To register for all four talks, register for the first talk (at this link) and select the ticket type All Talks. The administrator will register you for the other talks.
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."—attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.
During this session, our talk and presentation will explore and showcase the important French military assistance during the 8 years of the American Revolution provided by Admiral de Grasse and others, the neighborhoods where Benjamin Franklin and John Adams lived while negotiating French support, and where the treaty was signed that ended the War of Independence. We will discuss:
- Eglise Saint-Roch, rue Saint-Honoré, where Admiral de Grasse is entombed. We see the large plaque in the back of the church and discuss the important contribution of this great French admiral to the success of the American Revolution.
- Square Yorktown, Place du Trocadéro, a small square with a fine statue of Benjamin Franklin and a plaque that lists the French officers who died at the Battle of Yorktown. We’ll discuss this significant battle and its main players.
- Place des Etats-Unis, a lovely tree-lined square and garden that is full of mementos of the Franco-American alliance in the War of Independence. Monuments, streets, statues, markers – we’ll see all the ways this square honors the American Revolution.
- Hôtel d’York, rue Jacob, the building where the Treaty of Paris was signed that ended the war and the independence of the colonies was recognized by England.
- Hôtel de Valentinois, corner of rue Raynouard and rue Singer, where Benjamin Franklin lived during his 8 years negotiating support from the Court of Versailles for the American War of Independence.
- Hôtel Antier, rue d’Auteuil, the building where John Adams and his family lived. This allows discussion of Adams’s part in the American Revolution.
About the Series
This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €25 apiece for individual talks , or €80 for the entire series of four talks.
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.
