New Orleans early 20th century. New Orleans New Orleans early 20th century

The history of the development of New Orleans is closely connected with many cultures: French, Spanish, American, African American, German, Irish and others.

La Nouvelle Orléans (New Orleans) was founded by the French in 1718. With an important strategic location, New Orleans is located near the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The rivers of the Midwest, flowing into the Mississippi, form a grand transportation system. Trade in industrial goods, consumer goods and agricultural products was (and remains) very profitable and convenient thanks to relatively cheap river transport. Cargo exported from the United States was transported to numerous ports in New Orleans, where it was unloaded, stored, and then transported to ships to the Gulf of Mexico. In the same way, goods imported to the United States pass through New Orleans.

The city received its name in honor of the French regent Philippe d'Orleans, who in turn received the title thanks to the French city of Orleans. Spain gained control of New Orleans by 1763, but France regained control in 1801. Napoleon Bonaparte, in dire straits, sold France's colonial possessions (Louisiana) in 1803 to the United States. Thus, the area of ​​the United States doubled, and English-speaking settlers poured into the city. The new residents clashed with the native French-speaking population living in the French quarter and settled along Canal Street in what is today the Central Business District.

In 1815, an important battle of significant historical significance took place near the French Quarter. The Battle of New Orleans was the main battle of the Anglo-American War of 1812-1815. The British tried to take control of the strategically important New Orleans, restrict trade and undermine the US economy. The surrender of New Orleans to the British would greatly reduce the value of the acquisition of Louisiana, however, the combined forces of the Americans (army, armed citizens, former slaves and even pirates under the command of Jean Lafitte) defeated the British troops.

Historically, New Orleans became the largest slave-holding center. Two-thirds of the more than a million slaves who came to the southern United States passed through the slave market, and the city became the main beneficiary of this business. Slave labor was actively used on cotton and sugar cane plantations, which were located in large quantities in the region.

By 1830, the French-speaking population remained in the majority in New Orleans. By this time there was a large influx of German and Irish immigrants. By the end of the 19th century, the use of French had declined significantly.

By 1840, with the population doubling, New Orleans was considered the wealthiest city in the country. Overall, by the mid-19th century, New Orleans had reached the peak of its economic prosperity. However, the development of railroads and the explosive growth of cities on the west coast led to the fact that the importance of New Orleans began to decrease.

In the 20th century, other cities in the US South (Atlanta, Dallas, Houston) overtook New Orleans in population. The city's economy had always been based more on trade than industry, but after World War II the industrial sector shrank even further. In 1960, the largest population of the city was recorded - 627 thousand. Subsequently, the number invariably decreased, which is not typical for southern cities.

Since the second half of the 20th century, relations between white and black populations have become strained. Like most major American cities, New Orleans experienced a “white flight”, when white residents left the city and moved to quiet and safe suburbs. Over time, New Orleans became an increasingly black city, with enormous differences in education and income levels between white and black populations. Growing poverty was accompanied by rising crime.

At the end of August 2005, New Orleans experienced a tremendous shock when it was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Most of the city's residents evacuated in advance, but dams and engineering structures could not cope with the flooding and 80% of New Orleans was flooded. The total number of victims in Louisiana is estimated at 1,500. Most of the New Orleans residents who left the city never returned. In the summer of 2006, there were 223 thousand people in the city - half as many as before the hurricane. The enormous damage caused to the city has not yet been restored. As of 2010, New Orleans has a population of 343 thousand.

New Orleans was born under the influence of many European cultures and inherited its name from the regent of France, Philip of Orleans. "La Nouvelle Orleans" - as the French colonialists called it, was founded in 1718.

It is located at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, so its geographical location became very advantageous, since many merchant ships passed through it. At that time, the city became an important link in the trade chain. Many goods coming from the United States were stored in the ports of New Orleans, after which they were sent to the Gulf of Mexico.

The colonial war ended in 1763, but a year later the city came into the hands of the Spaniards. 36 years later, the French, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, again put forward their demands for the city, and for the next three years no one could understand who now owned these lands.

In 1803, the city was nevertheless sold to the United States, which significantly influenced its culture, since it was completely different from the one that the Protestants implanted in Orleans and its inhabitants in the following years. More and more conflicts arose between English-speaking settlers and the French who lived here before them.

In 1815, New Orleans witnesses a battle between British and American troops, which will go down in history as the “Battle of New Orleans” and subsequently become key, almost decisive in the Anglo-American War. England tried to take away a strategically important object from the United States, the loss of which would have significantly affected the economic situation in the country, but this did not happen.

A few years later, the city becomes practically a slave-holding center of the United States. Thousands of slaves pass through the markets of New Orleans. Since slave labor was actively used in those days, the city received quite large incomes from it.

Since 1830, the flow of European settlers has increased significantly. The city was increasingly populated by Germans and Irish. The percentage of the population speaking French has dropped significantly. In ten years, the number of city residents has doubled. The economy of New Orleans grew unimaginably during these years, and it became the richest city in the United States.

But at the beginning of the 20th century, the situation in Orleans changed and not for the better. With the development of railroads and the expansion of cities in the west, New Orleans lost its laurels given that the main income for residents was trade, and after World War II the city's industry shrank even more. All this influenced the population and in 1960 it reached its highest point, 624 thousand people at that moment lived in the city, after which it only decreased.

Inevitably, in the second half of the 20th century, conflicts began between the white and black populations of the city. During these years, migration of the white population from the city to safer places began here. In most cases these were suburbs. New Orleans was gradually turning into a black city, crime was growing at an unimaginable speed, the economy was falling, and the standard of living was becoming lower.

In 2005, the city suffered greatly from the destructive power of Hurricane Katrina. On the morning of August 29, 2005, water began to flow through the dam protecting the eastern part of St. Bernard. After some time, most of the district was flooded, people were forced to move to the roofs of their houses. 30 thousand city residents hid under the dome of the Superdome stadium; another strong wind destroyed its roof.

By nightfall, the dams were almost completely destroyed, almost 80% of the city was flooded. The city authorities announced the evacuation even before the onset of the hurricane on August 28, so at the time of the disaster there were about 10 thousand of its residents in the city. It is estimated that about 1,500 people died as a result of the hurricane. Those who remained in the city at the time of the disaster suffered from a lack of food and clean water. Many people who left New Orleans at the time of the disaster have never returned to this day.

Work to restore the city is still underway. The city's population is half what it was before the hurricane, with a significant portion of it being workers rebuilding the city's infrastructure. According to official data for 2010, the number of residents of New Orleans is 343 thousand people.

Louisiana (geographic map).

New Orleans (New Orleans, New Orleans) is a city and port in the southern United States (cargo turnover over 100 million tons per year), Louisiana, on the Mississippi River (the central part of the city is on the east bank). Population - 466.6 thousand people (2004), with suburbs about 1.36 million people (2004). The city lies below sea level and was heavily damaged in August 2005 by the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent levee failure; it was subsequently quickly restored.

New Orleans is an important financial and commercial center of the southern United States, a transport hub, the largest (second in terms of cargo turnover in the United States) port 175 km from the confluence of the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico (the largest in the country and in the world in grain exports, export of agricultural, chemical, textile, tobacco products; annually about 5,000 ocean-going ships; there are about 40 foreign consulates in the city). International Airport. A large railway and road junction. The city has numerous oil refineries, petrochemical, food, textile, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, aerospace, and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises. It is a major medical and tourist center.

The decision to found New Orleans (named after the regent Duke of Orleans) was made in Paris in 1717, when Louisiana came under the control of John Law's Western Company. It was assumed that a transshipment point for trade along the Mississippi would be created here. The founder of the city was Jean-Baptiste Lemoine de Bienville; clearing of the territory for the future city began in March 1718. The engineer Adrien de Poget created the first plan of the city, including the current French Quarter (Vieux Carre). The composition of the first settlers was varied, consisting of immigrants from French Canada, convicts, slaves, and soldiers. In 1721, about 470 people lived here. In 1722, New Orleans became the capital of Louisiana. After failures in the Seven Years' War, France ceded Louisiana to Spain (1763). The Spanish limited the settlers' ability to trade with the British colonies in North America, while trying to develop connections with other colonies in Latin America. Napoleon returned Louisiana to France in 1800, but ceded it to the United States in 1803.

