France ceded its expensive and unprofitable distant territories west of the Mississippi and the Isle of Orleans to Spain by a secret treaty in 1762.  This treaty was called the Treaty of Fountainebleau.  The colonist finally learned that they were no longer French subjects 23 months later.  Voltaire was astonished by the loss of Louisiana by saying he couldn't believe the Frenchman could give up such a paridise.  The average rainfall of 55.45 inches to the average winter temperature of 50.7 degrees.  The average summer temperature is 82 degrees.
        The Louisiana territory east of the Mississippi and the north Isle of Orleans was aquired from France (Peace of Paris) by Great Britain.   Spain ceded to Britain its territories of East and West Florida.  Baton Rouge was fortified by the British and was called New Richmon.
        In 1769, Spain established firm control of Louisiana under the Spanish Governor Alejandro O'Reilly.  He divided the province into 12 districts called posts and 22 parishes.  At the end of the Spanish rule, the post system died, but the parishes persisted as the primary county-level administrative government.
        War broke out between Britain and Spain in 1779.  A surprise attack conducted by Spanish Governor Bernardo de Galvez on the British fort at Baton Rouge resulted in the capture of outpost.  The West Florida Parishes were returned to Spanish rule as a result of this victory.
        In 1727 the first Saint Louis Church was completed.  The fire of 1788 destroyed the church as well as four-fifths of New Orleans.  When the church and the city was rebuilt it was of Spanish style and not French.  The two Floridas' and Louisiana was formed into a new diocese.   Headquarters was moved to New Orleans from Havana,Cuba in 1793.  The St. Louis Church was dedicated a cathedral a year later.  It was extensively renovated in 1850 and again in 1881.
        The first professional theatrical play in Louisiana was presented in New Orleans by refugee players from Santo Domingo in 1791.