When most think of Mardi Gras, they think of New Orleans, bourbon street, masses of people, and a fun filled weekend, but most do not go as far as to research the history. Mardi Gras came to New Orleans through its French heritage in 1699. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday. Iberville, a French explorer, sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched …showed first 75 words of 493 total…

…showed last 75 words of 493 total…not all aspects of Mardi Gras have changed. Throughout the years, some of what were the major aspects of Mardi Gras, have changed. The elaborate masked balls which were celebrated now are only continued by about 10 krewes, doubloons have lost popularity, and instead of having intentions of a religious pilgrimage, many look forward to nothing more than flashes of nudity and drunken escapades. This shows, to an almost outrageous extent, how much society has changed.