State Flag

The flag of Louisiana consists of a heraldic charge called a "pelican in her piety," representing a mother pelicanwounding her breast to feed her young from the blood. The mother pelican's head and outspread wings covering the three pelican chicks nested below her form a stylized fleur-de-lis, another emblem of similar significance often depicted in Louisiana. This symbol, emblematic of Christian charity (and Catholicism), is also found on the state seal. On the flagit is depicted above a ribbon with the state motto: "Union, Justice, and Confidence". The current flag was adopted in 2006, revising the original pelican design of 1912.

During the 19th century it was traditional in Louisiana flags and the state seal for the "pelican in her piety" to have three drops of blood on her chest. However, in later years the tradition (on both the state flag and seal) had been haphazardly followed, which was noticed by an eighth-grader at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma who brought this to the attention of his state legislator. The issue was resolved in April 2006, when the Louisiana State Legislaturepassed a bill (House Bill 833/Act 92) which requires three drops of blood to be depicted on the pelican used in both the state's flag and seal. The new state flag, featuring a new design, was recently unveiled during swearing-in ceremonies of new state officials.

State Capitol

Baton Rouge (French for "Red Stick") is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana and its second-largest city. The seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, the city is located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River.

As the "Capital City," Baton Rouge is the political hub for Louisiana, and is the second-largest metropolitan city in the state, with a growing population of 229,426 people as of 2013. The metropolitan area surrounding the city, known as Greater Baton Rouge, has a population of 820,159 people as of 2013. The urban area has around 594,309 inhabitants.

Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, research, motion picture, and growing technology center of the American South. The Port of Baton Rouge is the ninth largest in the United States in terms of tonnage shipped, and is the farthest upstream Mississippi River port capable of handling Panamaxships.

Holidays

New Year's Day	January 1, 2014
Martin Luther King Day	January 20, 2014
Mardi Gras	March 4, 2014
Good Friday	April 18, 2014
National Memorial Day	May 26, 2014
Independence Day	July 4, 2014
Labor Day	September 1, 2014
Election Day	November 4, 2014
Veteran's Day	November 11, 2014
Thanksgiving Day	November 27, 2014
Christmas Day	December 25, 2014
New Year's Day	January 1, 2015

Louisiana's biggest and most traditional holiday is Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). This holiday is most celebrated in the city of New Orleans. There are many parades each year all around Louisiana. You might see some pretty crazy things if you were to ever go to a Mardi Gras Parade. During Mardi Gras there are cakes called King Cake that are eaten. inside each cake there is one piece with a plastis baby inside. Whoever has it in their piece of cake has good luck.

Music

The music of Louisiana can be divided into three general regions: rural south Louisiana, home to Creole Zydeco and Old French (now known as cajun music), New Orleans, and north Louisiana. The region in and around Greater New Orleans has a unique musical heritage tied to Dixieland jazz, blues and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. The northern portion of the state starting at Baton Rouge and reaching Shreveport shares the similarities with the rest of the US South. Rural south Louisiana's music also features very significant input from non-Creoles, most notably African Americans who are critical to the cultural/musical identity. Four main musical genres are indigenous to this area — Creole music(i.e. zydeco), swamp pop, and swamp blues. These historically-rooted genres, with unique rhythms and personalities, have been transformed with modern sounds and instruments. The southwestern and south central Louisiana areas herald many artists and songs that have become international hits, won Grammy awards, and become highly sought after by collectors.

State Bird

The brown pelican is a small pelican found in the Americas. It is one of the best known and most prominent birds found in the coastal areas of the southern and western United States. It is one of only three pelican species found in the Western Hemisphere. The brown pelican is one of the only two pelican species which feeds by diving into the water.

The brown pelican is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is 106–137 cm (42–54 in) in length, weighs from 2.75 to 5.5 kg (6.1 to 12.1 lb) and has a wingspan from 1.83 to 2.5 m (6.0 to 8.2 ft). Through most of its range, the brown pelican is an unmistakable bird. Like all pelicans, this species has a very large bill, 28 to 34.8 cm (11.0 to 13.7 in) long in this case, with a gular pouch on the bottom for draining water when it scoops out prey. The head is white but often gets a yellowish wash in adult birds. The bill is grayish overall in most birds, though breeding birds become reddish on the underside of the throat. The back, rump, and tail are streaked with gray and dark brown, sometimes with a rusty hue. In adult pelicans, the breast and belly are a blackish-brown and the legs and feet are black. The juvenile is similar but has a brownish-gray neck and white underparts.

Resources

Louisiana's natural resources include varied ecosystems and environments, from oak forest to cypress swamp. Extremely fertile soil and a long growing season are conducive to agriculture. Extensive coastlines, along the Gulf of Mexico and the state's many rivers, contribute to extensive wetland areas. As for non-biotic resources, the state also has sizable reserves of oil, natural gas, salt and sulphur.

