Covering the lively period from before First Contact to the present, Louisiana: A History provides an overview of the colorful history of this unique state. Now in its sixth edition, the classic text has been updated and revised to include the very latest scholarship in the field, as well as coverage of recent events, including the 2010 BP oil spill and its ensuing economic and environmental effects. Incorporating the latest historical literature, the text focuses not only on political but also social, economic, cultural, intellectual, and artistic history within the Pelican State. Organized in four parts, Louisiana: A History explores how events outside the colony, territory, and ultimately state of Louisiana shaped not only Louisianas destiny, but that of the American South and the United States itself.