The rebellious colony
must be regained and controlled. A strong and forceful military leader—
Alejandro (Alexander) O’Reilly—was selected for this assignment. O’Reilly had
been born in Ireland but had come to Spain when he was young. He became a
hired soldier, then a hero. He had once saved the king from a mob, proving his
bravery and gaining the king’s favor.
Three thousand soldiers and twenty-four ships were sent to enforce the king’s
orders. (The total population of New Orleans at that time was less than four
thousand.) This mighty fleet arrived in August 1769.
When O’Reilly arrived at the fort south of New Orleans, the ringleaders of
the rebellion rushed to tell him their side of the story. O’Reilly politely heard
their complaints and their explanation that they had opposed Ulloa but not
Spain. They said that because Ulloa had not officially accepted the colony for
Louisiana Becomes a Spanish Colony
Reading Strategy
Compare and Contrast
Have students prepare a Venn
diagram to compare and contrast
Ulloa with Alejandro O’Reilly.
Guiding Question 4-8
Arrival of the Military
Section 1
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students role-play the
gathering of the armed mob in New
Orleans. Have the selected students
express the viewpoint of the group
they represent, i.e., Germans,
Acadians.
Guiding Question 4-8
Remind students to add O’Reilly to
their chart of governors.
Reading Strategy
215
Making Predictions
Ask students, after reading about
O’Reilly’s arrival near New Orleans, to
predict how successful he will be in
commanding the colony of
Louisiana.
Guiding Question 4-8
Research Activity
Writing Activity
Critical Thinking
Writing Activity
Have students write a letter to
a friend expressing their
apprehension at being changed
from a French colony to a Spanish
colony.
Ask students what advice they
would give to Antonio de Ulloa as
the new Spanish governor of
Louisiana.
Have half the students write a
letter from a family member in
Spain to one of the soldiers under
O’Reilly’s command. Have the
other students answer the letters.
Use the Internet or other
references to find information on
Alejandro O’Reilly.
Guiding Question 4-11
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students debate which
leadership style — that of Ulloa or
that of O’Reilly — is best.
T215
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at the
portraits of Antonio de Ulloa on
page 214 and Alejandro O’Reilly on
page 216. Have them compare the
appearance, dress, etc., of the two
men.
Class Discussion
Ask students
• why the colonists had a
misconception about O’Reilly’s
intentions. (Knowledge)
• to explain how religion united
the French and Spanish.
(Comprehension)
• to explain why the Spanish
governor was called “Bloody
O’Reilly.”
Guiding Question 4-14
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
1. To serve as a buffer and keep
the British away from the
Spanish silver mines in
northern Mexico
2. The British considered them
enemies after they refused to
take an oath of allegiance to
the Protestant British king,
and, as a result, they evicted
them from their homes.
3. They were bitter and felt
betrayed. They sent a
delegation to France to ask
the French government to
keep the colony.
4. An ineffective, weak leader
5. They still considered
Louisiana to be French, they
did not accept Ulloa’s
authority, they did not like
the strict enforcement of
Spanish trade laws, and they
were fearful of how they
would be treated under the
control of Spain.
6. By showing Spain’s military
strength
T216
Above: In 1769, King Carlos
III named Alejandro O’Reilly
governor of Louisiana and
gave him orders to put down
the rebellion.
Lagniappe
The trial of the rebels lasted
two months. As was Spanish
custom, the prisoners and
witnesses were questioned
secretly, and a judge decided
and delivered the verdicts.
216
Spain, they were not rebelling against the king. Since
O’Reilly listened politely, they thought he accepted their
statements. They left the fort and returned to New Orleans,
thinking they were safe.
O’Reilly headed for New Orleans, to make his next move.
He planned his arrival to display the strength and power
of Spain. His troops paraded in the Place d’Armes (presentday Jackson Square) while cannons fired. Red and gold flags
announced the Spanish presence. The Spanish officials
hosted a formal ceremony in the church. A Catholic mass
reminded the people of the connection between their religion and the Spanish king’s authority. Speeches by O’Reilly
and other officials emphasized Spain’s control.
To continue his message, O’Reilly reviewed his troops on
the parade grounds. This military procedure showed the skill
and number of the Spanish soldiers. Backed by his huge
army, O’Reilly asserted the power of Spain. Louisiana was
now a Spanish colony and must conduct itself properly.
O’Reilly dealt with the rebellious colony as the king expected. After a trial following Spanish laws of the time,
the leaders of the rebellion were sentenced to death and
others were sent to prison. O’Reilly then pardoned all others who might have been involved and required all colonists to take an oath of allegiance to Spain. Anyone who was not willing to
take the oath had to leave the colony.
The trial and the death sentences angered the colonists. In fact, the French
called the Spanish general “Bloody O’Reilly” for years afterward, and New Orleans schoolchildren even memorized a poem about his evil actions. However,
at the time, the Spanish king was concerned that the unrest in the British
colonies might spread, and he wanted all Spanish colonies to know that rebellion would not be tolerated.
Check for Understanding
1. Why did Spain want the colony?
2. Why were the Acadians driven from their homeland?
3. How did the people in the colony react when they finally
learned of the transfer to Spain?
4. What kind of leader was the first Spanish governor?
5. Why did the colonists rebel against Ulloa?
6. How did O’Reilly end the rebellion?
2
Section
Spanish Control
SECTION 2
SPANISH CONTROL
Figure 19
Spanish Colonial Government
Outline
As you read, look for:
`
the Spanish plan for the Louisiana colony,
the arrival of the Isleños, and
vocabulary terms Cabildo and surveyor.
A. Order and Organization
B. Louisiana Unzaga
C. The Isleños
King Carlos III
O’Reilly was also charged with removing French power and
French law from this now-Spanish colony. He organized the
government and the military according to the Spanish colonial policies.
Materials
Governor of Louisiana
Order and Organization
O’Reilly used the Spanish colonial law (the law of the
Indies) as the model for Louisiana. He replaced the French
Superior Council with the Spanish Cabildo. This group functioned as a town council and as a court of law.
O’Reilly selected the members of the first Cabildo. Later,
in the accepted Spanish custom, the positions were bought. As time went on,
this governing body was given more responsibilities. The New Orleans building
constructed for its meetings was also called the Cabildo.
O’Reilly intended to stop the British smugglers because this was against
Spanish colonial law. British traders in the Manchac settlement had customers
across the bayou in Louisiana. After France stopped sending goods, these
smugglers had been the colonists’ only source of needed supplies. O’Reilly set
up trade with merchants from the Spanish colony of Cuba. Continuing his work,
O’Reilly visited the interior districts of Louisiana to examine the forts. Then he
turned to other problems. Because prices for food were too high, he set the
prices that merchants could charge. He also made changes in the French slave
laws, abolishing Indian slavery. He improved Indian relations by continuing to
give them gifts.
O’Reilly then ordered a census to provide the detailed information required
by Spain. An official surveyor was appointed to measure and mark off boundary lines to establish land ownership. No complete surveys had been done by
the French.
Now Louisiana was a true Spanish colony. O’Reilly had been sent by the king
as a military commander to get the colony under control. He had indeed ended
the rebellion and brought order to the colony. In October 1770, Alejandro O’Reilly
set sail for Spain. Before he left, he turned the colony over to its new governor.
