Cajuns in an independent CSA.

I don't get the question. Unless Cajuns in mass were union sympathizers (which I'm not sure about), why would Louisiana treat them any different than any other poor rural whites? If anything Lousiana in a CSA-wins world might remain more heavily francophone at a state level because many leading slave-holding families were creoles.

If anything, the most pro-Union minority in Louisiana were those of German descent. I come from both Cajun French and German ancestry. The talk of where I grew up was that one of my ancestors on the German side of my family helped smuggle supplies for Union troops.
 

BlondieBC

Banned
How important are Cajuns anyway?

Cajuns control the Atchafalaya river basin, which is mostly swamp. They are hugely important to the culture, but until petroleum is found, they are just the people who live in the terrible swamp land. In Louisiana, it was believed they largely skipped the war, as not their war.

I would say the CSA treats them about the same as the USA did in OTL. It could be better or worse, but it is not destined to be either.
 
Either about the same or slightly better. Also they will invariably be confused with Creoles by non-Lousiana Confederates same as per OTL.
 
Just to straighten something out, the idea of "State's Rights" also included the idea of secession and state sovereignty (much of the stuff that Thomas Jefferson and John Calhoun talked about). The CSA in terms of race is no more racist than it's Northern counterpart. You can't apply modern views to the people of 150 years ago.

Also, Cajuns are decended from the French, they speak their own variant of French, what is keeping them from being seen as white? The only difference they have from the rest of the CSA is the cultural legacy (French Canadian), and not to mention Cajuns served in CS armies during it's war of independence.

The North, last time I checked, didn't make racially specific massacres a tool of policy. Where it did such things the entire USA before, during, and after the war saw no issues with it (namely Native Americans). The CSA, of course, was also based on slavery in a very racially specific form. Northern racism of the time was more nuanced in that whites were treated unequally, blacks were universally discriminated against and the only good Indians, to quote Lil' Phil, were dead Indians (which the South also agreed with).

It's surprising how many people here seem to think the Confederates are Nazis. I mean, isn't that going a bit far? They were in the wrong, sure, and they were quite racist, but it's not like they were out to oppress/enslave anyone who wasn't an upper-class male WASP or something.

The whole "terminate USCT with extreme prejudice" order pretty much does anticipate the Commissar Order. And it was carried out in the Trans-Mississippi and in Virginia, as well as causing the parole cartel to break down over treating black soldiers as soldiers equal to white soldiers. Forrest simply carried out the most notorious massacre of the war, Lee's army carried out the largest.

How about the Creole? Also what exactly is the difference between Creole and Cajun?

Creoles were descendants of Afro-Spanish culture. Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians expelled during the 7 Years' War. As someone who lives in Cajun Country I damn well oughta know this one. :cool:
 
If Im not mistaken the Cajuns were white while the creole were a more mixed race society.

Nope. Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians expelled by the British Empire in the wake of the 7 Years' War. Creoles are Afro-Spanish culture. Cajuns live in the area from Lafayette-SE Texas, Creoles are Easterners.
 
Nope. Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians expelled by the British Empire in the wake of the 7 Years' War. Creoles are Afro-Spanish culture. Cajuns live in the area from Lafayette-SE Texas, Creoles are Easterners.

Well in a simplistic definition Afro-European, given that they did have French colons in their history as well, that is basically the same thing as Mixed race.
 
Well in a simplistic definition Afro-European, given that they did have French colons in their history as well, that is basically the same thing as Mixed race.

What will be really funny, is that those Cajuns will be amongst the most economically prosperous groups in the CSA given New Orleans likely status as the Confederacys largest city, financial center, and principal port.
 
What will be really funny, is that those Cajuns will be amongst the most economically prosperous groups in the CSA given New Orleans likely status as the Confederacys largest city, financial center, and principal port.

I don't think the Cajuns would prosper unless Lafayette became the biggest city in the Confderacy.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
Don't troll.

There are any number of perfectly valid arguments that would serve to deconstruct this statement. This crap does not add to the discussion. If anything it derails it and trivializes what is a rather repellant argument.

Cease and desist.

:rolleyes:
...

...

...

Yeah. Yeah. I figure it'll be a few minutes before this incredibly foolish statement sees you intellectually bludgeoned. So allow me to sum up my feelings in a single image.

<pointless image deleted>
 
If anything, the most pro-Union minority in Louisiana were those of German descent.

German immigrants seemed loathe to revolt against authority. German speaking Texans (hill country) were solidly pro union and endured sporadic lynchings and militia attacks by CSA supporters during the war. Likewise, a pro union German speaking militia beat back an impulsive march on Saint Louis by CSA guerillas / militias in the early days of the war.

This can be contrasted with Irish immigrants. Though Irish immigrants overwhelmingly fought for the union (most immigrated to union states), Irish were willing to serve in the confederacy in proportion to their percentage of the population.
 

NothingNow

Banned
German immigrants seemed loathe to revolt against authority. German speaking Texans (hill country) were solidly pro union and endured sporadic lynchings and militia attacks by CSA supporters. Likewise, a pro union German speaking militia beat back an impulsive march on Saint Louis by CSA guerillas / militias in the early days of the war.

Of course, considering how many were German Socialists who fled in the wake of 1848, It makes a good deal of sense.
 
This can be contrasted with Irish immigrants. Though Irish immigrants overwhelmingly fought for the union (most immigrated to union states), Irish were willing to serve in the confederacy in proportion to their percentage of the population.
One of their best generals was also an Irishman.
 
If Im not mistaken the Cajuns were white while the creole were a more mixed race society.

In New Orleans, at least, the term "Creole" was and is to refer to wealthy people of French, Spanish, and mixed French-Spanish ancesttry - usually the pre-Anglo plantation elite. This is not how the term is used in the Carribbean, where it does signifiy mixed race.
 
What will be really funny, is that those Cajuns will be amongst the most economically prosperous groups in the CSA given New Orleans likely status as the Confederacys largest city, financial center, and principal port.

Nope. There is a common misconception that Cajuns are the descendents of the French people that settled NOLA. They aren't. They mostly live in rural south central Louisiana and are fairly marginalized. They would be poor and marginalized whovere won the Civil War.
 
Nope. There is a common misconception that Cajuns are the descendents of the French people that settled NOLA. They aren't. They mostly live in rural south central Louisiana and are fairly marginalized. They would be poor and marginalized whovere won the Civil War.

Sorry I confused Cajuns with Creoles whom are likely to prosper in said scenario.
 
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