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 New England itinerary in late August 1824 included major receptions in Providence and Boston, with intermediate towns—such as Pawtucket—turning out crowds as he traveled between these larger celebrations. He was greeted at Blake's Hotel by local officials and citizens of Pawtucket on August 23, 1824.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.