Constitutions des treize Etats-Unis de l'Amerique
Dates: 07-01-2002 to 08-31-2002
July's Book of the Month is the Constitutions des treize Etats-Unis de l'Amérique. Philadelphia and Paris, 1783. Benjamin Franklin was the ambassador to the Court of France and had just completed negotiations with Great Britain for the independence of the United States. He had the constitutions of the original thirteen states translated into French by the Duc de la Rochefoucauld. Franklin annotated them and had them published in an edition of 600 copies. Franklin's grand gesture in publishing and distributing these constitutions, about which there was an intense interest and curiosity among statesmen, was one of his chief achievements as propagandist for the new republic. Also included are the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. During this period Franklin designed a seal for the new United States with the eagle, the stars and stripes, and the motto "E pluribus unum." It first appears in print on the title page of this publication. The Book of the Month is curated by Kenneth Lavender, Rare Book Librarian.