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
INTRODUCE
Cabildo
Section 2
Lagniappe
The census commissioned by
O’Reilly listed 14,000
persons living in Louisiana.
About 3,500 lived in New
Orleans. Native Americans
were not counted, and
the majority of the 14,000
were slaves.
Spanish Control
217
Textbook, pages 217-221
Blackline Masters
A Louisiana Census, page 91
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Have students review the
organization of the U.S. or the
Louisiana government. Ask them
what is the purpose of having an
organizational chart.
TEACH
Class Discussion
Ask students
• to name the organization that
replaced the French Superior
Council. (Knowledge)
• to explain how people became
members of the Spanish Cabildo.
(Comprehension)
• who replaced O’Reilly as
Louisiana’s governor. (Knowledge)
BLM Assign A Louisiana Census
from page 91 in the BLM book.
Alternative Assessment
Lesson Closure
Objectives
Have the students compare and
contrast life in Louisiana under
the two Spanish governors —
Ulloa and O’Reilly.
Guiding Question 4-8
Have students discuss examples in current events that involve
disagreement with authority.
Discuss how an individual’s point
of view influences his/her
reaction to authority. Compare
these examples to the
disagreements between the
French colonists and the Spanish
government.
GLE 12: Describe the causes and effects of cultural diffusion and the effects of
cultural diversity in Louisiana.
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 66: Analyze how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course
of Louisiana’s history.
GLE 70: Conduct historical research using a variety of resources and evaluate
those resources to answer historical questions related to Louisiana history.
GLE 72: Describe leaders who were influential in Louisiana’s development.
Research Activity
Have students research the U.S.
Census. Compare Louisiana’s
population in the cities in the BLM
with the population in those cities
today.
T217
Louisiana Under Unzaga
Remind students to add Luis de
Unzaga y Amezaga to their chart of
governors.
Research Activity
Have students research the
Spanish and French forts that were
located in Louisiana. To find a list of
French forts, they may go to www.
francogene.com/usa/forts.php.
Guiding Question 4-11
Class Discussion
Ask students how
• Unzaga was able to win over the
French colonists. (Knowledge)
• Unzaga strengthened his position
with the French and with the
Indians. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 4-13
Below: Hovey Cowles (left,
as a leather-armoured
Spanish soldier) and Gus
Martinez (right, as an
ensign) are “interpreters”
at Los Adaes SCA. Los Adaes
was a Spanish fort built in
1721 to protect Texas from
the French.
Making Connections
Have students review what they
remember about the Isleños from
Chapter 1.
Guiding Question 4-3
Internet Activity
Have students go to www.inter
surf.com/~rcollins/ilenos.html to
find information about the Isleños.
Ask them to write down ten new
things they learned.
Guiding Question 4-3
ASSESS
The Isleños
The possibility of war made loyal colonists in Louisiana essential. King Carlos
III, however, still doubted the loyalty of his new French colonists. The Spanish
government looked for a group of loyal Spanish subjects. The new colonists
came from the Spanish Canary Islands, which lay off the northwest coast of
Africa. They called themselves Isleños, the Spanish word for “islanders.”
The Isleños came to Louisiana beginning in 1777. They faced disease, hurricanes, lost ships, and delays in the crossing. Many who left the Canaries never
reached New Orleans, but those who did settled throughout the colony.
The Isleños had also been brought to Louisiana to join the military. But a
soldier’s low pay was not enough to support a family, and the Isleños families
were directed to become farmers instead. The Spanish government gave them
land, houses, cattle, poultry, farm implements, and food to tide them over.
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students represent the
three Spanish governors, Ulloa,
O’Reilly, and Unzaga. Have other
students write questions to determine the position of each of these
men regarding controlling the
colony of Louisiana.
Guiding Question 4-13
Check for Understanding
Above: Tommy Benge and
Blaine Benge, dressed in the
typical fiesta dress of Gran
Canaria, receive flowers from
Dorothy Benge during the
1998 Isleño Festival. The
Benges are descendants of
the Molero family, who came
to Louisiana from the island
of Tenerife, in the Canary
Islands.
1. Name three plans O’Reilly had for the colony.
2. How did Unzaga handle trade?
3. Why did Spain send the Isleños to Louisiana?
Critical Thinking
Ask students why the Spanish
wanted the French colonists to be
satisfied with their lives under
Spanish control.
Reading Strategy
Luis de Unzaga y Amezaga had been sent with O’Reilly to become the governor once the colony was under control. To maintain order, Unzaga needed to
have good relations with the colonists. One of his earliest decisions helped win
them over because it improved their economy and their lifestyles.
The illegal trade with the British colony of West Florida continued. The actions of Ulloa and O’Reilly had only increased the smuggling. But Unzaga overlooked the Spanish trade laws and allowed British merchants to set up shop in
New Orleans. This trade and the sound Spanish coin money improved the colonial economy.
Unzaga handled other problems with a mild manner and efficient style. He
appointed many French to government positions, making the colonists more
willing to be ruled by Spain. He became even more accepted when he married
a wealthy French merchant’s daughter. His was among the first of many marriages between Spanish officers and the daughters of the French colonists.
The Spanish wanted the colonists to be satisfied with their situation. Otherwise, they might be influenced by the growing tensions in the British colonies. That unrest might explode at any time and spill over into Louisiana.
Unzaga strengthened the Louisiana forts by repairing them and bringing in
more soldiers. He also sought the loyalty of Indian tribes by continuing to sell
them firearms. These warriors would be needed as allies if war broke out with
Great Britain.
218
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
T218
1. O’Reilly wanted to establish a
different government, stop
the British smugglers, and
conduct a census.
2. Unzaga overlooked the
Spanish trade laws and
permitted some British
merchants to set up shop in
New Orleans.
3. The Isleños were sent to
Louisiana to increase the
number of soldiers and loyal
colonists.
Guiding Question 4-14
Alternative Assessment
Section 2
Spanish Control
219
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at the two
interpreters at Los Adaes. Ask students what interpreters do. Ask if
they have ever been to a site with
interpreters. Ask the names of such
sites that students have visited.
Check for Understanding
Objectives (Cont.)
Lagniappe
Lagniappe
Critical Thinking
GLE 73: Describe and explain
the importance of major events
and ideas in the development of
Louisiana.
GLE 76: Trace and describe the
various governments in
Louisiana’s history.
• A Franciscan friar, Father
Francisco Hidalgo, encouraged the
building of Los Adaes, which was
once the capital of Texas.
• Without trade with the French
at Natchitoches, the inhabitants
of Los Adaes would have starved
since the nearest supply fort was
800 miles away.
• In 1777, the Spanish Crown
wanted to enlist 700 men for
military service in Louisiana.
Immigrant soldiers had to be
between 17 and 36 years of age
and at least 5-1/2 feet tall.
• Eventually some 2,010 Isleños
from the Canary Islands came to
Louisiana on eight different ships.
Ask students why the Spanish
government gave the Isleños land,
houses, cattle, poultry, farm
implements, and food to keep
them in Louisiana.