The urban population of New Orleans in 1803 was about 8 thousand people. During the War of 1812, British troops tried to take the city. On January 8, 1815, General E. Jackson defeated a British landing party here. The next 40 years were New Orleans' golden age, as it became a major cotton port. The first steamboat appeared here in 1812; in 1840 there were already about 400 steamships on the Mississippi. By the mid-19th century, a network of river canals and railroads connected New Orleans to New York City. In the first half of the 19th century, numerous waves of German and Irish immigrants arrived in the city, and the population increased to 116 thousand people (1850). The yellow fever epidemic of 1853 killed about 8 thousand inhabitants. During the Civil War, New Orleans was the most important strategic point for the Confederates; in April 1862, a Northern flotilla of 30 steamships and 21 gunboats led by D.G. Ferragata captured the city. During the period of reconstruction of the South, the city lost its importance; by the beginning of the 20th century, steamboats were replaced by railway traffic. Economic recovery began after World War II with the development of the petrochemical industry, tourism and trade with Latin American countries.

New Orleans. Jackson Square.

Tourists to New Orleans are attracted by the ancient architecture of the French Quarter, the Mardi Gras carnival, and the atmosphere of the birthplace of jazz. The French Quarter (“Vieux Carre”, “Old Square”) is one of the main attractions of the city; its streets form about one hundred perfectly square blocks. The main historical monuments are located here: the Cabildo (originally the building of the Spanish administration, the ceremony of the “Louisiana Purchase” took place here, now the State Museum), St. Louis Cathedral (1794) in Jackson Square, Madame John's Legacy House , 1727), the oldest tenement houses in the country, Pontalba (1849-1850), built in the French style, hosts a carnival that begins on January 6 and lasts until Mardi Gras (French: “Fat Tuesday”, the last day of fasting before Lent) Two weeks before Mardi Gras, carnival parades take place night and day, attracting many tourists. On the main street of the quarter, Bourbon Street, named after the French royal dynasty, there is a Jazz Museum, which is located in the Old Mint building, as well as numerous nightlife jazz clubs Every spring there is a Jazz Festival here.

After World War II, the city became one of the artistic centers, with many artists working here, various galleries and museums, including the New Orleans Museum of Art (1912, collection of old European masters, art of pre-Columbian America, a large collection of works by Degas, European painting and sculpture of the 20th century ), Center for Contemporary Art. Other attractions include one of the country's largest aquariums and the Voodoo Museum. Near the city there is a resort on Lake Pontchartrain.

Higher education institutions: Tulane University (founded in 1834 as a medical college, the largest center of tropical medicine), Jesuit Loyola University in New Orleans (1904), St. Xavier Catholic University in Louisiana (1925), University of New Orleans, Dillard University, Southern University in New Orleans, Delgado Community College, Louisiana State University School of Medicine. The state's largest newspaper, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, weekly and monthly publications, and dozens of television and radio stations are published here.

New Orleans. An old house in the French Quarter.

The city's distinctive features are its mixed Franco-Spanish Creole architecture, cultural interpenetration and multilingual heritage. New Orleans is famous for its cuisine, music (in particular, it is considered the birthplace of jazz), as well as annual festivals and carnivals (including the famous Mardi Gras). The city is often called one of the most unique in the United States.

New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana on both banks of the Mississippi River near its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico. The heart of the city is the French Quarter on the north shore. The city is united with Parish of Orleans into a single administrative unit.

Story [ | ]

Origins [ | ]

New Orleans was founded in the spring of 1718 by the French Mississippi Company by order of Jean-Baptiste Le Mont de Bainville on the lands of the Chitimacha people. It was named after Philip II, Duke of Orléans, who was then regent of France. Its title comes from the French city of Orléans.

The French colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire under the secret Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762). Having learned of this only in 1764, the French colonists did not recognize the agreement and drove out the Spanish governor in a revolt in 1768. However, the uprising was soon suppressed and in 1769 the Spanish flag was raised over the city.

