Ch. 6 Spanish Louisiana

The Big Secret….The people of Louisiana did not learn of the

transfer to Spain until a year later!Treaty of FontainebleauThey were furious!!

Name ChangeFrench called it

LouisianeSpanish called it

LuisianaPeople of the

colony accepted a combination of the two and called it “Louisiana”

French Still in ChargeEven though Spain technically owned

Louisiana the French were still running it.Spain had little money & was involved in

European affairs.

Antonio de Ulloa & The New Spanish GovernmentUlloa is the 1st Spanish governor

His personality conflicted with the vibrant life of the colony & the French living in the colony really didn’t like him.

The Transfer of PowerThe Spanish knew that the French were

unhappy.The Spanish told Ulloa to:

No drastic changesNo ceremoniesSneak Spanish soldiers in

Ulloa’s MistakesHe never held a formal ceremony to make

Louisiana SpanishHe allowed the French flag to fly over the

colony for a long period of time and didn’t hold a formal ceremony when he raised the Spanish flag.

He allowed the French government to still run the colony (The Superior Council)

Ulloa appeared weak to colonists.

Unrest in the ColonyUlloa married someone

from Peru, who was a mestizo.The French believed she

was African & Ulloa was breaking the Code Noir.

Because of inflation Ulloa set prices for items

Only allowed the Creoles to trade with Spanish.

The Superior Council hated Ulloa and did not listen to him.

The Creole Revolution

October 28, 1768Mobs disabled the cannons

protecting New OrleansThe next day 400 Creoles

stormed the city and ordered Ulloa to leave.

5 days later Ulloa left for Cuba and without war the Creoles had forced the Spanish out.

The Creoles wrote a letter to King Louis but he didn’t respond.

The Spanish Return to Louisiana1 year later24 ships with 2000 sailors

arrive in New Orleans and they are commanded by General Don Alejandro O’Reilly.He marched into the city

and took control raising the Spanish flag.

Aubry (head of Superior Council) handed power over to him.

“Bloody O’Reilly”O’Reilly arrested 13

men who planned the Creole Revolution. 12 were found guilty of treason.Some were killed by a

firing squad & some put in prison.

Aubry gave up the names of those involved.

After this no one would challenge Spanish authority in the colony.

Spanish Government in the Colony

Spanish used:Checks & BalancesKing appointed the governorDivided Louisiana into 12 districts with a leader for

each districtCreated 12 parishes or geographical divisions of

the Catholic Church with a priest leading each parish

Intendant was in charge of ALL economic affairsCabildo – city council replaced the Superior Council

Governor was in chargeMade laws, created taxes, advised the governor, etc.

O’Reilly Code enforced Spanish law.

The Cabildo (Jackson Square)

Changes to the Code Noir

Spanish Code Noir gave slaves more rights.

Examples include:Testify in court30 minute lunch breaks / 2 hour dinner breaksSlaves could be freed at will without government

approvalSlaves could buy their own freedom

Skilled slaves could work for a wage if they shared it with their owner and then save to buy freedom.

Arbitrators were used when the slave master & slave could not agree on a price.

1000’s became free people of color & had to carry manumission papers that proved they were free.

French Culture Survives Spanish Control of LouisianaThe Creoles began to accept Spanish rule

and O’Reilly allowed French culture to survive.Creoles kept French language & customs

O’Reilly set the Spanish government firmly in place

Luis de UnzagaReplaced O’Reilly as

governorCreoles liked Unzaga

& he married a local women

The colony prospered Established the 1st

public school Allowed trade with the

English (this was illegal)

Floating Warehouses

Unzaga Allows Illegal Trade with England

Unzaga & The American Revolution1776 – Declaration of IndependenceUnzaga allowed English trade but did not

like them and secretly supported the American colonistsOliver Pollock and helped the colonists.

Unzaga sold gun powder to the Americans through Pollock.

Bernardo de GálvezVery popular governorWorked with Pollock to get

supplies to the American ColonistsMedicine, clothing, weapons,

etc.Eventually Spain & France

officially side with the Americans against England

Gálvez Fights the EnglishThe English had forts near

New Orleans, Mobile and Baton Rouge.Galvez leads an expedition of

1500 Creoles, Spanish, slaves and Indians to attack the English forts

American Revolution ends and treaties forces England to give independence to the American colonists and Florida and all of the Gulf Coast to Spain.

North American in 1783

Esteban Rodríguez MiróBecame governor after

GalvezAlso very popular & married

a Louisiana womenMore people (settlers) came

to Louisiana under Miró than any other governor.From 7500 to 50,000Offered Land Grants

Tools, rooster, 2 hens, 2 pigs and supplies for a year

KaintocksKentucky frontiersmen

The Isleños “Islanders”Came over from the Canary Islands

because life was very difficult.Settled in St. Bernard, Ascension &

PlaqueminesHunters & trappersDelacroix ("The Island"), Woods Lake,

Reggio, Yscloskey, Shell Beach, and Hopedale.

Isleños Settle in Louisiana