Guiding Question 4-14
Make a set of cards describing
events and French colonists’ attitudes about Ulloa, O’Reilly, and
Unzaga. Have students complete a
classification activity by placing
each card under the person it
describes. (This assessment could
take the form of a chart.)
Guiding Question 4-14
Lesson Closure
Have students write journal
entries explaining under which
governor’s administration they
would have preferred to live —
Ulloa, O’Reilly, or Unzaga. Have
them give reasons for their choices.
T219
Class Discussion
Ask students
• who established New Iberia.
(Knowledge)
• what part flax played in the
colony. (Comprehension)
Internet Activities
Have students go to www.breaux
bridgelive.com/bayouteche.html to
read the legend of Bayou Teche.
(You may want them to do research
to locate other interesting stories or
places of interest.)
Guiding Question 4-11
Have students go to www.city
ofnewiberia.com/home.html to
find information on the city of New
Iberia. Ask them to click on the
“Walking Tour” to access photos and
information about places of interest
in the city. Have them choose one
of the places to further research and
be prepared to discuss in class.
(NOTE: Instead of the Internet, students may use other reference
sources to complete this activity.)
Guiding Question 4-11
Social Studies Skill
Reading a Map
Have students look at a world
map and locate Malaga, Spain. Have
them predict the route immigrants
would have followed from Spain to
New Iberia.
Guiding Question 4-18
Using Photos and
Illustrations
You may want to go to www.by
ways.org/browse/byways/2066/ to
access information on the Bayou
Teche Byway. This site contains
historical information as well as
links to photos and places to visit.
Guiding Question 4-11
T220
Spotlight
New
Iberia
New Iberia or Neuva Iberia means “new Spain.” In
1779, a Spanish official named Colonel Francisco
Bouligny founded this town on Bayou Teche. Today,
he is honored with a bronze statue in Bouligny Plaza
in the city.
Colonists from Malaga, Spain, were brought to the
new settlement to grow flax. But when they discovered flax would not grow in Louisiana, they raised
Above: The Conrad Rice Mill in New Iberia is the
oldest operating rice mill in America. It was founded
in 1912 and placed on the National Register of
Historic Places in 1981.
220
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
cattle and grew corn. Soon these early Spanish settlers merged with the French culture. Spanish names
in Iberia Parish today include Segura, Sanchaz, and
Miguez. But these descendants of the Malagans are
more likely to speak Cajun French than Spanish.
New Iberia’s most famous house stands on a Spanish land grant on Bayou Teche. This house, known as
Shadows-on-the-Teche, is a wonderful example of the
Louisiana of yesterday. William Weeks gained title
to the land in 1792; his son built the imposing man-
sion in 1831. William Weeks Hall (great-grandson
of the original owner) restored the white-pillared
plantation house to its former grandeur. Today, the
National Trust for Historic Preservation guards this
American architectural treasure. The Old Spanish Trail
(today’s Highway 90) passes in front of the house.
Below: Sunlight filtering through the trees inspired
the name for the Shadows-on-the-Teche plantation
house, built in 1831.
Section 2
Spanish Control
221
Addressing Learning
Styles
Visual/Spatial
Ask students to design a house
that might have been built in New
Iberia.
Ask students to make a model
of one of the houses in Bayou
Teche.
Critical Thinking
Ask students why the descendants of the Malagans are more likely to speak Cajun French than
Spanish.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Ask students to compare the
photo of Shadows-on-the-Teche
with the photo of the
Ackel-Dranquet House in
Natchitoches on p. 189. How are
the architectural styles similar?
Have students look at other photos
in the textbook to compare style
and function.
Social Studies Skills
Making a Map
Have students locate the route of
the Bayou Teche Byway. On an
outline map of Louisiana, ask them
to draw the route the byway follows.
Place major cities or points of
interest on the map. The route of
the byway may be found at www.
byways.org/browse/byways/2066/
travel.html. (Click on the image to
enlarge it.)
Group Activity
Have students go to www.shad
owsontheteche.org/shadows_his
tory.html to research Shadows-onthe-Teche. This site provides information, i.e., history, slave occupants
of the house, women of the times,
the Weeks family, the Civil War period, the gardens. Divide the class
into groups and assign one topic to
each to research. Have students
orally present their findings. Ask
them to include a visual as part of
the presentation.
Guiding Question 4-11
T221
SECTION 3
LOUISIANA IN THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
INTRODUCE
Outline
A. Spain Supports the American
Revolution
B. Spain Enters the War
C. The War Ends
Materials
3
Section
Lagniappe
New Orleans merchant
Oliver Pollock created the
dollar sign, “$,” by
modifying a Mexican
symbol.
Textbook, pages 222-225
Blackline Masters
Writing a Letter, page 92
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
As you read, look for:
• Spanish Louisiana’s role in the American Revolution, and
• vocabulary terms neutral, militia, and siege.
Tensions between Great Britain and its American colonies continued
to build. The American Revolution began in April 1775 when “the
shot heard round the world” was fired in Lexington, Massachusetts.
The colonists resisted the British troops sent to seize their weapons.
On July 4, 1776, the American colonies declared their independence
from King George III and Great Britain. They intended to be free.
Spain Supports the American Revolution
Focus
Ask students what the word
liberty means to them as young
Americans. Ask what this word
means to young people in other
nations. (Use contemporary conflicts
such as Afghanistan and Iraq as
examples.) One dictionary defines
liberty as “immunity from arbitrary
exercise of authority; political independence.” Have students agree as a
class on a definition of the word
liberty. Write it on a poster for a
wall display and add comments to it
as you discuss this section of the
chapter.
Louisiana in the
American Revolution
Above: During the American
Revolution, American George
Rogers Clark benefitted from
the support of the Spanish
of Louisiana.
Spain was glad to see its old enemy Great Britain in trouble. The
Spanish secretly supported the Americans with supplies from New
Orleans. As Spain was pushed closer to the war, a strong governor
with a strong military background was needed in Louisiana.
In 1777, Spain named Bernardo de Gálvez (gal VAZ) as the next
colonial governor of Louisiana. The American Revolution required most
of his attention, and other officials handled colonial business. Gálvez
had to aid the Americans in secret as long as Spain remained officially neutral (not taking sides). The Spanish governor of Louisiana
prepared for war and waited for word from his commander in Cuba.
From New Orleans, American agent Oliver Pollock directed the secret Spanish
assistance to the Continental Congress. An experienced trader throughout the
West Indies, Pollock had helped the Spanish in Louisiana set up trade with other
Spanish ports. Because of this connection, he was allowed to collect guns, gunpowder, medicine, and cloth for the Americans. Most of these supplies went to
help George Rogers Clark win the western front for the Americans.
Spain Enters the War
In 1779, Spain entered the war. Spain joined France in the war against the
British, but it did not become an ally of the Americans as France had. The Spanish would not directly support the Americans because they would not agree to
stay between the Atlantic Ocean and the Allegheny Mountains. Also, the Spanish king was reluctant to openly support a rebellion against another monarchy.
222
Soon, Gálvez received orders to force the British from the Mississippi River,
Mobile, and Pensacola. He went on the offensive. He wanted to weaken the
British before they could seize New Orleans, which was being used as a base for
American ships. If the British took New Orleans, they would have access to the Mississippi River and the British forts along the
upper river. The British would then have an
advantage in the war.
