Louisiana was originally known as Louisiane. This vast territory, established as a French colony, was officially designated as the Colony of Louisiana, with "Louisiane" being its French name.
The French Colonial Period
The region that would become Louisiana was claimed for France in 1682 by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who named it "La Louisiane" in honor of King Louis XIV. This vast expanse of land covered much of the central United States, stretching from the Great Lakes down to the Gulf of Mexico. It served as a critical part of New France, aimed at controlling the Mississippi River and establishing a trade network.
Key Historical Transitions of Louisiane
The original French territory underwent several significant changes in control and designation before evolving into the modern U.S. state of Louisiana. These transitions illustrate the dynamic history of the region:
- 1763: Split East to Great Britain
Following the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), the Treaty of Paris resulted in France ceding its territories. The lands east of the Mississippi River (except New Orleans) were transferred to Great Britain. - 21 March 1801: Transfer by Spain
Spain had gained control of the western part of Louisiana (and New Orleans) from France in 1762 via the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1801, under the secret Third Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain retroceded Louisiana back to France. - 30 April 1803: Louisiana Purchase
Facing financial difficulties and the prospect of war with Great Britain, Napoleon Bonaparte sold the entire Louisiana territory to the United States for $15 million. This historic acquisition effectively doubled the size of the nascent American republic. - 20 December 1803: Transferred to the United States
The formal transfer of the Louisiana territory from France to the United States took place, marking the end of significant European colonial claims over this vast American heartland.
The original "Louisiane" eventually saw its immense territory divided and organized into various U.S. states, with the modern state of Louisiana being a descendant of this original French colonial claim.
