FN251 Talk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 7 of 7

Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.

Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—WICE members will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

In this final presentation, we discuss Post-American Revolution, when strong connections between the two countries continued.  Between the end of the American Revolution in 1783 and the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 and after, mutual exchanges of respect, information, and philosophy occurred. Topics include:

• Hôtel de Salm, rue de Lille, is now known as the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur.  The elegant structure was being built when Jefferson was ambassador and he was enamored by its design.  The architecture of this building would inspire similar buildings in the new United States.
  
• Revolutionary Assemblies, rue de Rivoli, where American patriot Thomas Paine was an elected delegate to the French National Convention in 1792.  For this he was eventually sent to prison during the French Revolution.
• La Conciergerie, quai de l’Horloge, which was a prison during the French Revolution and where many French heroes of the American Revolution ended up.  We learn who was imprisoned here and what happened to them.
• Palais du Luxembourg, rue de Vaugirard, served as a prison during the French Revolution and it’s where Thomas Paine was held, along with others who were notable figures in the American War of Independence.
• Hôtel des Invalides, Esplanade des Invalides, is an enormous complex built in the late 17^th century by Louis XIV to house 3,000 invalid soldiers and officers who had served in his many wars. When George Washington died, this was the site of an impressive honorary memorial service for him.  The Musée de l’Armée here has an exhibit room with mementos of the American War of Independence.  

About the Series

This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

About the Organizer

Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.