With 15,000 miles of coastline, Louisiana has extensive coastal wetlands. The coastal basin is divided into nine regions, each with slightly different environments and ecosystems. For example, the Teche/Vermilion Basin in south-central Louisiana primarily has fresh and brackish waters, with very few salt marshes. In the southwestern corner of the state, the Calcasieu/Sabine Basin has a balanced mixture of fresh, brackish and salt marshes. The region's wetlands are estimated to be 3,500 years old.

Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (most often referred to as Louisiana State University or LSU) is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the nameLouisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy. The current LSU main campus was dedicated in 1926, and consists of more than 250 buildings constructed in the style of Italian Renissance architect Andrea Palladio, and occupies a 650-acre (2.6 km²) plateau on the banks of the Mississippi River.

LSU is the flagship institution of the Lousiana State University System, and the largest institution of higher education in Louisiana in terms of student enrollment. In 2011, the University enrolled nearly 24,000 undergraduate and over 5,000 graduate students in 14 schools and colleges. Several of LSU's graduate schools, such as the E.J. Ourso College of Business and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, have received national recognition in their respective fields of study. Designated as a land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant institution, LSU is also noted for its extensive research facilities, operating some 800 sponsored research projects funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Food

Seasonings such as Cayenne pepper, Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's are prevalent in the cuisine of Louisiana. While the state is predominantly known for its Cajun and Creole cuisine, Native American cuisine preceded their contributions.Creole cuisine is influenced by traditional French cooking with Spanish, African, and Indian influences.

Although the food most identified with the state is the Cajun and Creole food of South Louisiana, North Louisiana also has its own unique cuisine. Traditionally, southern style soul food such as smothered pork chops, chicken and dumplings, candied yams, hot water cornbread, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and black-eyed peas are commonly eaten in North Louisiana. For many years, crayfish were not eaten outside of Cajun country. People north of Alexandria were more likely to eat fried chicken or barbecue. Fish fries featuring catfish took the place of crayfish boils. Today, boiled crayfish is served throughout the state.

Other foods popular in Louisiana include Gumbo, Étouffée, Jambalaya, Muffuletta, Po'boy, and Red Beans and Rice (traditionally eaten on Monday). Seafood is especially popular in Louisiana either as an ingredient or as a main dish such as Shrimp, Crayfish, Crabs, Oysters and Catfish. Swamp denizens such as Gator or Alligator, Frog Legs, and Turtle soup is popular around the bayous of south Louisiana. Famous desserts and snacks include King Cake, beignets, Pralines, Sweet Potato pie and Pecan pie.

State Reptile

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) was designated the state reptile of Louisiana in 1983. The word Alligator comes from the Spanish "el lagarto" (the lizard). Native to the Southeastern United States, alligators construct burrows, or "alligator holes" for shelter and hibernation. They are also known to find shelter in swimming pools during the dry months. Alligators are an important part of their ecosystem - they control the population of prey species, create peat through their nesting activities, and benefit several other species with 'alligator holes' and nests (including the Florida Red-bellied turtle which incubates its own eggs there).

State Seal

The state seal of Louisiana features the brown pelican tearing at its breast to nurture its young, and the state motto: Union, Justice, Confidence. Previous versions of the state seal had as many as 12 chicks in the nest (pelicans rarely have more than 3 chicks). And though pelicans are exceptionally attentive, nurturing parents, they do not tear at their own flesh to feed offspring in hard times (see Louisiana State Flag page for more details).

The brown pelican is a prominent symbol of Louisiana - it is the official state bird, appears on Louisiana's state flag, the official state painting, and is one of three symbols displayed on the U.S. Mint's Louisiana bicentennial quarter :


The other 2 symbols on the bicentenneal quarter are a horn with musical notes (a tribute to New Orleans jazz), and the Louisiana Purchase territory. Louisiana has been called "the pelican state" since colonial times.

State Tree

Louisiana designated the bald cypress official state tree in 1963. Unlike most conifers (which are evergreens), the bald cypress is deciduous (loses its needles in the fall - giving the tree a "bald" appearance). A majestic tree that grows in many parts of Louisiana, particularly in swampy areas. The shape of the bald cypress depends greatly on the amount and duration of flooding in the area. When located in swampy soils, the bald cypress forms "knees" with age that grow up from the roots, probably for stability. Bald cypress prefer wet, swampy soils (on riverbanks, floodplains, or wet depressions) but are widely adaptable. Cypress wood is very resistant to decay and the wood is considered valuable for a variety of products.

