Chapter 1 A STORM OUT AT SEA 4 Chapter 2 THE STORM STRIKES 12 Chapter 3 THE STORM’S AFTERMATH 20 Chapter 4 AN UNNATURAL DISASTER 28 GLOSSARY 38 SOURCE NOTES 38 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 39 FURTHER INFORMATION 39 INDEX 40 TABLE OF CONTENTS
A STORM OUT AT SEA1 On August 24 2005 people along the United States Gulf Coast woke up to another hot summer day The Gulf Coast region borders the Gulf of Mexico stretching from Texas through Louisiana Mississippi and Alabama to Florida’s western coast The Gulf Coast’s beaches and other seaside attractions draw thousands of tourists each year Many visit one of the country’s most famous cities New Orleans New Orleans is the largest city in Louisiana For centuries the region was home to American Indians In 1541 explorer Hernando de Soto claimed the area for Spain Then in 1682 a French explorer Robert de La Salle claimed the Louisiana region for France Soon after settlers from Spain and France moved to the area People from other European countries including England and Germany soon followed People from Africa and the West Indies also arrived on the coast Many were brought to the region as slaves This early mix of cultures shaped modern New Orleans 4
By the late 1800s New Orleans was a bustling city Steamboats carried goods and people down the Mississippi River to its busy seaport 5
