Download Free Louisiana A History Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online Louisiana A History and write the review.

From the earliest colonists through the latest Mardi Gras, Louisiana has had a history as exotic as that of any state. Even its political corruption--extending from French governors for whom office was exploitable property through the "Louisiana Hayride" following the death of Huey Long--seems to have had a glamorous side. Handing the colony of Louisiana back and forth between their empires, the French and Spanish left a legacy that lives in such forms as the architecture of the Vieux Carre and a civil law deriving from the Napoleonic Code. Acadian refugees, German farmers, black slaves and free blacks, along with Italians, Irish, and the "Kaintucks" who helped Andrew Jackson win the Battle of New Orleans added to the state's distinctiveness. Made rich by sugar cane, cotton, and Mississippi River commerce before the Civil War, Louisiana faced poverty afterward. Battles between Bourbon Democrats and Reconstruction Republicans followed, ultimately involving the Custom House Ring and the Knights of the White Camelia. By methods that remain controversial, Huey Long ended "government by gentlemen" with economic transformations other had sought. Gas, oil, and industrialization have additionally "Americanized" the state. Something of Louisiana's historic joie de vivre remains, however, to the gratification of residents and visitors alike; both will enjoy Joe Gray Taylor's telling of the story.
Covering the lively, even raucous, history of Louisiana from before First Contact through the Elections of 2012, this sixth edition of the classic Louisiana history survey provides an engaging and comprehensive narrative of what is arguably America’s most colorful state. Since the appearance of the first edition of this classic text in 1984, Louisiana: A History has remained the best-loved and most highly regarded college-level survey of Louisiana on the market Compiled by some of the foremost experts in the field of Louisiana history who combine their own research with recent historical discoveries Includes complete coverage of the most recent events in political and environmental history, including the continued aftermath of Katrina and the 2010 BP oil spill Considers the interrelationship between Louisiana history and that of the American South and the nation as a whole Written in an engaging and accessible style complemented by more than a hundred photographs and maps
"Firsthand Louisiana: Primary Sources in the History of the State brings to its readers a companion to the study of Louisiana's history. Compiled for the first time in a single book, the dozens of important, interesting, devastating, and even entertaining firsthand accounts cover Louisiana's history from 1682, when Sieur de La Salle claimed the land for the French, up through recent controversies over the removal of Confederate memorial statues in the state. Edited by experts in the field of Louisiana history who saw a need for a collection of primary sources in the college history classroom, it also provides a fascinating read for non-academics who simply want to gain the perspective of the people- women, men, Native Americans, whites, African Americans, and many others-who created the state's complicated past. Gain on-the-scene views of important moments in the Bayou State. How did the initial interactions between Native Americans, French colonizers, and enslaved Africans play out? Why did colonists overthrow their own governor in 1768, and how did the Spanish Empire react? What did Louisianians say about the coming of the Civil War and its aftermath? How did the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which originated in New Orleans, and the state Constitution of 1898 set the stage for Louisiana's race relations in the twentieth-century? What effects did World War II have on the state? Closer to our own time, what can we learn from firsthand accounts about the "Race from Hell," the dangers of the "chemical corridor," and the debate over how the Civil War is remembered? Read letters, speeches, reports, diaries, and more to gain a deeper understanding of Louisiana, its peoples and cultures, and its history"--
Recipient of a 2017 Book of the Year Award presented by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Shane K. Bernard's Teche examines this legendary waterway of the American Deep South. Bernard delves into the bayou's geologic formation as a vestige of the Mississippi and Red Rivers, its prehistoric Native American occupation, and its colonial settlement by French, Spanish, and, eventually, Anglo-American pioneers. He surveys the coming of indigo, cotton, and sugar; steam-powered sugar mills and riverboats; and the brutal institution of slavery. He also examines the impact of the Civil War on the Teche, depicting the running battles up and down the bayou and the sporadic gunboat duels, when ironclads clashed in the narrow confines of the dark, sluggish river. Describing the misery of the postbellum era, Bernard reveals how epic floods, yellow fever, racial violence, and widespread poverty disrupted the lives of those who resided under the sprawling, moss-draped live oaks lining the Teche's banks. Further, he chronicles the slow decline of the bayou, as the coming of the railroad, automobiles, and highways reduced its value as a means of travel. Finally, he considers modern efforts to redesign the Teche using dams, locks, levees, and other water-control measures. He examines the recent push to clean and revitalize the bayou after years of desecration by litter, pollutants, and invasive species. Illustrated with historic images and numerous maps, this book will be required reading for anyone seeking the colorful history of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. As a bonus, the second part of the book describes Bernard's own canoe journey down the Teche's 125-mile course. This modern personal account from the field reveals the current state of the bayou and the remarkable people who still live along its banks.
