Lafayette’s Revolutions in America & France

This seminar is full. We hope you can join us for an alternate seminar, workshop, or summit opportunity. Two hundred years ago, the Marquis de Lafayette made his triumphant return to the United States at the invitation of his friend, President James Monroe. He was acclaimed as “Hero of Two Worlds.”  This course will explore Lafayette’s two worlds and why the people of both worlds owe him a debt of gratitude.

First, the course will compare the revolutions in the two worlds, and although they both had similar republican underpinnings, they went into drastically different directions. Lafayette served valiantly to help win America’s republican independence and served to bring liberty to absolutist France while still staying loyal to the king.

Examining his service in the United States and his efforts to bring French aid to Washington’s army, teachers will then investigate how the Marquis helped organize the new National Assembly in France. He wrote the first draft of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizens with the help of Thomas Jefferson. After this, he commanded the National Guard of Paris and saved the King and Queen as the mob stormed Versailles.

Another session will explore the French war with Austria and the overthrow of the French monarchy. Maximillan de Robespierre took over the French government and began the Reign of Terror. Lafayette defected to the Austrian Empire. The Austrians held him captive until 1797.  When Napoleon subsequently took over France, Lafayette resigned from public affairs in protest

The course will continue investigating his election to the Chamber of Deputies in support of the new King, Louis XVIII. It will then explore his involvement in overthrowing anti-republican King Charles X and installing the “Citizen King,” duc d’Orleans, Louis Phillipe.

The course will wrap up with Lafayette’s triumphant return to his other world in America at the invitation of his friend, President James Monroe. The course will end with Lafayette requesting that he be buried in France, but in the soil from Bunker Hill, so he could rest in soil from both worlds.

Featured scholars include presidential historian Richard Brookhiser whose new book is about Lafayette and his return to the United States in 1824 and 1825.

Thanks to a generous donor, Founding Forward will provide a $150 stipend to every accepted teacher to help offset expenses related to attending a summer professional development seminar, workshop, or summer in 2025. Upon completion of the program, teachers will receive a $150 check to help cover travel, childcare, or any other expenses they might incur. 

Accepted teachers receive a scholarship to attend the program, which covers the cost of the program, hotel room, program materials, site visits, most meals, and more.

Graduate credit will be offered by La Salle University. Pennsylvania teachers will receive Act 48 credit for this seminar.