To stop the British, Gálvez organized a
force of Spanish soldiers and local militia
(citizen-soldiers). Men between the ages of
sixteen and sixty-five were required to serve
in the militia. The Louisiana militia included
wealthy merchants and planters from New
Orleans, the Isleños, the Acadians, the Germans, rural farmers, and free men of color.
Slaves and the Choctaw served as scouts at
the front of the line.
Gálvez left New Orleans on August 27,
1779, with almost 1,500 men. The heavy
summer heat, mosquitoes, and the thick
canebrake made traveling miserable. More
than half of the men got sick along the way.
After marching over a hundred miles, they
reached Fort Bute at Manchac. On September 7, 1779, Gálvez and his army captured
the British fort.
From there, Gálvez took his men upriver.
The next British fort, New Richmond, was
located at the site of present-day Baton
Rouge. Gálvez seized the fort on September 21, and the British commander also surrendered Fort Panmure at Natchez.
The Spanish had taken all the British forts along the Mississippi in British West
Florida. Gálvez had captured 28 British officers and 550 troops; he had lost
one man and had two wounded.
Gálvez next began a naval attack to take the British forts on the Gulf of
Mexico. His main target was Pensacola, the capital of British West Florida. Before the war, the British commander had been visited by a Spanish officer, who
said he came to discuss runaway slaves. Actually, Gálvez had sent him to spy
on that fort and the fort at Mobile.
Before he could take Pensacola, however, Gálvez first had to capture Mobile.
In January 1780, he set out with thirteen ships but was delayed by a hurricane. The previous year, a hurricane had hit and destroyed Gálvez’s supplies as
he was preparing to make his land march to capture the British forts.
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Section 3
Remind students to add Bernardo
de Galvez to their chart of
governors.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Music Music can audibly paint a
picture of historical events, people,
and emotions. For example, the
British started “Yankee Doodle” as
an insult to the patriots. By war’s
end, Americans had made the song
their own. Discuss the meaning of
the stanza and the chorus. Add
music to the lyrics and let students
sing the lively tune. You may go to
www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/ya
nkee.htm to get the words and hear
the music. Other Internet sites with
music from the Revolutionary period
include: www.halcyondaysmusic.
com/colonialmusic/, www.conte
plator.com/war.html#amer and
users.erols.com/candidus/music.
htm.
Above: Bernardo de Gálvez
was governor of Louisiana
during the American Revolution. When Spain entered the
war in 1779, Gálvez attacked
and defeated British forces
along the lower Mississippi
River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Louisiana in the American Revolution
223
TEACH
Class Discussion
Ask students
• why Spain would be glad to see
the colonists go to war with Great
Britain. (Comprehension)
• who directed the Spanish aid to
the British colonists. (Knowledge)
• what type of aid the Spanish
gave the British colonists.
(Knowledge)
Guiding Question 4-17
T222
Objectives
Objectives (Cont.)
Class Discussion
GLE 62: Construct a timeline of key events in Louisiana history.
GLE 63: Interpret data presented in a timeline correlating Louisiana, U.S. and
world 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.
GLE 66: Analyze how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course
of Louisiana’s history.
GLE 70: Conduct historical research using a variety of resources and evaluate
those resources to answer historical questions related to Louisiana history.
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.
Ask students
• how control of the Mississippi
River would be a military advantage. (Application)
• who served with Gálvez in the
local militia. (Knowledge)
• to describe how natural
occurrences hindered the Spanish
attack on the British forts.
Guiding Question 4-1
Economic Activity
Discuss modern taxes in
Louisiana, including state and
federal income taxes, taxes for
services such as Medicare/Medicaid,
sales taxes, and property taxes.
Remind students that this is how
governments get the money to
provide services for their citizens.
Point out that much of the
unhappiness leading to the
American Revolution stemmed from
Great Britain’s need to raise money
to recover losses from the French
and Indian War. Today, if Americans
do not like the taxes they have to
pay, what can they do about it?
(Emphasize the election process.)
Guiding Question 4-8
T223
Social Studies Skill
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Creating a Map
Have students locate the British
forts attacked by Gálvez on an
outline map of the United States.
(Fort Bute at Manchac, Fort New
Richmond, Fort Panmure, Pensacola,
Mobile, Fort George)
Have students look at the
illustration of Gálvez at the siege
of Pensacola and describe how the
fighting in the picture is different
from fighting today.
Social Studies Skill
Reading a Map
Have students look at Map 26
and answer these questions:
1. Describe Gálvez’s plan for
capturing British forts in the
area. (Move up the Mississippi
and take those forts and then
take forts in the Gulf of Mexico)
2. In 1779, where did Gálvez begin
his journey? Where did he end
his journey? (New Orleans;
Natchez)
3. Why was there such a long delay
between the capture of Mobile
and the capture of Pensacola?
(There were a number of
hurricanes, and Gálvez went to
Cuba to get supplies.)
Guiding Question 4-17
Making a Map
Have students use a modern
highway map to identify the route
of the Camino Real (Route 90).
Then, have them draw the route on
an outline map of the United States,
identifying major cities along its
course.
To protect these possessions, the Spanish government improved the Camino
Real (“Road of the King”). This road connected Natchitoches, New Orleans, and
St. Louis with San Antonio. San Antonio, the capital of Spanish Texas, had
become a major horse market. The route from Texas to Louisiana was used by
vaqueros (cowboys) to drive over 9,000 head of longhorn cattle to New Orleans.
This beef fed the Spanish soldiers during the American Revolution. Today, Highway 90 in Louisiana follows the route of part of this old Spanish trail.
Check for Understanding
1. Why did Spain support the American Revolution?
2. How did Spain help the Americans before it entered the
war?
3. What was Gálvez ordered to do after Spain entered the war?
4. What were the results of Gálvez’s military actions?
5. What part of present-day Louisiana became part of the
Spanish colony after the war?
Multidisciplinary Activity
Art Have students discuss coats of
arms. Gálvez was able to add a battleship and the motto Yo Solo to his
coat of arms. Have students design a
personal coat of arms and include
symbols and/or words that
represent personal qualities or
honors they have received, e.g.,
an interest in sports, music, math.
Section 3
Above: Historians have
called the siege of Pensacola
one of the most brilliantly
executed battles of the war.
Lagniappe
In 1785, Gálvez became
viceroy of New Spain. In
that position, he ordered a
survey of the Gulf Coast.
The mapmaker named the
biggest bay on the Texas
coast “Bahia de Galvezton,”
a name later changed to
Galveston.
Louisiana in the American Revolution
225
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
1. It was an enemy of Great
Britain.
2. It sent supplies from New
Orleans.
3. Force the British from the
Mississippi River, Mobile,
and Pensacola
4. He succeeded in capturing
the British forts along the
Mississippi and Gulf Coast.
5. West Florida
Guiding Question 4-14
Alternative Assessment
Have students show on a map
the various British forts that were
captured by Gálvez.
Lesson Closure
Internet Activity
Have students go to www.enlou
.com/people/galvezb-bio.htm to
examine a timeline of the life of
Bernardo de Gálvez. Have them
write down five interesting facts
about his life.
