Unit 13 Political
Revolutions:
America, France,
and Latin America
The American Revolution (1775-1783)

When American colonists fought for
their independence from Great Britain
Origins of the American Revolution
Colonists were influenced by….
Religious freedom
Legacy of the Glorious Revolution
Enlightenment philosophers (John Locke)

Origins of the American Revolution

Colonists objected to the British
government’s imposing new taxes with
out their consent, “taxation without
representation”
American Revolution

Declaration of Independence-written by
Thomas Jefferson, applied
Enlightenment ideas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_56cZGRM
x4
American Revolution

U.S. Constitution—established a stable
republican government with separated
powers and a system of checks and
balances (Montesquieu)
Impact of American Revolution



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Success of American Revolution is
going to encourage the outbreak of
other revolutions
French Revolution
Independence movement in Latin
America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB2N9Iqpbbk
&feature=related
The French Revolution (1789-1799)
“Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity”
Causes of the French Revolution
Inequality among Estates (social
classes)
1st estate (clergy) 2nd estate (nobles) 3rd
estate (bourgeoisie, peasants)
 Severe financial crisis
American Rev, Population growth, Bad
harvests
 Spread of enlightenment ideas
questioned traditions and privileges

Main Events of the French Revolution


Louis XVI summoned the Estates
General (clergy, nobles, commoners) to
vote on new taxes for the nobles
Third Estate declared itself a National
Assembly
Main Events of the French Revolution
Citizens storm the
Bastille (feared
monarchy retaliation)
National Assembly:
-issues the Declaration
of the Rights of Man
-abolished hereditary
privileges
-created Constitutional
Monarchy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB
2N9Iqpbbk&feature=related
Main Events of the French Revolution


King Louis XVI refused to cooperate
Convention overthrows and executes
Louis XVI in 1793
The Revolution Takes a Radical Turn


France at war with most of Europe
Introduced mass conscription
The Revolution Takes a Radical Turn
Robespierre launched revolutionary
Reign of Terror against all dissenters
 Radical leaders are later executed
 The Revolution “devoured its own
children”…

Impact of French Revolution





Challenged the idea of divine right and noble
privilege in Europe
Removed feudal restrictions from French
Economy
Bourgeoisie has political power not king and
nobles (Democratic Govt and social equality)
American and French Rev serves as models
for citizens wanting political change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXsZbkt0yqo
The Age of Napoleon
“ Is it because they are lucky that
they become great? No, but by
being great, they have been able to
master luck.”
Napoleon Bonaparte
The Rise of Napoleon



General during French Revolution
Seizes power in 1799
Declares himself emperor
The Rise of Napoleon
Napoleonic Code combined traditional laws with
principles of the Revolution
—all citizens equal before the law, individuals choose
profession, religious toleration, abolish serfdom and
feudal system
* established efficient bureaucracy based on merit (rise of
new French nobility)
--Napoleon also consolidated power, limited free speech,
and restored slavery
PRESERVER OF REV OR TYRANT?
* Introduced French Rev ideas to other European
countries

The Rise of Napoleon

Conquered most of Europe, but spreads
anti-French feelings and nationalism

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttLXTlcgYV4
The Fall of Napoleon


Attacked Russia but invasion ended in
defeat
Army is then defeated by a coalition of
European rulers
The Impact of Napoleon
France—law code that promoted social
equality, religious toleration, trial by
jury
 Europe—Introduced ideals of French
Rev to rest of Europe (ending serfdom)
 World—Growth of Nationalism,
weakened Spain (loss of colonies),
Louisiana Purchase to US


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOki3qAZe4g&list=UU
AiABuhVSMZJMqyv4Ur5XqA&index=4
Restoring the Old Order
Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)
-- restored monarchs (legitimacy)
--established a “balance of power”, to prevent
any country from being dominant

Restoring the Old Order (1815-1848)

European leaders (Metternich) crush
revolutions and rising nationalist spirit
throughout Europe
Restoring the Old Order (1815-1848)
William Wilberforce—English Reformer
--led fight to abolish slavery and slave
trade in England
--gets slavery abolished in France, Spain,
and all whole of British Empire

Latin American Independence
The Independence of Latin America
Enlightenment ideas
 Success of American Rev
 Outbreak of French Rev
--all seek to encourage Latin American
leaders to seek independence

The Road to Independence
Free blacks and slaves of Haiti (Touissant
L’Ouverture) rebelled
--Haiti first Latin American colony to achieve
independence

The Road to Independence


When France occupied Spain during
Napoleonic Wars, Latin American
colonies governed themselves
In 1814, King of Spain tried to impose
old restrictions on commerce of Latin
America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWwKSvz0UIs&feature=related
The Road to Independence
Latin American
leaders fight Spain
and gain
independence
--Simon Bolivar
(Venezuela,
Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru, Bolivia)
--Jose de San Martin
(Argentina, Chile)

Study Resources Crash Course World History

American Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUiSBXQHCw&list=PLBDA2E52F
B1EF80C9&index=28

French Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTTvKwCylFY&list=PLBDA2E52FB1
EF80C9

Latin American Revolutions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBw35Ze3bg8
French Revolution Acrostic
--In groups of no more than three you will create an
acrostic poem explaining and summarizing the
important events and people of the French Revolution
Step 1) Write French Revolution vertically and create a
poem using each letter as the beginning of a line
Step 2) include an explanation or summary of the following
information in your poem (Louis XVI, Robespierre,
Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, Reign of Terror, National
Assembly, Estates-General, Declaration of the Rights of
Man, Committee of Public Safety)
Step 3) Answer the following question within your poem,
Was the French Revolution a success or a failure
American
Revolution
Important People:
Summary:
Results:
Old Regime
(Monarchy)
French
Revolution
Napoleon
American
Revolution
Old Regime
(Monarchy)
French
Revolution
Napoleon
Important People:
Thomas Jefferson
G. Washington
John Locke,
Montesquieu
Louis XVI
Marie Antoinette
Robespierre
Danton
Marat
Napoleon
Duke of Wellington
Summary:
Colonists influenced
by the enlightenment
and opposed to
taxation without
representation
fought and won a
revolution against
England.
Louis XVI bankrupt
France by spending
on foreign conflicts
and royal life,
angered citizens
with heavy taxes
and unfair
representation
Inequality among the
estates, financial
crisis, enlightenment
ideas leads to
overthrow of social
order and beginning
of new government
by the people based
on terror
Emperor of France
who seized power
and spread French
rev ideals
throughout Europe
by conquest and law
system, later
defeated and exiled
Results: Dec of Ind,
Constitution
Encouraged other
revolutions in France
and Latin America
Bankruptcy of
France, Angered the
people of France,
Showed that
absolute monarchies
must be replaced
with govt’s by the
people
Dec of Rights of
man, Execution of
Monarchy, Reign of
terror, Proof that
people can change
their governments
Napoleonic Code,
Spread of French
Ideals through the
rest of Europe,
return of monarchies
to most of europe