Keywords
Louisiana Civil Code, Acadians, Cajuns, Creoles, Napoleonic Code, Louisiana Purchase, Civil Law, Common Law, French Louisiana, William C.C. Claiborne, Julien Poydras, Edward Livingston, Acadian Diaspora, Cultural Identity, Louisiana History
Abstract
This article examines how Louisiana’s distinctive civil law tradition survived the Louisiana Purchase and became embedded in the state’s identity through the interaction of culture, migration, and political compromise. Tracing the development of French Louisiana from the Acadian diaspora to statehood, the article argues that the adoption and preservation of the civil code was not accidental, but rather the product of a deeply rooted Francophone and multicultural society resistant to Anglo-American common law traditions. The study highlights the influence of major historical figures including Thomas Jefferson, William C.C. Claiborne, Julien Poydras, Casa Calvo, and Edward Livingston, while also emphasizing the broader roles played by Acadians, Creoles, Native Americans, Africans, Spaniards, and other immigrant groups. By exploring the social and political forces that shaped early Louisiana, the article demonstrates how cultural resilience and legal tradition combined to create a unique American state grounded in civil law and ethnic pluralism.
Repository Citation
Warren Perrin,
Revisiting the Genesis of French Louisiana: It’s No Coincidence the Civil Code Was Adopted—We Ain’t Anglos!,
18 J. Civ. L. Stud.
(2026)
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/jcls/vol18/iss1/2