Title: George Washington's Liberty Key
Subtitle: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul
Description: The exciting tale of two revolutions, the men who made them, and the key that connected them. Follow the fight for freedom – an idea whose time had come – taking two different paths, with two dramatically different outcomes. – And definitely the Key Book about George Washington! This is the amazing story of how George Washington came by his Key "of" Liberty...and his wise counsel on the Key "to" Liberty that has made America great. The book links Mount Vernon's Bastille Key (and its tortuous travels through bloody, revolutionary France) to George Washington's character and his advice on the three key, crucial, and indispensable conditions for freedom to survive and thrive: "Character, Culture, Constitution." Specifically, this new book shines a bright light on the most interesting key ever made – America's premier symbol of liberty's victory over tyranny – which now hangs in the central passageway of George Washington’s Mount Vernon mansion, helping to greet over a million visitors a year. The main key to the Bastille prison in Paris, it was given in 1790 to Washington, the patriarch of liberty, by his missionary, the Marquis de Lafayette, who took the “sacred fire of liberty" he discovered in America and tried to fan its flames in France. Become a history detective and uncover how this unique key was made, how the man who made it helped kill a king, and how it made its way to Mount Vernon. Along the way, experience the fascinating twists and turns made in unlocking the doors hiding the truth about the key, which some (incorrectly) argue is a counterfeit. Then distill what Washington and Lafayette each believed was the “key” to establishing and maintaining liberty, and what went right and wrong in their respective revolutions. Finally, learn how the key continues to inspire a worldwide devotion to freedom – with Washington's personal challenge to you.***** Author Bill Bahr brings to life FerrousTM the key and his improbable journey from the iron foundries of 18th century France to a Bastille prison gate and finally to the entrance hall of George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. FerrousTM once represented tyranny and oppression – synonymous with the fate of a prisoner condemned without trial or hope. Now FerrousTM stands for the idea of liberty, so cherished by George Washington – in his own words – "a token of victory gained by Liberty over Despotism." What a remarkable transformation!***** Version 1.12 July 2018
Places: Paris, Mount Vernon, London, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, DC
People: George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette
Time periods: 1790