Guiding Question 4-7
T224
Lagniappe
Internet Activity
Social Studies Skill
Bernardo de Gálvez resigned as
governor of New Spain on October
15, 1785, and died a month later
at age 38.
Have students go to educa
tion.nmsu.edu/webquest/wq/cam
ino/camino.html to access an
activity whereby the class is
divided into two groups: one
group studies the original El
Camino Real and makes a travel
brochure, and the other group
researches the present El Camino
Real and makes a travel brochure.
Making a Map
Have students research the
Treaty of Paris of 1783 and compare its provisions with the Treaty
of Paris of 1763. Have them
create two maps that show the
territorial boundaries set by the
two treaties.
Guiding Question 4-11
Ask students why they think
Gálvez was so successful. (This
could be done as a journal entry,
or the teacher could go around the
room and ask each student to name
one reason for Gálvez’s success.)
T225
SECTION 4
SPANISH LOUISIANA AFTER
THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
4
Section
Spanish Louisiana
after the American
Revolution
INTRODUCE
Outline
A. Challenges
B. Growth
C. The French Revolution
D. Boundary Disputes
E. The Final Spanish Years
As you read, look for:
• issues with American settlers,
• the results of Pinckney’s Treaty, and
• vocabulary terms French Revolution and right of
deposit.
Materials
Textbook, pages 226-231
Blackline Masters
La Marseillaise, page 93
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Review the differences in the way
Native Americans and white settlers
viewed land ownership.
Class Discussion
Ask students to describe the
methods used by Miro to make the
American colonists loyal Spanish
colonists. (Comprehension)
Guiding Question 4-13
Multidisciplinary Activity
Below: More than eight
hundred buildings were
destroyed in the Great New
Orleans Fire of 1788. This
map shows the extent of the
fire. Another devastating
fire struck in 1794.
Above: Esteban Rodriguez
Miro was governor of
Louisiana from 1785 to
1791. Louisiana prospered
under his leadership, and
many Americans began to
move into the area. The
city of Monroe began as
Fort Miro, named for this
Spanish official.
Class Discussion
226
• The New Orleans fire of 1788
occurred on Good Friday (March 21).
The fire originated in the home of
Army treasurer Don Jose Vicente
Nuñez at 619 Chartres Street.
• The third floor of the Cabildo was
destroyed by fire in May 1988. The
building has now been restored.
During the restoration process,
archaeologists conducted a dig to
learn more about Louisiana’s early
days. Among the interesting items
found were large numbers of clay
marbles. Supposedly they were used
by adults, not children, while gambling.
Challenges
Miro faced major problems with the Native Americans. Since the days of the
French, the Indians had come to rely on trade with the whites. After losing the
British traders, the Indians wanted to trade with the Americans in Georgia and
the Carolinas. Fearing that the Indians might become allies of the Americans
and pose a threat to Spanish Louisiana, Miro worked hard to continue trade
with the Indians.
After the war’s end, American settlers pushed toward Spanish territory.
The Americans swarmed over the Allegheny Mountains, heading west. If this
region filled with the land-hungry Americans, the United States would become a stronger threat to Spain’s North American holdings. Spain tried to
block this expansion by encouraging the Indians to stop Americans from taking
their lands.
The Spanish government wanted more loyal colonists in Spanish Louisiana
and sent funds for that purpose. But Miro had to use that money to feed his
soldiers. Like the French, the Spanish often did not send enough money to
provide for all of the colony’s needs. Like many other Louisiana colonial governors, Miro had to make tough choices.
But even without government help, many people moved to Louisiana. The
Spanish allowed the Americans to come to Louisiana but expected them to be
loyal to Spain. If the Americans took an oath of allegiance, they were given a
Spanish land grant. Protestants had to agree not to worship openly, but they
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Social Studies Skill
Section 4
Spanish Louisiana after the American Revolution
227
Critical Thinking
Ask students how they would
have controlled the influx of
immigrants into Louisiana after the
American Revolution.
Addressing Learning Styles
Interpersonal
Ask the class to develop a list of
immigration laws for Louisiana after
the American Revolution.
Guiding Question 4-3
Remind students to add Esteban
Rodriguez Miro to their list of
governors.
T226
Math The New Orleans fire of 1788
destroyed 856 of 1100 buildings.
Have students determine the percentage of buildings destroyed.
(78%)
Lagniappe
Gálvez was promoted to another assignment in colonial Spain, and a
new governor was sent to Louisiana. Esteban Rodriguez Miro had to
deal with the problems caused by the war.
TEACH
Ask students why
• the Spaniards wanted to maintain
trade with the Indians.
(Comprehension)
• the Spaniards feared the westward movement of Americans.
(Comprehension)
were not required to change their religion. This was a change in policy; previously, Spain had required all colonists to become Catholics.
When Miro realized that many Americans were settling in the colony, he
tried to place them in organized communities like Natchez. By mixing the newcomers with established colonists, he hoped to keep them loyal.
He also recognized the danger of their presence. They needed to become
good Spanish subjects. He sent for Irish priests, hoping these English-speaking clergy would encourage the Americans to become proper Catholics. Then
perhaps they would feel loyal to the Catholic king of Spain.
Miro faced another crisis in New Orleans. In 1788, a fire destroyed 856 homes
and left 1,000 people homeless. The fire damaged more than homes and property. The loss of stored food threatened a famine. The colonial government was
also disrupted by the fire.
The simple building where the Cabildo met was burned, as were the prison
and the police station. Obviously, the prison and the police station had to be
replaced first; a new building for the Cabildo was not finished until 1799. New
Orleans suffered another fire in 1794. Again many buildings burned, including
the recently completed firehouse.
Objectives
Objectives (Cont.)
Group Activity
GLE 11: Explain why humans settled and formed societies in specific regions or
why immigrant groups (e.g., Acadians) settled in specific areas of Louisiana.
GLE 63: Interpret data presented in a timeline correlating Louisiana, U.S. and
world 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.
GLE 66: Analyze how a given historical figure influenced or changed the course
of Louisiana’s history.
GLE 70: Conduct historical research using a variety of resources and evaluate
those resources to answer historical questions related to Louisiana history.
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.
After the devastating fire,
Governor Miro set up tents and
supplied food and other supplies
to people who had lost their
homes. Divide the class into
groups and ask each group to
devise a plan to help people who
are displaced because of some
natural disaster (flood, hurricane,
tornado, tsunami) today.
Guiding Question 4-13
Decision Making
Divide students into groups or
pairs. Tell them that the prison and
police station were two of the first
buildings replaced after the 1788
fire. Ask them to make a list of the
buildings in their town. If a fire
destroyed the town, list the order in
which they would replace the buildings. Students who live in the same
town may work together, or several
small groups of students in the same
town may work together first and
then join the whole group to come
to one final list.
T227
Miro’s handling of these problems and the willingness of Spain to loosen trade laws improved life in the
colony. The population increased, and new settlements
were established. The city of Monroe began as Fort
Miro, named to honor this Spanish governor. The fort
was established in 1790 in North Louisiana to protect the Spanish territory from the British.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Ask students to predict what
Carondelet is holding. What might
that tell them about his term as
governor? (Have students give their
ideas and generate discussion. The
paper could be a map, treaty, or
newspaper.)
