Revolutionary Diplomacy: Spanish Connections and the Birth of the United States (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780813952901)

Uncovering the decisive role of Spanish diplomacy in securing American independence

Without Spanish assistance, the thirteen American colonies could not have achieved their independence from the British crown. France's contributions are more widely known, but Spanish men, material, and--most important--diplomatic muscle played a decisive role in the American Revolution.

Using Benjamin Franklin as a guide through the European halls of power, celebrated scholar Thomas Ch?vez details the tense exchanges, successes, and failures of America's crucial collaboration with Spain during our War for Independence. The Spanish were responsible for driving the British from west Florida, and cities such as Galveston, Texas (named for Bernardo de G?lvez), still testify to the depths of Americans' gratitude.

Ch?vez also introduces readers to Franklin's fellow American envoys Silas Deane, Arthur Lee, John Jay, and Robert Morris, recounting their dramatic negotiations with the Count of Vergennes, the Count of Aranda, and the Count of Floridablanca at the Spanish court. As Ch?vez shows, the diplomatic exchanges between the Continental Congress and the Spanish king, made through these pivotal intermediaries, expanded a colonial rebellion into a world war.

ISBN-10: 0813952905
ISBN-13: 9780813952901
Publisher: University of Virginia Press
Language: English
Published: 03/05/2025
Pages: 186
Format: Paperback