Jul 4, 2026 · 1 hr · 13 segments
A little bonus material in honor of the 250th anniversary of America's Declaration of Independence: a conversation with Will Clark of Grey History and David Montgomery of The Siècle. Learn more about…
David MontgomeryGuestEverett RummageHostAnd, you know, the great thing about the French Revolution, I suppose, is that there's so many ways that multiple regimes either mirror developments across the Atlantic or diverge from the young American republic.
And one of the things, maybe this is just proof that I need some more hobbies, but one of the things that I particularly find interesting is the matter of constitutions.
I mean, the French don't call them that, but they have founding fathers with similar backgrounds.
And not only for the constitutional monarchy, but also for the first French Republic as well.
And so I think that these substantial differences are fascinating, given how similar, I suppose, the founding representatives are.
And I will admit that I'm happy to die on the hill that had the French copied the Americans a little more.
Maybe the French Revolution might not have gone off the rails so much, but I do appreciate in present company that that would put all three of us out of a day job.
Yeah, I mean, certainly I think people were debating that at the time and have continued to debate that ever since.
Of course, the last word in this is, you know, the American Constitution, well, the one we'll be discussing still in force.
These French constitutions we'll be discussing, some of them didn't last more than a couple of years.
And the constitution of 1791 is in effect for less than a year before the overthrow of the monarchy.
And, you know, obviously, there's a variety of reasons for this, and many of them don't revolve around the constitution.
But I do think that the kind of foundational stone that is governing France, particularly in 1792, is really important.
And, you know, the great thing about the French Revolution, I suppose, is that there's so many ways that multiple regimes either mirror developments across the Atlantic or diverge from the young American republic.
And one of the things, maybe this is just proof that I need some more hobbies, but one of the things that I particularly find interesting is the matter of constitutions.
I mean, the French don't call them that, but they have founding fathers with similar backgrounds.
And not only for the constitutional monarchy, but also for the first French Republic as well.
And so I think that these substantial differences are fascinating, given how similar, I suppose, the founding representatives are.
And I will admit that I'm happy to die on the hill that had the French copied the Americans a little more.
Maybe the French Revolution might not have gone off the rails so much, but I do appreciate in present company that that would put all three of us out of a day job.
Yeah, I mean, certainly I think people were debating that at the time and have continued to debate that ever since.
Of course, the last word in this is, you know, the American Constitution, well, the one we'll be discussing still in force.
These French constitutions we'll be discussing, some of them didn't last more than a couple of years.
And the constitution of 1791 is in effect for less than a year before the overthrow of the monarchy.
And, you know, obviously, there's a variety of reasons for this, and many of them don't revolve around the constitution.
But I do think that the kind of foundational stone that is governing France, particularly in 1792, is really important.
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