Title: Chapter 16: Political Revolutions in Europe and the Americas Political Revolution
1Chapter 16 Political Revolutions in Europe and
the Americas Political Revolution
- Political revolution changes fundamental basis of
government - Apparent unity can shift rapidly
- Revolutions often based on a coalition
- Threshold of victory can bring crisis
- Struggle to gain power within coalition often
more brutal than effort to end prior system
2Political Revolution
- English, American and French Revolutions are all
labeled democratic by analysts - These revolutions share common traits
- Slogans included liberty, equality, fraternity,
natural rights, pursuit of happiness, property,
no taxation without representation - Outcomes often different than stated goals
3Human Rights in the Age of Enlightenment
- Philosophical Rationales
- Thomas Hobbes
- Saw origins of government in brutal life without
government - Life in nature--solitary, nasty, brutish, and
short - Made a social contract to natural world
- To break contract was to return to state of nature
4Human Rights in the Age of Enlightenment
- Philosophical Rationales cont.
- John Locke, 2nd Treatise on Government
- Social contract the origin of government
- State of nature a benevolent place
- Right of revolution if govt violates human
rights - Majority rule of property holders the key concern
- Role of government is to protect property
5Human Rights in the Age of Enlightenment
- Study of Scientific Revolution a new field
- Characteristics of the Revolution
- Rise of a community instead of individuals
- Development of new methods
- Reliance on mathematics
- Empiricism
- Technology present in equipment use
- Freedom of inquiry
6Human Rights in the Age of Enlightenment
- Intellectual Revolutions in Science Philosophy
- Copernicus revises the universe
- Placed sun at center of solar system for
simplicity - Feared impact from Church which accepted a
geocentric view - Published findings on his deathbed
- Tyco Brahe offered complex geocentric model
- Conflict between religious and mathematical
astronomers
7Human Rights in the Age of Enlightenment
- Intellectual Revolutions in Science Philosophy
- Galileo added observations and new technology to
the debate and supported geocentric view - Newton developed calculus
8Englands Glorious Revolution, 1688
- Unauthorized taxes by Charles I lead to civil war
Charles execution in 1649 - Oliver Cromwell leads Puritans to victory and
rules as Lord Protector to 1658 - Civil War establishes principle that monarchy can
be abolished
9Englands Glorious Revolution, 1688
- The Bill of Rights, 1689
- Parliament rejects Stuarts for William Mary in
1688 - New monarchs sign Bill of Rights in 1689
- No taxes raised or armies recruited without
approval of Parliament - No subject can be detained without due process
- King cannot suspend laws on his own
- Reality is government by male property owners
10Philosophes Enlightenment in the 18th Century
- Philosophes want to use science reason to solve
problems in politics economics - Ideas are in American and French Revolutions
- Were influenced by travel and knowledge of other
cultures - Most were deists in religion
11Philosophes Enlightenment in the 18th Century
- Believed in Progress and the perfectibility of
mankind - Encyclopedia of Diderot is famous product
- Voltaire--freedom of liberty, press, inquiry
- Enlightened Despotism
- Good government does not require self-government
rationale used by colonial powers
12Philosophes Enlightenment in the 18th Century
- Rousseau skeptical about self-government
- Promotes idea of General Will which sounds close
to tyranny in minds of critics - Is unclear about how to achieve it
- Adam Smith
- Promoted free trade
- Envy of wealth necessitated protection of private
property
13Revolution in North America, 1776
- Americans resent British control from 1760s
onward - British policy built of large army in North
America and taxation to support it - Grievances lead to Declaration of Independence,
1776 - It asserts same concerns as English on eve of the
Glorious Revolution
14Revolution in North America, 1776
- Constitution and Bill of Rights, 1789
- Constitution creates federal government
- Bill of Rights goes beyond British model to add
freedom of press, religion, assembly, and right
to bear arms - Approach tied to four American factors
- 1) Settlers were religious dissenters 2)
abundant land 3) absence of privileged classes
4) world had become more radical with new
political ideas
15Revolution in North America, 1776
- The First Anti-Imperial Revolution
- Represented rejection of colonial rule
- But westward movement created American imperial
ambition - Still, American Revolution inspired many
subsequent revolutions such as Nehru in India - Not a complete political revolution many groups
left out but ideal of equality emerges
16French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
- American Revolution was unique--4 million people,
edge of continent, no tradition of class or
clerical privilege, built on tradition of British
liberty - French Revolution was internal revolt against
entrenched elites monarchy, in most populous
powerful European nation - All Europe affected by French Revolution
17French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
- Origins of Revolution
- Kings need for revenue
- France was divided into three Estates
- Nobles and clergy were tax exempt
- Revolt of the Third Estate
- Want to turn Estates-General into legislature
- Sieyes, What is the Third Estate?
