The acquisition of Louisiana was a long-term goal of President Thomas Jefferson. It has been described as the greatest real estate deal in history. In 1803 the United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory--828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River.

In 1846, the state legislature designated Baton Rouge as Louisiana's new capital to replace "sinful" New Orleans.

New Orleans' nickname may have originated in the Prohibition era, when the city was considered one big speakeasy, in open violation of the 18th Amendment. Foreign liquor was smuggled into the city, at first via Lake Pontchartrain and then through St. Bernard Parish, where rum-running became a way of life for many people. Hordes of New Orleanians made their own home brew, there were speakeasies in downtown office buildings, and there was even an automobile that served drinks curbside along downtown streets.

The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter, known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street. The city has been described as the "most unique" in the United States, owing in large part to its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage.

Beignets are puffy square French doughnuts made from deep-fried choux pastry and covered in powdered sugar. They were brought to New Orleans in the 18th century by French colonists and became an important part of home-style Creole cooking. Café du Monde in the French Quarter is famous for its beignets.

Because of the abundance of Brown Pelicans found along the coast of Louisiana, the state is commonly referred to as "The Pelican State." This bird has been a symbol of Louisiana since the arrival of early European settlers who were impressed with the pelican's generous and nurturing attitude toward their young.

The largest alligator ever recorded in Louisiana measured 19.2 feet in length and weighed approximately 2,000 pounds. It was shot dead on Marsh Island, Louisiana in 1890.

The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. Those colors first appeared in 1872 as part of a spectacle honoring the New Orleans visit of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia during carnival season.

New Orleans was originally settled on the Mississippi River's natural levees or high ground, but over time, pumping of water from marshland allowed for development into lower elevation areas. Today, the city's average elevation is between 1 foot (0.3 m) and 2 feet (0.6 m) below sea level. Because of the city's low elevation, the dead are often laid to rest above ground instead of being buried.

About half a million king cakes are sold in New Orleans every year around Mardi Gras, with another 50,000 shipped out to customers in other states. The treats are a part of an Epiphany tradition that has been around since at least the 1300s.