Louisiana Geography Test 2 – In-Depth Review &
Study Guide for Exam Success 2025 | Louisiana State
University (LSU)
Sugar Plantations
• environmental needs of sugar
• - long growing season
• - ideally frost free
• South Louisiana
• - northern environmental limit
• lower Mississippi Valley
• - starts early 1700s
• South Louisiana
• - extreme spatial stability
• along Mississippi River and tributaries
Sugar = Domain of Larger Planter
• sugar required
• - large investment
• - technology and labor
Sugar: Core Area
• natural levees near New Orleans
• - highly fertile alluvial deposits and frost free temps
• - enough drainage to support cane growth
Sugar: Settlement Pattern
• Riverine Pattern
• - plantation homes
• - fields
, • - lined rivers
• river = transport route
Sugar: Big House
• French and Creole owners
• - Creole style
• Anglo landowners
• - Greek Revival style
• porches on 1st and 2nd floor
• windows = floor to ceiling
• - let in any breeze
• St. Joseph Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana
Sugar Harshest Plantations for Slaves
• 18-20 year old male slaves
• - 7-10 year life span in Caribbean
• - probably a little longer in Louisiana
• dangerous
• - cutting cane
• - boiling syrup in large kettles
• — burns from fires and stirring boiling cane syrup
• injuries and death
• - overworked
• - underfed
• - mistreated
• “sold down the river”
• - punish rebellious slaves
• - sold them down Mississippi River to Louisiana
Cotton
, • approx. 1790: Cotton Gin
• rapidly and easily clean cotton
• - before Cotton Gin
• - too much time and labor intensive
• better tolerates:
• - drought
• - wide temperature range
• Virginia to Texas
• North into Missouri, Ohio, Illinois
Morphology of Antebellum Cotton Plantations
• centralization of
• - functions and control
• Planter’s House
• - focal point
• - mostly wooden
• - central hallway
• - chimneys on ends of house
• - on high point facing transportation route
• - tree lined route leading to house
• — beauty and shade
• Slave Quarters
• - lined up on both sides of “street”
• - if very large (multiple streets on grid pattern)
• - behind Big House (owner keep an eye on slaves)
• Out Buildings
• - sheds for:
• — tools and implements
, • - barns
• - blacksmith shop
• - offices
• Cotton Gin
• - clean and process cotton lint
• - cotton press
• CENTRAL LOCATION
• - equal access to all of plantation
• - control
• — easy to monitor
• —- - slaves
• —- - equipment and supplies
• —- - livestock
Plantations Increased in Size
• grew over several decades
• demand from Textile Factories
• - Industrial Revolution
• grain to feed:
• - livestock and slaves
• small gardens by slaves
• - sell surplus for a bit of money
• — medicine
Role of Cities in US
• North and West
• - farmers and cities interacted
• — sell food to cities
• — provided markets, sold supplies
Study Guide for Exam Success 2025 | Louisiana State
University (LSU)
Sugar Plantations
• environmental needs of sugar
• - long growing season
• - ideally frost free
• South Louisiana
• - northern environmental limit
• lower Mississippi Valley
• - starts early 1700s
• South Louisiana
• - extreme spatial stability
• along Mississippi River and tributaries
Sugar = Domain of Larger Planter
• sugar required
• - large investment
• - technology and labor
Sugar: Core Area
• natural levees near New Orleans
• - highly fertile alluvial deposits and frost free temps
• - enough drainage to support cane growth
Sugar: Settlement Pattern
• Riverine Pattern
• - plantation homes
• - fields
, • - lined rivers
• river = transport route
Sugar: Big House
• French and Creole owners
• - Creole style
• Anglo landowners
• - Greek Revival style
• porches on 1st and 2nd floor
• windows = floor to ceiling
• - let in any breeze
• St. Joseph Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana
Sugar Harshest Plantations for Slaves
• 18-20 year old male slaves
• - 7-10 year life span in Caribbean
• - probably a little longer in Louisiana
• dangerous
• - cutting cane
• - boiling syrup in large kettles
• — burns from fires and stirring boiling cane syrup
• injuries and death
• - overworked
• - underfed
• - mistreated
• “sold down the river”
• - punish rebellious slaves
• - sold them down Mississippi River to Louisiana
Cotton
, • approx. 1790: Cotton Gin
• rapidly and easily clean cotton
• - before Cotton Gin
• - too much time and labor intensive
• better tolerates:
• - drought
• - wide temperature range
• Virginia to Texas
• North into Missouri, Ohio, Illinois
Morphology of Antebellum Cotton Plantations
• centralization of
• - functions and control
• Planter’s House
• - focal point
• - mostly wooden
• - central hallway
• - chimneys on ends of house
• - on high point facing transportation route
• - tree lined route leading to house
• — beauty and shade
• Slave Quarters
• - lined up on both sides of “street”
• - if very large (multiple streets on grid pattern)
• - behind Big House (owner keep an eye on slaves)
• Out Buildings
• - sheds for:
• — tools and implements
, • - barns
• - blacksmith shop
• - offices
• Cotton Gin
• - clean and process cotton lint
• - cotton press
• CENTRAL LOCATION
• - equal access to all of plantation
• - control
• — easy to monitor
• —- - slaves
• —- - equipment and supplies
• —- - livestock
Plantations Increased in Size
• grew over several decades
• demand from Textile Factories
• - Industrial Revolution
• grain to feed:
• - livestock and slaves
• small gardens by slaves
• - sell surplus for a bit of money
• — medicine
Role of Cities in US
• North and West
• - farmers and cities interacted
• — sell food to cities
• — provided markets, sold supplies
