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Scientist Turned Spy, Thursday, December 5, 2024 5:30PM
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Date
Thursday, December 5, 2024 5:30PM
Name
Scientist Turned Spy
,Description
André Michaux was one of the most accomplished scientific explorers of North America before Lewis and Clark. His work took him from the Bahamas to Hudson Bay, and it is likely that no contemporary of his had seen as much of the continent. But there is more to his story. During his decade-long American sojourn, Michaux found himself thrust into the middle of a vast international conspiracy. In 1793, the revolutionary French government conscripted him into its service as a secret agent and tasked him with organizing American frontiersmen to attack Spanish-controlled New Orleans, seize control of Louisiana, and establish an independent republic in the American West. An unexpected figure emerges at the center of the plot: Thomas Jefferson. In his new book, Patrick Spero sheds new light on an incipient American political climate that fostered reckless diplomatic ventures under the guise of scientific exploration, revealing the air of uncertainty and opportunity that pervaded the early republic.
Dr. Patrick Spero is the Librarian and Director of the American Philosophical Society Library and the incoming CEO of the institution. Patrick is a scholar of early American history and the author of several articles and four books, including Frontier Country: The Politics of War in Early Pennsylvania (2016); Frontier Rebels: The Fight for Independence in the American West, 1765–1776 (2018); Patrick is a scholar of early American history and the author of several articles and four books, including Frontier Country: The Politics of War in Early Pennsylvania (2016); Frontier Rebels: The Fight for Independence in the American West, 1765–1776 (2018); The Other Presidency: Thomas Jefferson and the American Philosophical Society (2024); and The Scientist Turned Spy: André Michaux, Thomas Jefferson, and the Conspiracy of 1793 (2024).
The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
This program is part of the VMHC's Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States.
Ticket Pricing:
- VMHC Members - $28
- Non-Members - $38
Admission to this lecture is discounted for members. Members, please login above to reserve your discounted tickets. Your discounted member tickets will be visible once the items are in your cart. If you are not currently a member and would like to join, please click here.
Program Notes:
- Tickets are required for admission.
- Guests are invited to stay for light refreshments and book signing following the lecture.
- Signed copies of the book will be available at ShopVirginiaHistory.org.
TICKETS AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER