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John Law
Crozat's failure in Louisiana was well known, and the king had trouble finding anyone else who was willing to risk his fortune in the colony. John Law was a Scotsman who had settled in France and had impressed the Duke of Orleans with this financial knowledge. The king gave him permission to create the Company of the West (later known as the Company of the Indies) to take charge of the Louisiana colony. -
Company of the West
John Law planned to get the funds to develop Louisiana by selling shares in these joint-stock companies. In its early years, the company generated large profits and many people wanted to invest. These reasons for doing so had little to do with Louisiana itself. -
Mississippi Bubble
The desire to get rich quickly created a mania for buying shares in the company. The price of the shares began to rise along with the number of investors. The rapid rise in the value of the company's stocks created a nickname for the process. it was called the Mississippi Bubble. -
Dream City
During Law's time over Louisiana, the colony grew slowly and important developments took place. Bienville was reinstated as governor, and his dream of building a city on the banks of the Mississippi became a reality. Bienville believed the city would become a thriving port. He named the new city New Orleans in honor of the Duke of Orleans. -
The Bulding of New Orleans
Bienville chose a crescent in the river bordered by Lake Ponchartrain. He designed New Orleans in a grid system. In order to build the city, his men had to chop down river cane and drain the swamp. The directors of the Company of the West were responsible for finding colonists to live in the new city. -
Advertising for Colonists
No one wanted to come to Louisiana, so John Law advertised all over Europe. He sent out flyers claiming that Louisiana was a paradise! The people in what is now called Germany believed the ads and moved to an area above present day New Orleans, Their skills in farming saved the French from starving. -
German Coast
As more Germans moved into the colony, they farmed the area along the Mississippi River above New Orleans. The area became known as the German Coast. -
Adding to the Colony
The German colonists were not enough, so Law began sending forcats to the colony. At first, only non-dangerous criminals were sent, but later the dangerous were relocated. Also, a "finder's fee" was paid to find colonists. First vagrants, then citizens with jobs and families, were kidnapped inoder to collect the fee. -
Falling Stocks
Early investors in the Company made huge profits. But as the expenses for the colony grew, it became harder to maintain profits for the stockholders. Rumors of financial difficulties grew, and worried investors began to demand payments in cash. John Law had to admit that the company did not have the funds on hand to pay back investors, much less continue investing in the development of Louisiana. -
The Bubble Bursts
Stock prices began to fall steeply. By the end of 1721, shares in the Company of the West were all but worthless. In other words, the Mississippi Bubble had burst. Many investors, including John Law, lost their personal fortunes. Law had to flee France in disgrace, and Louisiana's reputation suffered. -
A New Outpost
The reorganized Company of the Indies established an outpost called Baton Rouge. -
Poste du Rapides
Another outpost was developed on the Red River. The outpost later became known as Alexandria. Territorial expansion was a pign of progress, but it also created further tensions with Native Americans. -
Bienville Recalled
Fighting between the leaders of the colony continued. Accusations of mismanagements resulted in Bienville's recall to France in 1724. He would reamin in France for the next seven years defending his actions. -
Ursuline Nuns
The Ursuline nuns came to Louisiana to work in a hospital and teach. -
Casket Girls
A group of young, French girls of marriageable age came over from France escorted by Ursuline nuns. They were each given a small trunk filled with clothing and the type of goods needed to establish a household. Their trunks were called cassettes or caskets, so these young women became known as casket girls. -
Natchez Massacre
French attempts to order the Natchez off their land so company officers could turn the area into a tobacco plantation resulted in the Natchez uprising of 1729. Although the Natchez succeeded in their surprise attack on the colonists, their victory was brief. In the next two years, French soldiers pursued and defeated the remaining Natchez. The fear created by the massacre led many people to abandon their land claims and return to the safety of New Orleans. -
Governor Perier
The retaliation on the Natchez was ordered by then Governor Etienne de Perier. His interference with the Natchez upset the alliance the French had with the Choctaw. He was removed from office by King Louis XV, and Bienville returned once again. -
Trouble with the Chickasaw
The Chickasaw took some Natchez captive. Bienville paid the Choctaw to fight the Chickasaw, after demands to return the Natchez unharmed were refused. The English entered the fight. but in the end, no one was the clear winner. -
Bienville's Final Farewell
At Bienville's own request, King Louis XV appointed a new governor of Louisiana. Bienville departed Louisiana for the last time. Despite all the difficulties of his final years, Bienville definitely deserves the title "Father of Louisiana". It was he who guided the colony in its most difficult early years, maintained a leadership role often without reward, and succeeded in founding New Orleans. -
Vaudreuil
The Marquis de Vaudreuil arrived to replace Bienville and stayed for nine years. Although New Orleans was still a rough frontier city, Vaudreuil and his wife tried to bring some of the glamour of Paris to the city, They wore the latest French fashions and gave elaborate parties and balls that featured French food, music, and dancing, They are credited with hosting the first Mardi Gras ball in Louisiana. -
Kerlerec
Kerlerec was appointed the last governor of the French colony becasue of his military experience. This was important because of growing tensions with England. His main priority was to strengthen the defenses of the colony before open warfare broke out between the French and English in North America. He found his post difficult, but remained until the 1760's, when a new power took control of the colony after the French and Indian War.
