Old Mobile Educational Resources
Old Mobile was the first permanent French colonial settlement in the United States. Also known as Fort Louis de la Louisiane, the site served as the capital of French Louisiane from 1702-1711, when it was relocated to the modern location of Mobile. Under the direction of Dr. Gregory Waselkov, the University of South Alabama excavated the Old Mobile site for nearly 30 years, beginning in 1989. Archaeologists identified the remains of private homes, a blacksmith shop, taverns, and barracks. Learn more about what was found at Old Mobile.
Students can learn more about Old Mobile in the classroom through the following educational resources:
Old Mobile Graphic Novel
Jean-Paul’s Daring Adventure: Stories from Old Mobile is a graphic novel based on the real-life story of the LeSueur family. They travelled 2,500 miles across the continent, from Canada to Mobile, in a birchbark canoe to settle at Mobile, capital of La Louisiane, the first French colonial town in what would become the United States. This epic story is told through the eyes of young Jean-Paul LeSueur as he starts his new life in Mobile in the early eighteenth century. If you would like to purchase a class set, please contact the Archaeology Museum at archaeologymuseum@southalabama.edu or by phone at (251) 460-6106.
Old Mobile Traveling Trunk
The Old Mobile Archaeology Traveling Trunk includes real artifacts from the Old Mobile Site from 1702-1711. Please contact the Archaeology Museum at (251) 460-6106 or by email at archaeologymuseum@southalabama.edu to request the trunk for use in your classroom.
Archaeology Adventures
Virtually “visit” the Old Mobile site and view artifacts from the USA Archaeology Museum with Dr. Gregory Waselkov in this PBS video.
Meet the Colonists
Learn about the lives of the French colonists of Old Mobile and their neighbors, including:
- Henri de Tonti - Man of the Iron Hand
- Salome - An Apalachee Woman
- Henri Roulleaux de La Vente
- Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville
- Nicolas de La Salle
These short biographies provide background information for the Old Mobile lessons and make the historical figures real and relatable.
Classroom Activities
These lessons were developed by the USA Archaeology Museum and can be used in tandem with Jean-Paul’s Daring Adventure or on their own.
- Introduction to Archaeology: Teach students about archaeology – the study of past people through the things they left behind – using modern garbage.
- Cultural Map Analysis: Compare 18th-century maps from two very different cultures French, and Chickasaw Native American, to understand how these maps express cultural differences and similarities.
- Interpreting a Painting: Learn about King Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King or Louis the Great, who reigned from 1643-1715.
- Letter to King Louis XIV: Write a letter to the King of France, Louis XIV, from the perspective of Bienville explaining why the town of Mobile should relocate.