Paris: Law, Letters, and Society

The Declaration of Independence

Study Abroad Version for LLSO, September 2026; Previously offered on campus as: ENGL 17950/FNDL 27950/HIST 17604/HMRT 17950/LLSO 27950/SIGN 23069

Eric Slauter, Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature

This course, marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, investigates the international origins, meanings, and contested legacies of one of the most consequential political documents in world history.

Many today identify the Declaration of Independence with the “self-evident” claims that “all men are created equal” with rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” But what did the Declaration of Independence originally mean? How did political decisions and military and diplomatic challenges shape the document on July 4, 1776? How did its authors deploy philosophy, history, natural law, and the emerging law of nations to reconcile their lofty views on equality and liberty with the inequalities they maintained in their time? And how did readers, from Philadelphia to Paris, convert the Declaration’s philosophical premises into political promises?

The Declaration, addressed to a “candid world,” was first and foremost an instrument of the law of nations. In January 1776, Thomas Paine urged Congress to publish an “open and determined declaration for independence,” a diplomatic “manifesto” breaking off connections with Britain and appealing to “foreign Courts” for alliance and commerce. Many in and out of Congress in July 1776 viewed a formal declaration of independence as a precondition for foreign assistance. By December 1776, one of the Declaration’s drafters, Benjamin Franklin, had arrived in Paris to help negotiate a treaty with France; two of the other drafters, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, would ultimately join him there. France formally recognized the new nation in 1778 through treaties of amity, commerce, alliance, and defense. In 1783, Britain first acknowledged the independence of the United States through a treaty signed in Paris. Six years later, the Marquis de Lafayette consulted with Jefferson in drafting a rights declaration for revolutionary France.

Viewing the American Revolution from the perspective of Paris, our readings and discussions will explore: intellectual backgrounds for the Declaration of Independence in the European Enlightenment, including writings by Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Vattel; early political relations between France and the United States; and the spread of ideas of natural rights and constitutionalism, from the American Revolution to the French Revolution.

Fieldtrips: We will plan walking tours to follow revolutionaries in Paris and Versailles and will take advantage of a special exhibition focused on 250 years of Franco-American friendship at the Musée Carnavalet in Paris. Further out, we may consider visiting an exhibition on the Declaration at the Musée Franco-Américain du château de Blérancourt or possibly a trip to Montesquieu’s château near Bordeaux.

Faculty who teach on this program rotate from year to year. The faculty roster is designated by the program faculty director.

Headquarters for the College’s study abroad programs in Paris is the University of Chicago John W. Boyer Center in Paris, the University’s teaching and research hub in Europe. Since 2003, the Center has been home to a growing array of the College’s hallmark Study Abroad programs and has supported our community of students, faculty, alumni, and partners from around the world. Designed by Studio Gang, the new Center features state-of-the-art classrooms, offices, event and reception spaces, and gathering areas for students, among other features.

Students in the Paris September LLSO program are housed in a residence hall within the Cité Internationale Universitaire (Cité). The Cité, a park-like residential complex in the fourteenth arrondissement, is the international student campus in Paris, though French students also live there. Students reside in single rooms with a private bath and have access to Cité facilities, including a library, theater, laundry, and athletic facilities. Students will have access to common kitchens in the residence halls and can purchase inexpensive meals at the Cité’s restaurant universitaire.

It is important to recognize the cultural context of student housing in France and understand that the amenities of dormitory facilities may vary. Although some of these differences may take some getting used to, remember that cultural differences extend to all aspects of your experience abroad. Having realistic expectations for your term in Paris will help you approach the study abroad experience with a positive attitude.

Participants in the Paris program will take and receive credit for one Law, Letters, and Society course (100 units). This course is considered part of the students’ Summer Quarter course load and is recorded as a course enrollment on their Summer Quarter registration. The course credit is an upper-level credit for LLSO majors. The course title, units of credit, and grade are placed on the College transcript.

Completion of a September course abroad will earn students 1 point toward Global Honors, the College’s recognition of exceptional global engagement. Visit the Chicago Language Center’s website for information on how to apply for Global Honors.

Study abroad students pay regular Summer Quarter tuition at the one-course rate, a program fee, and a nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee. The tuition and program fee are paid in conformity with the home campus payment schedule, and a deposit toward the nonrefundable study abroad administrative fee is submitted when accepting a place in a program. Precise figures for the Paris September program during the 2025-2026 year are listed below:

Summer tuition for one course: $4,980 (Summer 2026)

Study abroad administrative fee: $675

Paris September program fee: $4,000

Previous program participants report spending in the range of $200 to $250 per week on meals and incidentals while on the program, though frugal students may spend less, and others could spend much more. Bear in mind that the cost of living in Paris is relatively high and that, while it is possible to live frugally, it is also possible to run short of money if you are unwary. It is therefore essential that you budget your funds prudently, apportioning your resources so that they last for the duration of the program. If you are planning to travel before or after the program or on weekends, you should budget accordingly.

Participants in summer College-sponsored programs are eligible for need-based financial aid, following the procedure described on the Summer and September Aid page of the Financial Aid website. For more information about financial aid resources, please see our general Tuition, Fees, and Funding section.

While the Paris September LLSO program is open to all University of Chicago undergraduate students, priority consideration is given to Law, Letters, and Society majors. Applications from outside the University are not accepted.

The program is designed for undergraduates in good academic and disciplinary standing who are beyond their first year in the College. While the program stipulates no minimum grade point average, an applicant’s transcript should demonstrate that they are a serious student who will make the most of this opportunity. Because the course is taught in English, there is no language prerequisite.

Each application is examined on the basis of the student’s scholastic record and personal statement. If you are interested in applying for this program, please fill out the online application.

To discuss the Law, Letters, and Society September program and the possibility of participating, please contact Damaris Crocker De Ruiter.