The next Spanish governor was a highly energetic
leader—Francisco Luis Hector, Baron de Carondelet.
Constant action marked his years as governor. Spanish trade laws had been loosened during Governor
Miro’s term, but Carondelet (ka RON do LET) went
further by allowing free trade with the United States.
He also permitted foreign trade ships to enter the port
of New Orleans and listed them as Spanish ships on
the records. Carondelet had to walk a tightrope because he could not openly violate the Spanish trade
policies. But only with this outside trade could the
colony’s economy survive.
Ask students how
• life in Louisiana was improved
under Governor Miro.
(Comprehension)
• Governor Carondelet improved
economic conditions in Louisiana.
(Comprehension)
Guiding Question 4-13
Economic Activity
Ask students to tell how the
following improved economic conditions in Louisiana:
• free trade with the United States
• allowing foreign trade ships to
enter the port at New Orleans
Guiding Question 4-14
The French Revolution
Above: Francisco Luis
Hector, Baron de Carondelet,
became governor of
Louisiana in 1791. Governor
Carondelet loosened Spanish
trade laws to improve the
colony’s economy, established the first newspaper
in Louisiana, installed the
first street lights in New
Orleans, and signed treaties
with the Indian tribes.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Music “La Marseillaise,” the French
national anthem, was written on
April 24, 1792, by Claude-Joseph
Rouget de Lisle. The rousing marching song was played at a patriotic
banquet in Marseilles. Later, printed
copies were given to French revolutionary forces marching toward
Paris.
Obtain a copy of the song to play
for the class. As students listen to
the music, ask them to write or
draw symbols to express their feelings.
228
The outside world brought more than trade to Louisiana. Reports of the 1789 French Revolution spread
across the Atlantic. The new ideas of “The Age of Enlightenment” brought
changes. Any government that insisted on absolute control over its citizens
was threatened. When those ideas and terrible living conditions kindled the
French Revolution, the Spanish government watched nervously. After French
King Louis XVI was beheaded, Spain’s King Carlos IV could no longer ignore the
threat. In 1793, Spain declared war on France.
Even before Spain entered the war, Louisiana’s sympathy for the French
Revolution concerned Governor Carondelet. Talk of the revolution captured the
interest of the people. The French heritage of many colonists connected them
to the people of France. They were also attracted to the ideas of freedom because they had lived far from a king for several generations. In the streets of
New Orleans, people sang the anthem of the French Revolution, “La Marseillaise.”
In Natchitoches, revolutionary clubs supported the French cause.
This increasing interest in the French Revolution brought action from the
Spanish governor. Carondelet sought support among the Indian tribes just in
case he faced any actual rebellion. He improved his control of New Orleans by
establishing a police force and adding street lights. He carefully watched the
activities of the people as they moved about the colony so that any mobs supporting the French Revolution could be stopped.
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Social Studies Skill
Critical Thinking
Reading a Timeline
Have students go to www.
txdirect.net/users/rrichard/napol
eo1.htm to view a timeline of the
French Revolution. Ask them to
list fifteen important events.
Guiding Question 4-7
Ask students why the Spaniards
were concerned that the French
colonists in Louisiana
sympathized with the French
Revolution.
Guiding Question 4-17
BLM Assign students La
Marseillaise from page 93 in the
BLM book.
T228
Ask students why
• some French noblemen came to
Louisiana. (Comprehension)
• travel on the Mississippi River
became an issue. (Comprehension)
Growth
Class Discussion
Remind students to add Francisco
Luis Hector, Baron de Carondelet, to
their chart of governors.
Class Discussion
Critical Thinking
Ask students how the emphasis
on the rights of man changed
Louisiana.
Guiding Question 4-14
Social Studies Skill
Reading a Map
Look at Map 27. Ask students
what would have happened if a
different boundary had been
established.
Social Studies Skill
Using Primary Sources
Have students locate a copy of
the Pinckney Treaty. (A copy is
included on the CD-ROM.) Ask them
to summarize the main point of
each of the 23 articles of the treaty.
Guiding Question 4-14
Lagniappe
Other names of the Pinckney
Treaty are the Treaty of San Lorenzo
and the Treaty of Friendship, Limits,
and Navigation.
Economic Activity
Ask students how the right of
deposit affected the economy of
western farmers. (They did not have
to pay to leave their goods in the
warehouses until they could be
transported to their final destinations.)
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students write a newspaper
of events in the colony, much like
the articles that might have
appeared in Le Moniteur de la
Louisiane.
T229
The culture as well as the language of the colony continued to be more French
than Spanish. The people in New Orleans continued to have formal parties with
French wine and French dancing. Their clothing was even more elegant, and
they were described as considering their appearance and their entertainment
as very important. Men gathered in coffee houses in New Orleans to play cards
after mass on Sunday, and many of them had not even attended the church
service.
This lifestyle offended the strict Spanish priests, who complained about the
colonists’ disrespect toward church regulations. The Catholic Church continued to be the official religion and was supported by the government. The French
Capuchin priests and Ursuline nuns were allowed to stay in the colony doing
their religious work. Earlier, the French government had removed the French
Jesuit priests from all of North America.
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• list examples to prove that the
culture in Louisiana continued to be
more French than Spanish.
(Knowledge)
• brainstorm cultural features in
Louisiana that can be attributed to
slaves who came from the
Caribbean.
Guiding Question 4-3
Addressing Learning Styles
Visual/Spatial
Ask students to write a dialogue
between the two people in the
illustration at the bottom of the
page.
Research Activity
Ask students to research the
French colony of Saint-Domingue.
Ask them to use the Internet or
other references to acquire
information. (One Internet site they
may use is www.carencrohighschoo
l.org/la_studies/ParishSeries/Creol
e/SaintDomingueJewel.htm. )
Guiding Question 4-11
Lagniappe
• Saint-Domingue became a French
possession in 1697.
• By the end of the 1700s,
Saint-Domingue produced about
60 percent of the world’s coffee
and about 40 percent of the sugar
exported to France and Great
Britain.
Above: Sugar cane became
the leading cash crop in
Louisiana after Etienne de
Boré succeeded in producing
a crop that yielded about
100,000 pounds of sugar in
1795. Right: Free blacks
from Saint-Domingue.
Skilled workers from the
sugar plantations of SaintDomingue emigrated to
Louisiana and helped
establish the sugar industry.
Lagniappe
Etienne de Boré was later
appointed the first mayor of
New Orleans.
230
But it was the Jesuits who are credited with bringing sugar cane to Louisiana. The colony’s economy improved
when sugar cane became a profitable
crop. Many people contributed to this
effort, but Etienne de Boré was the
first successful sugar producer. In
1795, he improved an experimental
process and manufactured a good
quality sugar. Other experienced
sugar planters moved into Louisiana
from Saint-Domingue (Haiti) after the
slave rebellion there.
That slave rebellion in Haiti frightened the planters in Louisiana, and
they no longer wanted slaves from the
West Indies. Because of this fear of
rebellion, Carondelet stopped the
importation of slaves for a time.
Despite progress, Louisiana continued to cost Spain more than it returned. In fact, the expenses were ten
times the income Spain gained. At the
end of the 1700s, more secret discussions about the colony brought
changes. The colony would be traded again by the European powers in control
of its destiny.
