In this Book

The French Enlightenment in America: Essays on the Times of the Founding Fathers

Book
Paul Merrill Spurlin With a new foreword by Maurizio Valsania
2021
Published by: University of Georgia Press
Series: Georgia Open History Library
summary
The French Enlightenment in America offers an overview of French American cultural relations during the French Enlightenment. The essays in this volume explore the literary presence of French authors in America between 1760 and 1800 and the reception of their writings by the Founding Fathers and other Americans. These essays explore such topics as the Founding Fathers’ knowledge of French, the philosophes, Voltaire in the South, and more.

Table of Contents

open access

Cover

Half-Title Page

pp. i

Blank Page

pp. ii

Title Page

pp. iii

Copyright

pp. iv

Dedication

pp. v-vi

Contents

pp. vii-viii

Foreword to the Reissue

pp. ix-xiv

Preface

pp. xv-xviii

Introduction

pp. 1-5

1. The Enlightenment

pp. 6-11

2. The World of the Founding Fathers and France

pp. 12-28

3. The Fathers’ Knowledge of French

pp. 29-48

4. French Literature

pp. 49-67

5. Buffon

pp. 68-75

6. The Philosophes

pp. 76-85

7. Montesquieu and the American Constitution

pp. 86-98

8. Voltaire in the South

pp. 99-107

9. Diderot, D’Alembert, and the Encyclopedia

pp. 108-120

10. A Citizen of New-Heaven: The Marquis de Condorcet

pp. 121-129

11. French Deism, Empiricism, Ideology, and Physiocracy

pp. 130-141

Conclusion

pp. 142-144

Notes

pp. 145-194

Index

pp. 195-204
Back To Top