Lafayette Tour Marker, Staten Island, New York (NY-120)

President James Monroe invited the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the United States, his adopted country. Lafayette’s tour of all 24 states in 1824 and 1825 drew large crowds and sparked a renewal of patriotism. During the American Revolution, Lafayette’s intense advocacy of the American cause convinced King Louis XVI of France to send troops and ships, which proved crucial to the American victory at Yorktown.

Lafayette’s arrival in the United States began on Staten Island, and his brief stop there on August 15, 1824 (the morning after his ship anchored) set the tone for the enormous celebrations that followed. He was greeted immediately by a 13‑gun salute from Fort Diamond (later renamed Fort Lafayette), and a flotilla of naval and merchant vessels welcoming him as “The Nation’s Guest.”

Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.