10 facts of the USA-France history most people don't know
1. USA’s greatest car is named after a French explorer!
The count of Cadillac, rich French aristocrat passionate of great discoveries for the glory of the King of France, planted a flag where three rivers met (Des Trois) and later founded the city of Detroit, Michigan, which explains why a Detroit car maker honored the count of Cadillac by putting his name on the hood of his cars.
2. The French Bill of Human Rights vs. the US Constitution
In the 1750s, fifty years before the horns of the French revolution began to blow, the Baron of Montesquieu and a generation later, Jean-jacques Rousseau, shared views on an ideal government for the people that should have three major branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Their reflections about the rights of men and all individuals began to resonate in the mind of young revolutionaries.
Their collection of thoughts on equality shaped the development of modern governments; a new perspective that caught the attention of George Washington to largely influence the writings of the American Constitution.
3. The Louisiana territory was sold to the US for 3 cents per acre!
The US doubled its size overnight for 3 cents per acre – the real estate deal of the century; such a massive area it was divided into 15 US states!
Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin.
4. Americans thought of natives as ‘savages’
Yet, fascinated by their culture and primitive way of life, King Louis XIV of France invited native American Indian chiefs to his castle at Versailles.
5. Where did the Louisiana name originate?
It was given by explorer Cavelier de La Salle in honor of King Louis XIV, meaning “little Louis”
6. Why and by whom was the guillotine invented?
The Guillotine was invented by Dr. Guillotin to make executions less painful and more efficient. Ironically, Dr. Guillotin was against the death penalty and yet almost became a victim of his invention.
US circuit courts have supported the use of the guillotine in prisons as deterrence to crime but was never approved by the Supreme Court.
7. Where does the expression ‘Bastille Day’ come from?
The term “Bastille Day” refers to the French National holiday but is used in English-speaking countries only. The French use the term “Quatorze Juillet” (July 14).
8. What if Napoleon had kept Louisiana…
Though France may have proven to be a decisive player and best military ally of the United States in the war of Independence against Great Britain, Thomas Jefferson wrote a secret correspondence to Ambassador Livingston to prepare for an eventual…military alliance….with England –hence against France, just in case France refused to sell the Louisiana territory.
9. Where and why was the Statue of Liberty built ?
In 1876, Parisian sculpture Auguste Bartholdi built a statue originally to stand at the mouth of the Suez canal in Egypt, but the order failed through. Fascinated by his journey through North America, the US quickly became next in line and the statue was shipped in boxes for its inauguration in New York. Bartholdi kept a small version of Lady Liberty visible overlooking the Seine river in Paris.
10. US and France – what a canned story.
Canned food was invented at Napoleon’s request in 1795 with purpose to keep food from spoiling during the long winter battles soldiers endured on the Eastern front. It was later developed and commercialized in the USA in the 1830s for the fruit and oysters industries in Baltimore, MD.
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