Episode 167: Eberhard Faber, The Early History of New Orleans

by Liz CovartJanuary 2, 2018

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The French established New Orleans and the greater colony of Louisiana in 1717. By 1840, New Orleans had become the 3rd largest city in the United States. How did that happen?

How did New Orleans transform from a sleepy, minor French outpost into a large and important early American city with a thriving, bustling port?

Eberhard “Lo” Faber, an assistant professor of history at Loyola University, New Orleans and the author of Building the Land of Dreams: New Orleans and the Transformation of Early America, leads us on an exploration of the early history of New Orleans.

About t

he Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

Eberhard “Lo” Faber, an assistant professor of history at Loyola University, New Orleans and the author of Building the Land of Dreams: New Orleans and the Transformation of Early America, leads us on an exploration of the early history of New Orleans.

During our conversation, Lo reveals details about the founding of New Orleans by the French in 1717; How and why New Orleans and Louisiana changed hands four times between 1762 and 1803; And, how the people and city of New Orleans became American and part of the United States.

What You’ll Discover

The founding of New Orleans
Geographic location of New Orleans
The early government of New Orleans
Transition from French colony to Spanish colony
Pinckney’s Treaty of 1795 and trade on the Mississippi River
Louisiana’s reversion back to a French colony under Napoleon
The Louisiana Purchase of 1803
New Orleans in 1803
What Americans thought about Louisiana and New Orleans in 1803
The transition of New Orleans and Louisiana into the United States
Slavery in New Orleans and Louisiana
How New Orleans went from 8,000 to 40,000 residents by 1840
The Battle of New Orleans, 1815

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Listener Meetup Details

Date: Saturday, January 6, 2018
Time: 5pm
Place: Open City Diner, Woodley Park

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Time Warp Question

In your opinion, what might have happened if France had not given Louisiana to Spain in 1762? How would the history of Louisiana, New Orleans, and their relationship of the United States be different? 