🕰️The Modern Period Unit 3 – Major Political Revolutions

Key Revolutions and Their Causes

• American Revolution (1765-1783) sparked by colonial grievances against British rule, including taxation without representation and lack of self-governance
• French Revolution (1789-1799) fueled by social and economic inequalities, financial crisis, and Enlightenment ideas challenging the monarchy
  • Consisted of multiple stages, including the storming of the Bastille, the Reign of Terror, and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
• Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) led by enslaved Africans seeking freedom and inspired by the French Revolution's ideals of liberty and equality
• Latin American Revolutions (early 19th century) fought for independence from Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule
  • Influenced by Enlightenment ideas and the success of the American and French Revolutions
  • Key revolutions included those in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela
• Revolutions of 1848 swept across Europe, driven by demands for political reform, social equality, and nationalist aspirations
  • Affected countries such as France, Germany, Italy, and the Austrian Empire

Revolutionary Ideologies and Thinkers

• Enlightenment ideas emphasized reason, individual rights, and questioning traditional authority
  • Key thinkers included John Locke, Voltaire, and Montesquieu
• Liberalism advocated for individual freedoms, limited government, and free markets
  • Influenced by thinkers such as Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill
• Nationalism promoted the idea of self-determination and loyalty to one's nation or ethnic group
  • Played a significant role in the Revolutions of 1848 and the unification of Italy and Germany
• Socialism and communism emerged as critiques of capitalism and advocated for collective ownership and equal distribution of resources
  • Key thinkers included Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who wrote "The Communist Manifesto" (1848)
• Republicanism favored a system of government without a monarch, with power vested in elected representatives
  • Influenced the American and French Revolutions

Major Events and Turning Points

• Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789) marked the beginning of the French Revolution and symbolized the people's resistance against the monarchy
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) outlined the fundamental rights of French citizens and became a key document of the French Revolution
• Execution of King Louis XVI (1793) signaled the end of the French monarchy and the establishment of the First French Republic
• Haitian Declaration of Independence (1804) proclaimed Haiti as the first independent black republic in the world
• Battle of Waterloo (1815) marked the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte and the end of the Napoleonic Wars
• Revolutions of 1848 led to the abdication of King Louis Philippe in France and the establishment of the Second French Republic
  • In other parts of Europe, the revolutions were eventually suppressed by conservative forces
• Unification of Italy (1861) and Germany (1871) as nation-states following successful nationalist movements

Key Figures and Their Roles

• George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and first President of the United States
• Maximilien Robespierre, a leading figure of the French Revolution who played a central role in the Reign of Terror
  • Eventually executed during the Thermidorian Reaction
• Toussaint Louverture, a former slave who became a key leader of the Haitian Revolution
  • Helped establish Haiti as an independent nation
• Simón Bolívar, a South American revolutionary leader who played a crucial role in the Latin American independence movements
  • Helped liberate several countries, including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
• Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian nationalist and revolutionary who played a key role in the unification of Italy
• Otto von Bismarck, a Prussian statesman who orchestrated the unification of Germany through a series of wars and diplomatic maneuvers

Social and Economic Impacts

• Abolition of feudalism and the old regime in France, leading to a more egalitarian society
  • Redistribution of land and wealth through the confiscation and sale of church and noble properties
• Emancipation of slaves in Haiti and the establishment of the first independent black republic
  • Inspired other slave revolts and abolitionist movements throughout the Americas
• Expansion of voting rights and political participation, although often limited to propertied men
• Industrialization accelerated in the aftermath of revolutions, particularly in France and the United States
  • Shift from agrarian to industrial economies, leading to the growth of cities and the emergence of new social classes (bourgeoisie and proletariat)
• Disruption of traditional social hierarchies and the rise of the middle class
  • Increased social mobility and opportunities for education and advancement

Political Outcomes and New Systems

• Establishment of republican forms of government in France and the United States
  • Separation of powers and checks and balances to prevent the concentration of authority
• Adoption of written constitutions outlining the rights of citizens and the structure of government
  • Examples include the United States Constitution (1787) and the French Constitution of 1791
• Emergence of new nation-states in Europe and Latin America, based on the principles of nationalism and self-determination
• Expansion of colonial empires, particularly by Britain and France, as a result of their increased global influence following their respective revolutions
• Rise of conservatism as a reaction to revolutionary changes, seeking to maintain traditional institutions and hierarchies
  • Exemplified by the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) and the Holy Alliance, which aimed to restore pre-revolutionary order in Europe

Global Ripple Effects

• Spread of Enlightenment ideas and revolutionary fervor across the Atlantic world, inspiring other movements for independence and political reform
  • Revolutions in Latin America, influenced by the American and French Revolutions
• Haitian Revolution's impact on the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and the eventual abolition of slavery in the Americas
• Restructuring of European alliances and balance of power following the Napoleonic Wars
  • Emergence of Britain as the dominant global power in the 19th century
• Revolutions of 1848 inspired other movements for political and social change, such as the women's suffrage movement and the labor movement
• Influence of revolutionary ideologies on the development of modern political thought, including liberalism, nationalism, and socialism

Legacy and Modern Relevance

• Establishment of democratic principles and institutions that continue to shape modern political systems
  • Examples include representative government, separation of powers, and individual rights and freedoms
• Ongoing struggles for social and political equality, inspired by the ideals of the French and Haitian Revolutions
  • Civil rights movements, women's rights movements, and anti-colonial struggles in the 20th and 21st centuries
• Continued influence of nationalist ideologies on modern political movements and conflicts
  • Emergence of new nation-states in the aftermath of World War I and the decolonization of Africa and Asia
• Relevance of revolutionary thinkers and their ideas to contemporary political debates and movements
  • Marxist-inspired revolutions and political parties in the 20th century, such as the Russian Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party
• Commemorations and symbols of revolutionary events, such as Bastille Day in France and Independence Day in the United States, as expressions of national identity and pride