District of Louisiana
| District of Louisiana | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incorporated and unorganized territoryof theUnited States | |||||||||
| 1804–1805 | |||||||||
 A map of the District of Louisiana | |||||||||
| Capital | St. Louis | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||
• 1804–1805 | William Henry Harrison | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1 October 1804 | ||||||||
• Organized | 4 July 1805 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
TheDistrict of Louisiana,orLouisiana District,was an official and temporaryUnited Statesgovernment designation for the portion of theLouisiana Purchasethat had not been organized into theTerritory of Orleansor "Orleans Territory" (the portion of theLouisiana Purchasesouth of the33rd parallel,which is now theArkansas–Louisianastate line). The district officially existed from March 10, 1804, until July 4, 1805, when it wasorganizedas theLouisiana Territory.
The area north of present-dayArkansaswas commonly referred to asUpper Louisiana.The United States District of Louisiana had two incarnations: first, as a federally administeredmilitary district(March 10, 1804 - September 30, 1804); then as anorganized territory(October 1, 1804 – July 4, 1805) under the jurisdiction of theIndiana Territory.
A similarly named "Louisiana District" had also previously been an administrative division underSpanishandFrenchrule.
Military district of Louisiana (1804)
[edit]In legislation enacted October 31, 1803,Congressmade provisions for a temporary government of the territory purchased fromFrance.The president was authorized to use military forces to maintain order, although the local civil government was to continue as it had under French and Spanish rule.[1]
This military rule was in effect from March 10, 1804 —the official date of transfer from French hands (known asThree Flags Day) —until September 30, 1804. At this time, the district was further divided into five administrative divisions or districts:New Madrid,Cape Girardeau,Ste. Genevieve,St. Charles,andSt. Louis.
Amos Stoddardserved during this time asdistrict commandant.
Civilian district of Louisiana (1804–1805)
[edit]On March 26, 1804, Congress enacted legislation effective October 1, 1804, that extended the authority of the governor and judges of theIndiana Territoryto provide temporary jurisdiction over the District of Louisiana.[2]
Later that year, Indiana territorial governorWilliam Henry Harrisonand territorial judges Davis, Griffin, and Vandenberg held court in the district capital ofSt. Louisand enacted laws for the region.
On July 4, 1805, the District of Louisiana was re-designated as theLouisiana Territory(1805–1812), when it acquired its own territorial government, modeled on that of the Indiana Territory.
Inhabitants' concerns
[edit]Under the terms of the act establishing the temporary government, the governor and judges of the Indiana Territory were to meet twice a year in St. Louis. However, the settlers west of the Mississippi River complained strongly about the arrangement. Opposition was indicated by:
- Protests of policies not recognizing the previous Spanish land grants (including property belonging toDaniel Boone);
- Objections to policies evicting settlers from land in anticipation of areas to be given toAmerican Indians—who were to be relocated west of the Mississippi River;
- Disapproval over the implementation ofcommon lawwhen the land had been governed previously bycivil law;
- Arguments over the introduction of new taxes;
- Dissatisfaction over the lack of provisions for schooling the French-speaking majority;
- Heated debate over fears thatNorthwest Ordinanceprovisions prohibiting slave ownership would be implemented in areas where slavery had historically been allowed;
- Concerns that the Indiana territorialcapital,Vincennes,was more than 180 miles away from district capital,St. Louis.
Upset citizens of the Louisiana District met in St. Louis in September 1804 to sign a declaration formally protesting the annexation. Among the signers wereAuguste Chouteau.[3]
A notable event during this period was the signing of theTreaty of St. Louis,in which theSacandFoxIndian tribesceded northeasternMissouri,northernIllinois,and southernWisconsinto the United States. Resentment over this treaty was to cause the tribes to side with theBritishduring theWar of 1812in raids along theMissouri,Ohio,andMississippi Riversand was to spur theBlack Hawk Warin 1832.
On March 3, 1805, Congress enacted legislation organizing the District of Louisiana into theLouisiana Territory,effective July 4, 1805. The territorial government was organized similarly to that of the Indiana Territory.[4]
See also
[edit]
- Historic regions of the United States
- History of Missouri
- Territorial evolution of the United States
- Territories ofSpainthat encompassed land that would later become part of the District of Louisiana:
- Santa Fé de Nuevo Méjico,1598–1821
- Tejas,1690–1821
- Luisiana,1764–1803
- Territory ofFrancethat encompassed land that would later become part of the District of Louisiana:
- Louisiane,1682–1764 and 1803
- U.S. territorythat would later become part of the District of Louisiana:
- Louisiana Purchase,1803–1804
- U.S. territoriesthat included territory that was previously part of the District of Louisiana:
- Territory of Louisiana,1805–1812
- Territory of Missouri,1812–1821
- Territory of Arkansaw,1819–1836
- Indian Territory,1834–1907
- Territory of Iowa,1838–1846
- Territory of Minnesota,1849–1858
- Territory of New Mexico,1850–1912
- Territory of Kansas,1854–1861
- Territory of Nebraska,1854–1867
- Territory of Colorado,1861–1876
- Territory of Dakota,1861–1889
- Territory of Montana,1864–1889
- Territory of Wyoming,1868–1890
- Territory of Oklahoma,1890–1907
- U.S. statesthat include territory that was once part of the District of Louisiana:
- State of Missouri,1821
- State of Arkansas,1836
- State of Texas,1845
- State of Iowa,1846
- State of Minnesota,1858
- State of Kansas,1861
- State of Nebraska,1867
- State of Colorado,1876
- State of North Dakota,1889
- State of South Dakota,1889
- State of Montana,1889
- State of Wyoming,1890
- State of Oklahoma,1907
- State of New Mexico,1912
- Territories ofSpainthat encompassed land that would later become part of the District of Louisiana:
- Territorial evolution of Canada
- Provinces of Canadathat encompass land in theMissouri Riverdrainage basin:
- Saskatchewan,1905
- Alberta,1905
- Provinces of Canadathat encompass land in theMissouri Riverdrainage basin:
References
[edit]- ^"An Act to enable the President of the United States to take possession of the territories ceded by France to the United States, by the treaty concluded at Paris, on the thirtieth of April last; and for the temporary government thereof"
- ^"An Act erecting Louisiana into two territories and providing for the temporary government thereof"
- ^A History of Missouri by Louis Houck 1909 pp 376–391
- ^"An Act further providing for the government of the district of Louisiana"
External links
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