fbpx

KidsKonnect

French Quarter, New Orleans Facts & Worksheets

Dubbed the Crown Jewel of New Orleans, the French Quarter is the oldest and most well-known neighborhood in New Orleans.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Geography /French Quarter, New Orleans Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Dubbed the Crown Jewel of New Orleans, the French Quarter is the oldest and most well-known neighborhood in New Orleans. Also called The Quarter, its other names are Vieux Carré and Barrio Francés. The area owes its vibrant culture and history to a mix of French, American, and African influences and is regarded as a National Historic Landmark.

See the fact file below for more information on The French Quarter, or you can download our 25-page The French Quarter worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

LOCATION

  • The French Quarter lies on the banks of the Mississippi River, to the northeast of Downtown New Orleans.
  • The entire district measures 0.66 square miles, or 78 square blocks, according to the United States Census Bureau.
  • The neighborhood is bordered by the Mississippi River to the east; Esplanade Avenue to the north; the streets of Canal, Decatur, and Iberville Street to the south; the streets of Basin, St. Louis, and North Rampart to the west.

HISTORY

  • When the state of Louisiana came under French rule in the 1690s, it established the colonial territory of Louisiana and founded New Orleans in 1718.
  • Bienville ordered Adrien de Pauger, an engineer and cartographer, to plan the new city’s layout in 1720. 
  • In 1721, Pauger drafted the eleven-by-seven block rectangle, which would serve as the central square, now famously known as the French Quarter.
  • Its French name Vieux Carré means Old Square in English.
  • The other streets in Pauger’s plan were named after French royal houses and Catholic saints.
  • At the heart of the French Quarter is Bourbon Street, which name pays homage to France’s ruling family, the House of Bourbon.
  • By 1723, New Orleans had become the capital of French Louisiana during Bienville’s third term.
  • The French relinquished the claim of New Orleans to the Spanish in 1763 following the Seven Years’ War. 
  • French King Louis XV transferred ownership of New Orleans to Charles III of Spain.
  • About 80% of the city’s structures were destroyed by the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788 and a similar disaster in 1794.
  • Almost every building that exists in the French Quarter today dates from the late 1790s onwards.
  • Even though the Spanish ruled the city for only four decades, their legacy was long-lasting, especially in terms of architecture.
  • The Spanish rigorously implemented new fire codes that banned wooden siding and promoted the use of fire-resistant brick for houses.
  • Stucco covered the brick material and then finished with pastel-colored paint.
  • The French introduced peaked roofing, but the Spanish replaced those existing structures with flat tile roofs.
  • Streets were semi-fortified, while courtyards were built in walled areas.
  • The Spanish influence is also apparent in the wrought-iron balconies and curvilinear hinges and locks found in the French Quarter today.
  • Timber balconies and galleries were still built by most French inhabitants.
  • Following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Anglophone Americans relocated and brought their culture to the city.
  • At the time, the clashing cultures of French Creoles melded with that of Anglophone Americans in the median of the city referred to as “the neutral ground.”
  • Like those of other Southern cities, the economy of New Orleans thrived on selling sugar and tobacco during the 1800s.
  • New Orleans rose to become the third-largest metropolis in the United States by 1840.
  • New Orleans’ port was also the second-largest in the country, following New York City’s.
  • Multi-level ornate cast iron galleries soon began replacing the old timber ones across the Quarter until the renovation of galleries in the area was completed in 1851.
  • The late 19th century saw a rise in Italian and Irish immigration to the French Quarter.
  • Italians accounted for one-third to one-half of the Quarter’s population by 1905.
  • Immigrants from Ireland settled mainly in a working-class neighborhood which was eventually known as the Irish Channel.
  • The French Creole population continued to diminish following the closure of Storyville, New Orleans’ red-light district, which resulted in relocating the district’s subculture in the French Quarter.
  • The closure of the French Opera House also affected the French Creole culture, compelling the population to move. 
  • Bohemian communities began moving into the Quarter in the early 20th century.
  • In 1925, the Vieux Carré Commission was established for the purpose of preserving the district.
  • Bourbon Street became the city’s most popular strip during World War II.
  • On December 21, 1965, the Vieux Carré Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark.
  • Many new hotels and inns were built in the Quarter during the 1960s. 
  • In 1969, Vieux Carré preservationists lobbied for a municipal ordinance that banned the construction of new hotels in the district.
  • Despite the ordinance in place, bed-and-breakfast establishments and timeshare condominiums were still set up in the Quarter.
  • Hotels were also constructed outside the district’s boundaries. 
  • During the 1980s, property values continued to rise, driving off long-term residents from the area.
  • At present, the French Quarter is a mix-use area, complete with residential places, hotels, inns, bars, restaurants, and commercial properties.

LANDMARKS

  • Named after former U.S. President Andrew Jackson, Jackson Square is a historic park once the place where, in 1803, Louisiana became a territory of the United States following the Louisiana Purchase.
  • Bourbon Street, a historic street extending thirteen blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, is known for its bars and strip clubs.
  • Bourbon Street is one of the main tourist attractions in the French Quarter.
  • Among the many restaurants in the Quarter, the longest-running and most famous are Antoine’s, Tujague’s, Arnaud’s, Broussard’s, Brennan’s, and Galatoire’s.
  • There are many traditional-style hotels in the French Quarter, as well as establishments that offer historic French Quarter houses and Creole cottages for accommodation.

FUN FACTS

  • New Orleans is the city with the most bars per capita. Many of these bars are in the French Quarter.
  • Currently, there are approximately 4,000 residents in the French Quarter.
  • Being one of the United States’ most resilient districts, the French Quarter escaped the flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
  • The French Quarter is notorious for spine-chilling ghost stories; one of the most popular haunted places is the LaLaurie Mansion.
  • In the 1960s, a New Orleans gossip columnist described the city as “the Big Easy” compared to “the Big Apple” in New York.

French Quarter Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about French Quarter across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about the French Quarter in New Orleans. The French Quarter is the oldest and most well-known neighborhood in New Orleans.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. French Quarter, New Orleans Facts
  2. Ask About The Quarter
  3. Historical Timeline
  4. Blank Account
  5. French or False Quarter?
  6. The Birthplace of Jazz
  7. ‘90s Postcards
  8. No Place Like NOLA
  9. Illustrated Itinerary
  10. Vieux Carre Word Map
  11. Unique New Orleans

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the French Quarter famous for?

Referred to as the ‘Crown Jewel’ of New Orleans, the historic French Quarter offers a unique combination of modern and classic. Here you can explore everything from boutique shopping to reimagined markets. And for those who love old-world charm, plenty of antique stores and beloved eateries have been around for years. 

Why is New Orleans called the French Quarter?

Founded by the French in 1718, the renowned French Quarter lies on the Mississippi River’s banks and stands as a historical representation of New Orleans.

Is the French Quarter walkable?

With an average walkability score of 59, New Orleans is the perfect destination for those who prefer to get around on foot. The French Quarter is particularly pedestrian-friendly. In addition, with everything conveniently located within walking distance, you won’t have to worry about being far from where you need to go.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as French Quarter, New Orleans Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 28, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources