Louisiana’s Antebellum Era: Riches and Repression

1. You will use most of this PowerPoint to fill out your guided notes, the rest will be available in your text Louisiana’s Antebellum Era: Riches and Repression

2. The people of Louisiana Louisiana Creoles Free People of Color Foreign French Immigrants American Pioneers Acadians Native Americans Slaves

3. Creoles • French and Spanish descendants • At the change of colony to statehood the Creoles held their traditions and heritage close • -continued to speak French • Most came after the revolution in Haiti looking for people “like them”-they found that in Louisiana • By 1810 the population of Creoles doubled in New Orleans-creating a distinct Creole culture

4. Free People of Color • Gens de colour libre -free people of color • Many were well educated and considered middle class • Established a great society in New Orleans • Citizens (this was not the case in the rest of America) • -had their own established newspaper and a literary magazine • -Many were artisans and store owners • Rights of these people fell in between whites and slaves • -they were allowed the “innocent unless proven guilty” -a trial and the writ of habeas corpus-court document that ensures a person cannot be held unlawfully • -they were not allowed to serve on a jury-this meant that all juries were…..white • -they were subject to specific laws – could not insult whites • *their discrimination-actions that deny people their rights • because of prejudice-will only grow as the Civil War • approaches

5. Foreign French • Due to political unrest in France, like the French Revolution and Napoleon’s rule, many were driven to leave their country and settle in the most French place in the United States- Louisiana • The loyalists that remained in favor of the king and those against Napoleon fled the country • The state’s native French called these newcomers “Foreign French” • These people wanted to take charge and get into Louisiana politics, but • that offended the native Louisianians-they will become great • influencers of Louisiana politics throughout the Antebellum Period and • into the Civil War

6. Immigrants • There were many causes for immigrants to come into Louisiana • -Famine-prolonged/extreme shortages of food- in Ireland they experienced a famine due to the lack of their staple food, potatoes • -The Irishwould be the largest group of • immigrants to come into Louisiana • *Traveling by cargo ship from Liverpool, UK to New • Orleans, it is recorded that close to half died on • their journey to New Orleans • *The Irish that survived took jobs in New Orleans • that no one else wanted-jobs slave holders would • not even allow their slaves to do • ~Cleared land, dug ditches, dug canals- • many died doing this filthy work –manual labor

7. Immigrants • Germans • -Fled after a failed revolution in 1848 • -Most were Catholic and their casual behavior on the Sabbath insulted the Protestant Americans now residing in Louisiana • *Rather than continuing church talk at • home on Sundays-Germans tended to come together and drink • -By 1850 ½ of the people in New Orleans were • from some other country

8. American Pioneers • Most settled in Northern Louisiana or the Northern Florida Parishes • Came from other southern states • Were of English, Scottish and Irish roots (remember ANGLO NORTH) • Lived the frontier life or began farms/plantations like those in Virginia and the Carolinas

9. Acadians • Kept to themselves during the Antebellum Period and were not effected by this change in Louisiana culture • They kept their very simple bayou living-spoke French, fished, kept their traditions • Prairie Acadians owned cattle ranches called vacheries

10. Native Americans • Most had disappeared by 1850 • 1835 the Caddo sold their land and moved to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) • Those that stayed were very few and kept to themselves much like the Acadians along the small bayous

11. Slaves • Created a lifestyle for themselves within the slave community • -Their life off of the fields centered around the slave quarters which became like a small city within the plantation • *a slaves home was a 2 room wooden structure (they were usually in two rows across from each other) • ~they gathered around these cabins to enjoy games, • food and conversation • *slave’s free time was limited to Sundays and at times Saturday • afternoons • *Music and dancing was allowed at the end of the work week • *Dancing and singing allowed them to blend their African cultural traditions and their present experiences • ~Musical instruments were homemade and included: banjo, fiddle, and drums • ~Drums scared the owners because they felt they would sound them to signal a slave riot

12. Slaves • All food was rationed • Included: salt pork (pork jerky), corn or cornmeal and molasses-all of these foods are “fuel foods” used to fuel the body with energy, not nutrition • Some plantation owners allowed slaves to cultivate their own gardens where they would have turnips, sweet potatoes, cabbage, okra and black eyed peas • Seldom owners allowed them to raise pigs and chickens

13. SECTION 1 of Chapter 9 is Complete!

14. Section 2 Terminology -faction -compromise -Jaques Villere -“sham Castle” -Henry Clay -tariffs -“know nothings” -depression Questions: 1. What were the 2 major political factions that existed in Louisiana during the antebellum period? 2. Why was the Louisiana constitution rewritten in 1845 3. Why was there an underlying conflict between the Americans and the Creoles? 4. What city was going to be the Louisiana State Capital? Why was it decided it was not fit to be the capital? 5. When was Baton Rouge decided to become the state capital? 6. Why did the Whig party disagree with the politics of Jackson? 7. Explain the pros and cons/good things and bad things of the 1845 state constitution