Everybody knows that the United States bought Louisiana from France, right? But did you know that France didn’t own it? Spain did. But it’s okay.
For complicated reasons, Spain actually owned the territory of Louisiana — that whole big tract of land, not just the part that makes up the current state — when the U.S. was negotiating with France. Okay, they didn’t exactly own it, but … it’s complicated.
Here’s a pretty good summary of it all.
The part about where Spain officially transferred the property back to France on November 30, 1803 is what prompted this. So, was it a good idea? I think so. If not for it, would we even have a Popeye’s Chicken?
Looks like Spanish speakers are taking it back again.
Very interesting, thank you.