While much of the resources in this guide deal primarily with the 13 colonies that had been British, France and Spain had colonies as well. The sources in this section deal primarily with the area of what is now Florida and the places covered by French/Spanish possessions that were part of the Louisiana Purchase. It may be helpful to research some specific people. For example people like Antoine Crozat (financial counselor to Louis XIV 15‑year trade monopoly in Louisiana that was transferred to John Law), John Law (the Mississippi Company also known as Compagnie d'Occident/Company of the West, and Mississippi Bubble), Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, and Don Andrés Almonester y Roxas de Estrada are important figures in the development of French and later Spanish territories in the Americas. This guide includes books that are more focused on business and economic topics, but books that cover the history of the state will provide a broader perspective but also include discussions that are trade, industry, and economic in nature. It might be important to also search on the names of prominent men and families, particularly if they played and outsized role in the economy and history of the city or state.

There may be additional resources that can be found in other parts of this guide including the Internet Sources & Maps The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.