Louisiana ACLS Certification and Recertification

LOUISIANA ACLS CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION

About Louisiana

Louisiana became the 18th state in 1812. The state capitol of Louisiana is Baton Rouge with a population of 222,064 people (2005 Census). New Orleans is the largest city in the state, with 454,863 people (2005 Census). The total population of Louisiana is 4,533,372 people (2010 Census). Louisiana is comprised of 43,562 square miles of lowlands, swamp and marsh, and forest. The state flower is the magnolia. The state bird is the eastern brown pelican.

Louisiana is steeped in history beginning in the sixteenth century when the first explorers came to the area. In 1682, Sieur de la Salle found the mouth of the Mississippi River and laid claim on all the land drained by it and its tributaries for France’s Louis XIV. Originally under French control in 1731, Spain gained control in 1763 as a result of the French and Indian Wars. The area was split between British and French control until Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States in 1803. Louisiana was considered a Confederate state during the Civil War but was taken by Union Admiral David Farragut in 1862.

After a fight for reconstruction, the beginning of the twentieth century brought hope in industry, oil and natural gas. In recent years, Louisiana has become one of the top producers of natural gas, petroleum, salt and sulfur in the United States. The vast flatland and moist climate also makes Louisiana a prime location for crops such as cotton, sweet potatoes, corn and more. The most popular area of Louisiana is no doubt New Orleans.

Recently, New Orleans has received a great deal of attention due to Hurricane Katrina and its effect on the low lying area. Seven years later, the state is still trying to make sense of the continued despair and chaos. Rich in southern, French and Cajun history, New Orleans is still a prime tourist location. Prominent historical figures and famous people from Louisiana include Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Bryant Gumbel, Jean Laffite, Paul Prudhomme, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others.