After being returned to France for a brief period, these French-speaking
Spanish citizens would become Americans. Once again, the people in the colony
of Louisiana knew nothing of the looming changes.
Check for Understanding
Economy Activity
Ask students to research the
sugar cane industry in Louisiana.
Have them go to www.lsuagcenter
.com/Subjects/sugarcane/history
.asp and develop a timeline showing
the historical development of sugar
cane in the state.
Guiding Question 4-11
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
Above: This map shows New
Orleans in 1798. The city was
a strategic port for both
Spain and the young United
States. Events set in motion
when Spain refused to renew
the right of deposit would
soon lead to a monumental
change for the city.
1. Name three challenges faced by Governor Miro.
2. How did Governor Carondelet handle trade?
3. What are two ways the French Revolution affected Louisiana?
4. Why were western farmers angry about Spain’s control of
the Mississippi?
5. Why was the first newspaper in French instead of Spanish?
6. What are two reasons that led to sugar cane becoming an
important crop?
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Section 4
Spanish Louisiana after the American Revolution
231
1. The alliance with the Native
Americans, numerous
American settlers, the lack of
money, and rebuilding New
Orleans after the fire
2. He allowed free trade with
the United States and
permitted foreign ships to
enter the port of New
Orleans.
3. People in Louisiana were
influenced by the new ideas
of freedom, and some French
nobles immigrated to
Louisiana.
4. Without access to the
Mississippi River, western
farmers could not get their
crops to market.
5. Le Moniteur de la Louisiane
6. The improvements by Etienne
de Bore and the immigration
of other experienced sugar
planters into Louisiana from
Saint-Domingue
Guiding Question 4-14
Alternative Assessment
T230
Research Activity
Class Discussion
Ask students to research the
life of Etienne de Bore. Have them
construct a timeline of the
highlights in his life. Students
may use Internet sources or other
reference materials. (Information
may be found on the Internet at
www.swlahistory.org/bore.htm.)
Guiding Questions 4-6 and 4-11
Ask students
• who brought sugar cane to
Louisiana. (Knowledge)
• why Carondelet stopped the
importation of slaves from the
West Indies. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 4-14
Have students make a sign
depicting the event in Section 4
that had the greatest effect on
Louisiana. Have them be prepared to
defend their choice.
Guiding Question 4-14
Lesson Closure
Ask students to predict how the
problems Louisiana experienced
under the French and Spanish
governors might be addressed by the
United States when the colony was
sold.
T231
Research Activity
Ask students to research a will
from the 1800s. (This could be an
ancestor’s will.) Have them make a
list of the possessions the person
identified in his will. Make a class
list of the items that are found.
Discuss the importance of the items
listed.
Addressing Learning Styles
Intrapersonal
Ask students to make lists of
their possessions. Then have them
list the items in the order of their
importance to them.
Reading Skill
Compare and Contrast
Have students compare their lists
with the list from those who lived
in the 1800s. Note differences.
Answers to Questions
1. A stone for filtering water with
a cypress frame (8 pesos); a
riding saddle and bridle (7
pesos); and a pair of silver shoe
buckles (6 pesos)
2. Answers will vary, but they may
mention the field glass, the
bottle case with glass bottles,
clothing, mousetrap, funnel,
strainer, riding saddle and bridle,
and shotgun.
3. Answers will vary, but they may
mention a stone for filtering
water or a pair of silver shoe
buckles. Shoes do not contain
buckles and water filtering is
done in other ways.
4. To filter water
5. Answers will vary, but they were
probably for trading.
6. Answers will vary. It may be that
the quantity of the scrap iron
and nails was large, but it is also
likely that metal of any kind was
very valuable because there were
few sources for it.
T232
Meeting Expectations
The Possessions of
John Fitzpatrick
John Fitzpatrick was a British subject who lived in
West Florida near Bayou Manchac. The Spanish colonial government allowed him to operate an import
and export business. A list of his possessions, which
was made at the time of his death, helps us understand what life was like in Spanish colonial Louisiana. Selected items from the inventory are shown
on the chart.
Item
Value in Pesos
A used long-sighted field glass and a bottle case with 12 empty glass bottles
4
Two pairs of long trousers, one pair of drawers, and one pair of stockings, all of linen
2
A package of Indian trinkets and two pairs of silk stockings, used
1
A pair of silver shoe buckles
6
A mousetrap, a funnel, and a strainer
1
In the warehouse, a stone for filtering water, with a cypress frame, used
8
A large tin pitcher for storing gunpowder, a large funnel of the same material,
and a used cypress chest without keys
2
An English shotgun, with two powder horns and a bag for ammunition
4
Riding saddle and bridle, somewhat used
7
A box containing old scrap iron and nails, used
5
Use the inventory to answer the following questions.
1. List the three items with the highest value.
Why do you think they are the most
valuable?
2. List two items that would still be used in a
household today.
3. List two items that are no longer used. Why
are they no longer used?
232
4. What was the purpose of the stone found in
the warehouse?
5. Why did this frontier merchant have Indian
trinkets? Why do you think they were
grouped with the silk stockings?
6. Why was the value of the scrap iron and old
nails almost as high as the value of the
silver shoe buckles?
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
Addressing Learning Styles
Chapter Summary
Louisiana Becomes a Spanish Colony
• France traded Louisiana to Spain in return for
money and military assistance.
• The agreement at the end of the French and Indian
War gave the Florida Parishes to Great Britain.
• The first Acadians arrived in Louisiana during the
colony’s transition from France to Spain.
• The first Spanish governor did not take control,
and the colonists rebelled and forced him from
the colony.
• The Spanish king sent a strong military leader,
O’Reilly, to end the rebellion and punish the
leaders. O’Reilly angered the French colonists by
executing the leaders.
Spanish Control
• O’Reilly ended the French Superior Council and
set up the Cabildo.
• When Governor Unzaga took over, he allowed
illegal smuggling so the colony could survive.
• Spain wanted loyal Spanish colonists and brought
the Isleños from the Canary Islands.
Louisiana in the American Revolution
• When France joined the war on the side of the
American colonies, Spain entered the war.
• The governor of Spanish Louisiana, Gálvez, seized
the British forts on the east side of the Mississippi and at Mobile and Pensacola.
• The American Revolution ended with the Treaty
of Paris. Spain was given British West Florida and
now controlled both sides of the Mississippi in
Louisiana.
Spanish Louisiana after the American
Revolution
• Governor Miro had trouble with American neighbors,
Indian trade, and a major fire in New Orleans.
Above: Colonel Francisco Bouligny founded the
town of New Iberia in 1779.
• Despite these difficulties, Spanish Louisiana continued to grow. The strong Spanish governors and
the Spanish colonial system benefitted the colony.
• The French Revolution stirred unrest in the
colony, and Governor Carondelet watched for
signs of rebellion among the colonists. However,
the colonists continued to speak French and live
a French lifestyle.
• Western Americans pushed for more access to the
port of New Orleans. The issue was settled by
Pinckney’s Treaty.
• The population grew when people came from
Haiti to escape the slave revolt.
• The colony’s first newspaper was published.
