Bertrand Van Ruymbeke // 1776 L’Annee Americaine
We are so pleased to welcome a return of the distinguished Bertrand Van Ruymbeke for a personal discussion on his latest book, most timely for all of our discussions about America’s 250th. From a European perspective, the book analyzes the origins of this event, the historical context, the political decisions, and the diplomatic and military stakes – from the Boston Tea Party (1773) to Franklin’s arrival in France (1776), as well as its lasting repercussions.
Prior to the program, we invite our Fellows Members to enjoy Happy Hour from 5:00 – 6:00 pm, downstairs in the Dr. Suzan D. Boyd Fellows Club Lounge.
About the Book
1776 covers the decisive period of the American Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party (December 1773) to the end of 1776. Primarily focused on the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, this work explains how the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies first rebelled against Parliament and then declared their independence on July 4, 1776. Who were the members of Congress? How did it function? What were the steps that led to independence and war? These are among the central questions explored in this book.
About Bertrand Van Ruymbeke
Bertrand Van Ruymbeke (PhD, 1995, La Sorbonne-Nouvelle; Habilitation à diriger des recherches, 2003, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines) is professor of American Civilization at the University of Paris 8, a member of the American Philosophical Society, a senior honorary member of the Institut Universitaire de France, and a Knight of the Ordre des Palmes académiques. He currently leads the collaborative study program America 2026 (Agence Nationale de la Recherche), which gathers French, European, and American scholars and institutions in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States (www.america2026.eu). He is an elected member of the Conseil National des Universités, as well as of the juries for the SAES / AFEA research prize and for the Chancellerie des Universités de Paris thesis prize. He sits on the Council of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture in Williamsburg, Virginia, and on the board of the Early American Studies Association and of the Société d’études anglo-américaines XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles; he is also “relations with learned societies in France and Europe” vice-president for the Réseau Européen pour le Développement de l’Histoire de la Jeune Amérique. He is currently preparing two books on the American Revolution: 1776. L’année américaine (publisher : Tallandier) and L’empire de la liberté, La Naissance des Etats-Unis (c.1750-1789) (publisher : CNRS Éditions)