Experience the American dream with today’s Patriots of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s December 19, 1776. I’m at the court of Louie the 16th with Ambassador Benjamin Franklin.
JG: “Ambassador Franklin, what brings you all the way over here to Paris, France?”
BF: “I’m trying to convince King Louie that the American cause of liberty is to his advantage. Hopefully, he’ll give us some French francs and his navy to support our cause. Viva la France, viva la America, viva la liberty!”
France did support our cause as they sent officers, their navy, and money to help America defeat the British Empire.
Read the full text of both the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, which were signed on February 6, 1778.
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
