American Melting Pot: The City of New Orleans

In a country containing so much diversity and history, it is practically impossible to locate one city which embodies American diversity. A colony started by the French was the first area to fully integrate culture and religion. The city of New Orleans, now prosperous from its diversity, epitomizes the "American Melting Pot". It is complicated to relate such different backgrounds, but with an overview of history, culture, religion, and integration on a small scale, a reader is capable of applying the values to the American culture as a whole. In 1699 the first plans for New Orleans were born. French-Canadian, Pierre le
Moyen, Sieur d'Iberville left France to found a colony on the Gulf of Mexico. Sieur d'Iberville set up a fur trading for originally on the north gulf coast, then moved the establishment to Dauphin Island. Once again, he moved the fort and created an inland colony near Louisiana. Sieur d'Iberville was in charge of all of France's responsibilities in the southern portion of the territory. Wen Iberville died in 1706 the land under his jurisdiction was given to ho brother, Jean Baptiste de Moyen Sieur de Beinville. Beinville had great plans for the development of the French colonies and in 1717 he submitted plans for a new settlement to the Company of the West. In 1718 France agreed with Beinville's plans and authorized him to establish the settlement, according to his plans, one hundred miles up the Mississippi. Four years later the capitol of the
Louisiana territory was transferred to the new settlement now know as New Orleans. The new colony was called "New Orleans'; in honor of the Duke d'Orlean. Duke d'Orlean supposedly had something to do with the funding for the new colony. The Duke favored John Law, the founder of the Company of the West, and supported many of the company's ventures, the construction of New Orleans inclusive. The new, growing colony needed a government, so a democratic council was
formed.