At the beginning of the twentieth century the skies presented a new frontier, one that attracted daredevils, businessmen, politicians, and engineers enticed by a new form of transportation. Louisiana entrepreneurs and pilots proved instrumental in ushering in the Golden Age of Aviation. They advanced aircraft design, revolutionized aerial crop dusting, pioneered airmail routes, pushed the limits of stunt flying, and entertained spectators with air races. A pilot and freelance writer with more than twenty years of experience in the aviation industry, Vincent P. Caire chronicles the state's history of flight in 196 vintage and contemporary photographs, many never-before published. Photos of early aviation pioneer John Moisant, air racing champion General James Doolittle, barnstormer Roscoe Turner, aircraft designer James Wedell, and founder of Delta Airlines C. E. Woolman reflect Louisiana's zeal for aeronautics. Caire explains how the efforts of Senator Huey P. Long and Harry P. Williams, co-owner of the Wedell-Williams Air Service in Patterson, Louisiana, influenced the development of viable airmail routes throughout the southeastern United States. Rarely seen photographs depict the Art Deco elegance of the first modern, multioperational passenger terminal in the nation -- Shushan Airport in New Orleans. A captivating visual tour spanning one hundred years, Louisiana Aviation celebrates the state's air history, evident in Louisiana's seventy airports, 5,000 aircraft, 7,000 pilots, and numerous airshows in operation today.
In A Wilderness so Immense, historian Jon Kukla recounts the fascinating tale of the personal maneuverings, political posturing, and international intrigue that culminated in the greatest land deal in history. Spanning nearly two decades, Kukla’s book brings to life a pageant of characters from Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Jay, to Napoleon and Carlos III of Spain and other colorful figures. Employing letters, memoirs, contemporary documents, and a host of other sources, Kukla creates a complete and compelling account of the Louisiana Purchase. From the hinterlands in Kentucky to the courts of Spain, France, and England to the halls of Congress, he re-creates the forces and personalities that turned a struggle for navigation rights on the Mississippi into an event that doubled the size of the country and altered the destiny of the United States forever.
Originally published in 1943, this comprehensive volume chronicles the history of Avoyelles Parish, from the first Indian settlers to the time of the book's publication. Saucier provides in-depth information about the organization of the parish as it grew out of the Avoyelles Post during the French regime. Throughout the book, Saucier explores the many hardships endured by the first settlers, such as the health and sanitation, relief and welfare organizations, and numerous disasters-most notably the Red River flood of 1927. Saucier also provides the history of institutions, such as churches, education, banking, and journalism, that would serve as a foundation for its future population.
The Favrot family is among the most venerable in Louisiana, with a continuous presence there dating to 1728. From the French colonial period, through four decades of Spanish colonial rule, followed by U.S. statehood, secession, and the Civil War, and ultimately into the modern era, the Favrots have remained influential. The family's story offers a lens through which to view the complex and often-turbulent history of Louisiana. This book traces the story of eight generations of the Favrot family, with a focus on the direct line from Joseph-Claude to Henri Mortimer, Jr. The narrative is based in large parts on material from the Favrot Family Papers, which are housed at Tulane University's Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. From that foundation, the book places the family's personal experiences and observations into the broader context of Louisiana history.
Forest Hill boasts one of the largest nursery industries in the country, despite its tiny population. In the early days, the community was a summer retreat for plantation owners. The lumber industry rolled into town with the railroad, which eased the transportation of virgin timber. By 1901, the nurseries had emerged after Samuel Stokes began selling a variety of plants from his woods. Today, more than two hundred nurseries are in operation, many by the families who founded them. Author Chere Dastugue Coen reveals the deep roots of this horticultural hub.