- Want delegates to meet as unicameral legs.
18French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
- The Revolt of the Poor
- Events occur against backdrop of food shortage
- Assault on Bastille, July 14, 1789
- Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
- Great Fear in the countryside
- Womens March on Versailles, Oct. 5-6, 1789
- Constitution of 1791
- Reflects ideals of philosophes
- Promulgated after wave of protests
19French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
- International War, the 2nd Revolution and the
Terror, 1791-99 - French actions threaten Europe
- Civil Constitution of the Clergy
- Europe attacks the Revolution, 1792
- Poor attempt to kill Louis XVI, August 9, 1792
- Legislature turns radical after September
elections - Reign of Terror
- Levee en masse (national military draft)
20French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
- International War, the 2nd Revolution, and the
Terror, 1791-99 cont. - Radical actions under Robespierre
- New Calendar
- Worship of the Supreme Being
- Success in war prompts reaction against extreme
measures - Directory established, 1795
- Napoleon to power, 1799
21French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
- Napoleon in Power, 1799-1812
- Consolidates or extends revolutionary ideas
- Code Napoleon, 1804
- careers open to talent
- Concordat with Pope
- Full citizenship for Protestants and Jews
- Actions reflect his own modest origins
22French Revolution Napoleon, 1789-1812
Ch. 16 POLITICAL
- Napoleonic Wars the Spread of Revolution,
1799-1812 - Direct or indirect control of Europe by 1810
- Flaws in his policies magnified by ambition
- Unsuccessful in war against Britain
- Defeated in invasion of Russia, 1812
- Nationalism undermines his control of W. Europe
- Defeated and exiled, 1814 1815
- Congress of Vienna creates balance of power, 1815
23Haiti Slave Revolution Overthrow of Colonialism
- Caribbean Slave revolts commonly suppressed
- Hispaniola, French sugar colony, saw 40,000
whites in control of 500,000 black slaves - Slaves escape brutality physically by maroonage
(flight) and psychologically through vodoun
(voodoo) - Network of resistance begins in 1750s
24Haiti Slave Revolution Overthrow of Colonialism
- The Slave Revolt
- Begins in 1791 perhaps with inspiration from
American and French revolutions - French revolution outlaws slavery, 1794
- Toussaint LOuverture leads revolt to success
- Napoleonic attempt to restore French control
fails despite use of 20,000 troops - Final independence of Haiti declared in 1804
25Abolition of Slavery and the Slave Trade
- Fear of Haiti-style revolts leads British to
abolish slavery, 1807 - U. S. abolished international slave trade in 1808
but retains slavery until Civil War - Slavery abolished in Puerto Rico, 1876, in Cuba,
1886, in Brazil, 1888
26The End of Colonialism in Latin America, 1810-30
- Independence Movements
- Revolts led by creole elites, direct descendents
of original Spanish settlers - Helped Spain Portugal put down Indian revolts
- Creole fear of indigenous population helped spur
drive to independence - Revolts led by creoles were for their control of
countries enjoyment of Enlightenment ideals
27The End of Colonialism in Latin America, 1810-30
- After Independence
- Bolivar the Challenge of Unification
- Led independence movements after French invasion
of Spain - Active in Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador,
Columbia - Hoped for a unified South America but got local
caudillo rule
28The End of Colonialism in Latin America, 1810-30
- After Independence cont.
- Mexico
- Early Mexican movement opposed Creoles leaders
- By 1821 independence creoles were in charge
- Territory lost to U.S. and to breakaway nations
- Brazil
- Portuguese monarch fled Napoleon for Brazil
- Brazil made co-equal with Portugal
- Brazil became a monarchy
29The End of Colonialism in Latin America, 1810-30
- After Independence cont.
- Paraguay The New Historiography
- Dictactor Francia strongly criticized by creoles
and gained a bad reputation - Revolution based on self-government land
distribution - Efforts to defeat Paraguay as a source of
inspiration for Argentines and others met with
failure
30The End of Colonialism in Latin America, 1810-30
- Religious Economic Issues
31Political Revolutions What Difference Do They
Make?
- Each Revolution has a clear outcome
- British created constitutional rights, failed to
extend them to America, but abolished slavery - Philosophes inspired subsequent revolutions
- Americans promoted freedom but not for all
- Lat. America political but not econ. freedom
- French Revolution is the exception
- Idea of revolution but prefigures 20th century