US territory [ | ]

In the 1850s, the position of the white French-speaking population was not threatened and remained a very vibrant community. French-language instruction was provided in two of the city's four school districts (all of which were white). In 1860 there were 13,000 free people of color in the city ( gens de couleur libres) - representatives of a class of free citizens, mostly of mixed origin, which grew during French and Spanish rule. According to the census, 81% of the population was classified as mulatto - a generalized term to denote varying degrees of mixing of ethnic groups. Largely French-speaking, they were artisans, the educated and professional class of African Americans. The majority of the black population was still enslaved - they were used as servants, port workers, apprentices, but most importantly - to work on the numerous sugar plantations located in the area.

Civil War[ | ]

As the elite of the city's Creole population feared, the Civil War completely upended their way of life. In 1862, the city was occupied by a Northern fleet under the command of Benjamin Butler, a prominent government lawyer from the Massachusetts militia. He was later nicknamed "Beast Butler" by the people of New Orleans because of the edict he issued. Upon occupying the city, his troops were met with indignation and open hostility from southern women, which even led to skirmishes in the streets, after which he issued a decree that if such situations were repeated, such ladies would be regarded as prostitutes.

Butler also abolished the teaching of French in the city's schools. Statewide measures in 1864 and then after the war in 1868 further reinforced the English-only policy. By the time the dominant position of the English language was officially consolidated, it already dominated in the sphere of business and bureaucracy. By the end of the 19th century, the use of French began to decline. A new wave of Italian and German immigration also had an impact on this process. Despite this, by 1902, “a quarter of the city’s population used French in their daily communication, and another two-quarters understood French perfectly.” By 1945, many women of Creole origin (mostly of the older generation) spoke no English at all. Last major French-language newspaper L'Abeille de la Nouvelle-Orléans(The New Orleans Bee) closed on December 27, 1923 - 96 years after it began operations.

Since the city was captured at the very beginning of the war, it was able to avoid the widespread destruction caused to many other cities in the American South. The Union Army gradually gained control of the coast as well as the region north along the Mississippi. As a result, southern Louisiana was excluded from President Abraham Lincoln's Abolition Proclamation (which was primarily a military measure aimed at areas under Confederate control). A large number of former slaves from rural areas and a number of free citizens of color joined the ranks of the first black regiment raised during the war. Under the command of Brigadier General Daniel Ullmann (1810-1892), they became known as " Corps d'Afrique” (although the name predated the war and was applied to bands of free people of color, and the new group was primarily composed of former slaves). Later, in addition to them, “US Colored Troops” were formed, which by the end of the war played an increasingly important role in it.

XX century [ | ]

The zenith of New Orleans' population and economy relative to other Southern cities occurred in the period before the outbreak of the Civil War. Since the mid-19th century, rapid economic growth began to influence all spheres of life, but the leading importance of New Orleans compared to other cities has steadily declined. The development of railroad and highway networks impacted river traffic, redirecting the flow of goods to other transport corridors and markets.

By the middle of the 20th century, New Orleanians clearly felt that their city was no longer the most advanced in the South. By 1950, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta had overtaken New Orleans in size, and in 1960 it was eclipsed by Miami, even as New Orleans' population reached its all-time high.

As with other older American cities, highway construction and suburban development contributed to the movement of residents from the city center to new residential areas outside the city. The 1970 census recorded a record population decline since the city became part of the United States. The Greater New Orleans metropolitan area continued to grow, but at a slower rate than other major Sun Belt cities. Although the port's importance remained high, automation and the shift to container shipping cost many jobs. New Orleans' economy has always been more focused on trade and financial services than on industrial production, but even its small manufacturing capacity was seriously reduced after World War II. Despite some economic successes by city governments under Mayors Morrison (1946-1961) and Schiro (1961-1970), the metropolitan area's growth still lagged behind more vibrant cities.

XXI Century [ | ]

Hurricane Katrina [ | ]

Nicknames - “Crescent City”, “Big Easy” and “City that Care Forgot”; the unofficial motto is “Let the good days roll by” (French: Laissez les bons temps rouler). Considered the cradle of jazz, the birthplace of Louis Armstrong. Place of numerous jazz festivals. New Orleans is the setting of the popular folk song The House of the Rising Sun and the famous satirical novel by Pulitzer Prize winner John Kennedy Toole.

