Final answer:
Colonial French Louisiana faced conflict with British colonial expansion and trade restrictions, and the region was indirectly affected by epidemics like smallpox that decimated Indigenous populations. Option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
Colonial French Louisiana faced several challenges, but the option that reflects a significant historical challenge is conflict with British colonial expansion. The French and British contested for territories in North America, leading to military engagements like the Seven Years' War, which ended with France losing most of its territory on the continent.
This conflict was fueled by differing colonial strategies: the French engaged in fur trading and alliances with Indigenous peoples while the British established farms and expanded plantation economies.
Economic struggles due to trade restrictions were also a challenge, as mercantilist policies of the era often limited trade to favor the mother country and impeded economic growth.
Moreover, the introduction of Old World diseases such as smallpox had devastating effects on the Indigenous populations, an impact that indirectly affected French colonial efforts by reducing the number of native allies and trade partners.
So Option a is correct.