• Sugar cane became a profitable crop when Etienne
de Boré improved the manufacturing process.
• Despite growth and improvements, the colony
still did not support itself. Spain decided Louisiana was too expensive to keep.
Chapter Summary
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Body/Kinesthetic
Have students classify the events
under each Section heading. Make a
copy of the Chapter Summary page.
Then write each Section heading on
a separate note card. Cut the events
under each heading into strips.
Place the note cards and a set of
events in an envelope. Divide the
class into groups. (NOTE: You will
need a set of materials for each
group.) Ask students to take the
materials out of the envelope. Place
the note cards on a desk or table.
Then place each event strip under
the correct section. (NOTE: Instead
of cutting the events into strips,
you may want to write each on a
note card or sentence strip. Have
students place each item under the
correct heading, or you may have
students make a chart instead of
physically placing the events under
the proper heading.)
Guiding Question 4-14
Group Activity
Divide the class into groups of
four. Ask one person from each
group to write a summary for one of
the sections in the chapter. Have
them include all the events listed
under each Section heading in the
summary. Then ask them to read
one another’s summaries to review
the whole chapter. (NOTE: This
activity can also be done as a jigsaw.)
Guiding Question 4-14
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REVIEW
1. Answers will vary.
2. a. Cabildo
b. France
c. Fort New Richmond
d. Isleños
e. Right of deposit
f. Militia
g. Acadians
h. Florida Parishes
i. Smuggling
j. Bernardo de Galvez
3. a. They could not make a profit
and to settle the war debts
b. Great Britain
c. To serve as a buffer between
the British colonies and the
Spanish colonies to the west
and to control the Mississippi
River
d. Because their actions opposed
the Spanish government
e. They brought families and
established farms.
f. Fort New Richmond, Mobile
and Pensacola; this kept the
British from controlling the
Gulf of Mexico.
g. He thought the people of the
colony might push for
freedom, since the French had
overthrown the French king.
h. Many sugar planters left Haiti
because of the slave
revolution and came to
Louisiana, where they
established sugar plantations.
i. Louisiana was still not a
profitable colony.
Activities
for
Learning
A
w Review
3. Answer these questions.
1. Identify the key people and places and
explain the terms in the Chapter Preview in
your own words.
2. Connect each of the following statements
with a key person, place, or term.
a. You can visit this location of the colonial
Spanish government in New Orleans today.
b. The ideas of liberty and equality from the
American Revolution influenced the
revolution in this country in Europe.
c. This location is now part of the city of
Baton Rouge.
d. Descendants of this group live in St.
Bernard Parish.
e. The western farmers were angry when this
permission was revoked by the Spanish.
f. This group of citizen soldiers is somewhat
like today’s National Guard.
g. These people were forced to leave their
homes in Nova Scotia.
h. This part of present-day Louisiana was part
of West Florida.
i. The economy survived mainly because the
Spanish law against this activity was
ignored.
j. He is a Spanish hero of the American
Revolution.
234
b. What country took control of the Florida
Parishes when Spain took the colony?
c. What were Spain’s goals for the colony?
d. Why did the Spanish king consider the
colonists’ rebellion an act of treason?
e. What was the effect of the migration of
the Isleños to the colony?
f. What British forts did Governor Gálvez
seize? Why was his success important to
the Americans?
g. Why was Governor Carondelet concerned
about the French Revolution?
h. Why did sugar cane become an important
crop?
i. Why did Spain decide to give up the
colony?
4. Create a visual comparing the French colonial
period with the Spanish colonial period.
Include the strengths and weaknesses of
each.
Connect
With Your World
1. What building in your parish would compare
with the Cabildo? Why?
Chapter 7 Louisiana’s Spanish Colonial Era: Stability and Success
CONNECT
With Your World
1. The courthouse because it is
the government building
2. One example: Asian
immigrants have established
Buddhist temples.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
T234
a. Why did France trade Louisiana to Spain?
o
2. Name a group of people who have immigrated
to Louisiana recently. Why did they come?
How have they influenced life in Louisiana?
3. Is your parish part of the Florida Parishes?
Was it part of the Spanish colony or British
West Florida when the American Revolution
began?
With Geography
4. List three reasons why the Mississippi River
was so important during this time period.
11. What actions of the Spanish governors hurt
the economy? Which actions helped the
economy?
With U.S. History
12. How did the French and Indian War affect the
colony of Louisiana?
13. How did Gálvez help the Americans win the
Revolution?
14. What effect did the Treaty of Paris have on
Louisiana?
5. Why was New Orleans the biggest settlement
in the colony?
6. Find Nova Scotia and the Canary Islands on a
map. What is the absolute location of each?
Which groups came to Louisiana from these
locations?
With Civics
7. The Spanish colonial government was highly
organized and regulated. Give two examples
of the benefits of this organization.
8. The king of Spain had the colonists who
rebelled tried for treason. What is treason?
Why did the Spanish consider their actions
treasonous? Why did the colonists say they
were not committing treason?
With Economics
9. The economy was based on agriculture and
trade. What did you learn about the colony
that supports this statement?
10. How did concerns about the economy
influence the rebellion by the colonists?
Extend
1. Select a Spanish governor. Write five
interview questions you would ask to learn
more about his influence on Louisiana’s
development.
2. Look at the headlines in a recent newspaper.
Note that each includes a verb expressing an
action. Write headlines about three actions of
Gálvez during the American Revolution.
3. If you could have observed one event in
Spanish Louisiana, which would you choose?
List people and actions you would have seen.
Describe some details of the scene.
4. Design a museum display celebrating Spanish
Louisiana’s role in the American Revolution.
5. Find a web site about the Acadians or the
Isleños. List five facts about the group in
present-day Louisiana.
6. Find another source of information about
Gálvez and the American Revolution. What
new information did you find?
7. Learn more about the revolution in Haiti.
Why did it happen? Who was the leader?
Activities for Learning
With U.S. History
12. The French gave Louisiana to
Spain.
13. He captured important British
forts along the Gulf of Mexico.
14. Louisiana became a Spanish
colony.
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.
235
With Geography
4. It was the only way for the
western farmers to get their crops
to market, it provided a natural
barrier for protection, and
control of the river meant control
of New Orleans, an important
port.
5. It was close to the mouth of the
Mississippi and the Gulf,
providing an important port.
6. Nova Scotia between 43° and 58°
N and 59° and 67° W. Canary
Islands 28° N and 15°W.
Acadians and Isleños groups
came to Louisiana from these
locations.
With Civics
7. People were safer because of the
watchmen; disagreements
between colonists were handled
in the court system.
8. Treason is the attempt to
overthrow the government. The
Spanish considered the colonists’
actions an attempt to overthrow
the government. The colonists
thought Ulloa had not officially
taken the colony for Spain, and
the colony was still under the
French government until this
formal act took place.
With Economics
9. Sugar cane was grown as a cash
crop. The colonists traded with
the nearby British even though
it was not legal.
10. The colonists did not know what
kind of economic regulations the
new Spanish governor would put
in place. They knew they would
face economic hardships if trade
limitations were established.
11. Strict enforcement of the
Spanish trade laws hurt the
economy; ignoring illegal trade
helped the economy.
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