Why did the Marquis de Lafayette visit the United States in 1824?

The Marquis de Lafayette visited the United States in 1824 after accepting an invitation from his old friend, President James Monroe.1

During this tour, he was received with widespread adulation and visited various locations, including George Washington's grave and Monticello to see Thomas Jefferson. On December 10, 1824, he also became the first foreign citizen to address the U.S. House of Representatives. The visit inspired such significant patriotic enthusiasm that dozens of cities across the country were subsequently named in his honor.1