The history of New Orleans, Louisiana, traces the city’s development from its founding by the French in 1718 through its period of Spanish control, then briefly back to French rule before being acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In the 19th century, New Orleans was the largest port in the South, exporting most of the nation’s cotton output and other products to Western Europe and New England.
It was the largest and most important city in the South, thus it was an early target for capture by the Union during the Civil War. With its rich and unique cultural and architectural heritage, New Orleans remains a major destination for live music, tourism, conventions, and sporting events and annual Mardi Gras celebrations, even after the significant destruction and loss of life resulting from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.