UNIT 13/14
American and French Revolutions
CONCEPT QUESTIONS
1. How did the Enlightenment lead to revolutionary change around the
world?
2. Create a chart outlining the causes, characteristics and consequences of
the American, French and Latin American Revolutions?
3. How did each revolution subsequently influence the next revolution?
4. How was the 1st part of the French Revolution different from the 2nd?
5. What were the achievements of Napoleon Bonaparte?
The Enlightenment
Opened the Door
Influences:
People began to question the power
of their rulers and of the
governments using reason
Major Effects:
Reforms by monarchies
Inspired revolutions in the Americas
and in Europe
Belief in progress
Importance of individualism
Examples: separation of powers,
checks and balances, popular
sovereignty, and nationalism on
political revolutions.
Europeans felt they could limit the
problems in society by limiting the
government’s power. They
demanded more control over their
lives and insisted that liberty and
equality were rights from God in
which they were born with.
BRITAIN’S AMERICAN
COLONIES
Colonies had their own governments
Used to independence
Navigation Acts
Could only sell to
Britain
High import tax on
French/Dutch goods
Hard to enforce
smuggling
AMERICANS WIN
INDEPENDENCE
French and Indian war caused high debt
Colonists benefitted, expected to pay
Stamp Act
• Boycott of English goods causes repeal
Boston Tea Party
First Continental Congress – ignored
Second Continental Congress
• Lexington/Concord
• Voted to raise army
• George Washington
THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
• Influence of Locke & Rousseau
• Right to rebel
• The Declaration of Independence
• Thomas Jefferson
• Success
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•
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Motivation
Poor British generals
Time/cost
French aid (revolutionary ideals)
• Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown
Thomas Jefferson
A M E R I C A N S C R E AT E A
REPUBLIC
Articles of Confederation – republic
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Power in states, weak national govt.
Created Congress with limited power
Financial problems
Shay’s rebellion
Constitution
Federal System
• 3 branches, separation of powers, checks and balances
• Power divided between national and state governments
Bill of Rights
• Federalists/Anti-federalists
• 1st ten amendments – protected basic rights
Painting depicting the Constitutional Convention