Geography [ | ]

Satellite image of the city

New Orleans is located on the banks of the Mississippi, approximately 169 km upriver from the Gulf of Mexico and south of Lake Pontchartrain. The total area of ​​the city is 907 km², of which only 468 km² is land. The city was originally protected by natural dams or was built on high ground along the Mississippi River. After the Flood Control Act of 1965 ( Flood Control Act of 1965) The US Army Corps of Engineers built levees covering a wide geographic region, including what had previously been swamps. Perhaps it was this human impact that led to the subsidence of the territory, however, this is still a matter of debate.

The city's main sports facility is the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, home of the Saints and a venue for other events. The stadium has hosted the final NFL game - the Super Bowl - seven times (1978, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1997, 2002 and 2013) and by this indicator the building holds the record among NFL stadiums. Another major sports facility in the city is the Smoothie King Center - the home arena of the Pelicans, Voodoo, and the venue for many events. The New Orleans Race Course is home to some of the oldest horse racing in the country. . Student team competitions take place in the Lakefront Arena.

Every year, New Orleans hosts some of the most important college football matches - the Sugar Bowl and one of the PGA Tour tournaments. In addition to Super Bowls, the city has also hosted other major sporting events, such as the NBA All-Star Game, the final game of the college football championship, and the NCAA Final Four. In addition, the city annually hosts a marathon, a 10 km race, and two other races.

Twin Cities[ | ]

Notes [ | ]

1. U.S. Census Bureau: Orleans Parish, Louisiana Archived July 31, 2014. (English)
2. ArchINFORM
3. 2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files - US Census Bureau, 2016.
4. US Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/popest/data/counties/totals/2013/files/CO-EST2013-Alldata.csv
5. US Census Louisiana Parish Population Estimates - 1 July 2008 (undefined) (unavailable link). census.gov (March 19, 2009). Retrieved June 15, 2009. Archived May 7, 2009.
6. Cultures that have significantly influenced New Orleans throughout the city's history include French, Native American, African, Spanish, Cajun, German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Latin American, and Vietnamese. Multicultural history of New Orleans(English) . Retrieved June 26, 2018.
7. "Old Sober": How People Get a Hangover in New Orleans (undefined) . BBC Russian Service (June 16, 2018). Retrieved June 26, 2018.
8. Where to listen to jazz: from New Orleans to Melbourne (undefined) . Buro 24/7 (May 16, 2017). Retrieved June 26, 2018.
9. New Orleans: Birthplace of Jazz(English) . PBS - JAZZ. Film by Ken Burns. Retrieved May 17, 2006.
10. Behind the scenes of the film "Hurricane in the Bayou"(English) (unavailable link). Retrieved June 26, 2018. Archived January 15, 2016.
11. Lewis, Peirce F. New Orleans: The Making of an Urban Landscape = New Orleans: The Making of an Urban Landscape. - 2003. - P. 175.
12. Lawrence J. Kotlikoff, Anton J. Rupert. The Manumission of Slaves in New Orleans, 1827–1846(English) (PDF). Southern Studies (1980). Retrieved July 18, 2018.
13. , With. 166.
14. Usticesi in the United States Civil War(English) . The Ustica Connection (March 12, 2003). Retrieved July 29, 2018.
15. Kevin Baker. The future of New Orleans(English) . American Heritage (April/May 2006). Retrieved July 22, 2018. Archived October 5, 2009.
16. Marshall, Bob. 17th Street Canal levee was doomed, The Times-Picayune(November 30, 2005). Archived from the original on September 7, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2006.
17. America through Americanisms (US place names). Articles starting with the letter "P". Retrieved February 8, 2018.
18. Nola.com
19. History of the New Orleans Blaze (undefined) (PDF). New Orleans Blaze (April 3, 2008). Retrieved September 27, 2008. Archived October 1, 2008.
20. New Orleans and Major League Soccer? (undefined) . ABC26 News. Retrieved August 26, 2007. Archived May 29, 2007.

Links [ | ]