Introduction

Hi! My name is Rachel Luneau and I created this Louisiana blog to help people learn more about the beautiful state. This blog is about the wonderful and unique state of Louisiana. We will discover many things through this blog such as: state flower, culture, food, animals, schools, music, and holidays. Keep up with this blog you might learn something new!

New Orleans

Situated on a bend of the Mississippi River 100 miles from its mouth, New Orleans has been the chief city of Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico’s busiest northern port since the early 1700s. Founded by the French, ruled for 40 years by the Spanish and bought by the United States in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, New Orleans is known for its distinct Creole culture and vibrant history. Significant battles of the War of 1812 and the Civil War were fought over the city. In its last hundred years the key struggles of New Orleans have been social (poverty, racial strife) and natural (hurricanes, floods and slowly sinking land). During the first half of the 19th century, New Orleans became the United States’ wealthiest and third-largest city. Its port shipped the produce of much of the nation’s interior to the Caribbean, South America and Europe. Thousands of slaves were sold in its markets, but its free black community thrived. Until 1830, the majority of its residents still spoke French.

State Mammal

The Louisiana black bear was designated the official state mammal of Louisiana in 1992. The US Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Louisiana black bear as threatened in 1992. Once common, biologists estimate the current population to be only 3-400 animals. There are 16 recognized subspecies of black bears in North America - black bears living in Louisiana, lower Mississippi, and eastern Texas are designated Ursus americanus luteolus - the Louisiana black bear.

Louisiana black bears are black, some with a white "blaze" on the chest (American black bears in other regions can also be chocolate or cinnamon brown, even rarely white or pale blue). Adult males weigh from 250 to over 400 pounds, with body length up to 6 feet. Males may range over 100 square miles seeking food, refuge, den sites, and mates. Females are smaller and range much less. Louisiana black bears survive mostly on berries and acorns - they are not active predators.

Sate Dog

The Catahoula leopard dog was designated the official state dog of Louisiana in 1979. Catahoula leopard dogs are bred to find livestock in any terrain - swamps, canyons, forests, or mountains - largest and most aggressive of the cattle dogs, they can handle wild cattle and hogs in the roughest country. Leopard dogs are the only native domesticated North American breed of dog - developed by Indians and early settlers. Leopard dogs are extremely agile and athletic, territorial, and protective. They come in all colors but are best known for a blue/grey base with black/liver spots ("blue leopard"), with tan legs and face, white toes and chest. It's common for the eyes to be two different colors. They're not good city dwellers - need several acres to run on, preferably with livestock to protect.

Plantations

The Louisiana plantation culture first came into being along the state's rivers and bayous in the 18th century. Planters initially used the fertile soil for indigo and tobacco, but these crops were soon replaced by cotton in north Louisiana and sugar cane in the more tropical southern part of the state. Sugar and cotton made the great mansions possible, but the designs of the homes came from as many directions as did the planters themselves. The first house type was the Creole Raised Cottage, whose core design came from the West Indies. Its great umbrella-like hipped roof came from Canada and its wide galleries and turned colonettes (slender wooden columns) were developed in Louisiana.

Cajun Country

The French province of Acadia (today's Nova Scotia and surrounding regions) was settled in the 1600s by French colonists, but the area became a British possession soon afterwards. In 1755, as war neared between France and England, the British authorities demanded that the Acadians renounce their Roman Catholic faith and swear allegiance to the Crown. The Acadians refused and the mass exile that followed is well known to all who have read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Evangeline". The migration of the French Acadians to Louisiana was neither smooth nor immediate. Many were shipped to the New England colonies, others to the West Indies or back to France, and many wandered for 20 years before learning that they were welcome in the predominantly French territory of Louisiana. Here they established small farms along the Mississippi River, Bayou Teche, Bayou Lafourche and other streams in the southern part of the region. Fishing and trapping villages were established in the swamplands. Cajun (the word is a corruption of the original French pronunciation of Acadian--A-ca-jan) Country today lies within a triangle whose base is the Louisiana coast and whose apex is near Alexandria in the central part of the state. The triangle contains 22 parishes and the region's principal city, Lafayette, is the unofficial capital of "Acadiana".

History pt. 2

Earlier, in 1803, Louisiana had become a part of the United States because of the region's 

importance to the trade and security of the American mid-west. New Orleans and the 

surrounding territory controlled the mouth of the Mississippi River down which much of 

the produce of the mid-west traveled to reach market. To get the vital region in American 

hands, President Thomas Jefferson negotiated the Louisiana Purchase with Napoleon. With 

the acquisition of Louisiana, Jefferson nearly doubled the size of the fledgling U.S. and 

made it a world power. Later, 13 states or parts of states were carved out of the Louisiana 

Purchase territory.