Presentation highlighting France, America's oldest ally. Location, national landmarks, products.

1. Mr. Lafayette
6th Grade Social Studies
Samoset Middle School
June 19, 2014
Spotlight on France:
Learning About America’s Oldest Ally
Learning About America’s Oldest Ally

2. Essential Question
• What is France in 2014?

3. Goals/Objectives
• Students will be able to locate France on a map of Europe.
• Students will be able to recognize famous buildings and items associated
with France.
• Students will be able to generally appreciate French culture.
• Students will recognize/understand significant symbols of friendship between
the United States and France.

4. Location: Western Europe, bordered by Atlantic Ocean (West) ; English
Channel and Belgium (North) ; Luxembourg Germany, Switzerland and
Italy (East) and, Spain and Mediterranean Sea (South). Approximately 8
hours flight from Boston.

5. Notre Dame Cathedral (Right) located in Paris is among the most famous churches in
the world. Detail above the main door shows the workmanship that went into building
this national treasure. Ground was broken for its construction in 1163, it was completed
in 1345.

6. • France supported the American
Colonists during the
Revolutionary War.
• The key person who bridged
the two nations was a French
nobleman, Gilbert du Motier,
Marquis de Lafayette.
• Lafayette paid his way to
America and was appointed a
Major General by the
Continental Congress.
• Lafayette was the first honorary
citizen of the United States.

7. Arc d’ Triomphe. Paris, site of France’s Unknown Soldier of World War
I was dedicated in 1836.

8. The Eiffel Tower, Paris 1889

9. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is a centerpiece of the priceless artifacts on display at the Lourve
Museum in Paris.

10. The 1998 film Saving Private Ryan opened and closed with scenes filmed at the American Cemetery
in Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy, France. It is a lasting, solemn tribute to the friendship between
our two nations.

11. Traditional French foods, from over 300 types of cheese; to delicately flavored macarons to buttery
croissants.

12. June 17, 1885 Lady Liberty arrived dismantled in NY Harbor, a gift from
France.