Chapter 21 Revolutionary Chapter 21 Revolutionary Changes in the Atlantic Changes in the Atlantic

World World

1750–1850 1750–1850

Prelude to Revolution: The Prelude to Revolution: The Eighteenth-Century Crisis Eighteenth-Century Crisis

Colonial Wars and Fiscal CrisesColonial Wars and Fiscal Crises Rivalry among the European powers Rivalry among the European powers

intensified in the early 1600s as the Dutch intensified in the early 1600s as the Dutch attacked Spanish and Portuguese attacked Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the Americas and in Asia. possessions in the Americas and in Asia.

In the 1600s and 1700s the British then In the 1600s and 1700s the British then checked Dutch commercial and colonial checked Dutch commercial and colonial ambitions and went on to defeat France in ambitions and went on to defeat France in the Seven Years War (1756–1763) and take the Seven Years War (1756–1763) and take over French colonial possessions in the over French colonial possessions in the Americas and in India Americas and in India

The unprecedented costs of the wars of The unprecedented costs of the wars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries drove European governments to seek new drove European governments to seek new sources of revenue sources of revenue

This was a a time when the intellectual This was a a time when the intellectual environment of the Enlightenment inspired environment of the Enlightenment inspired people to question and to protest the people to question and to protest the state’s attempts to introduce new ways of state’s attempts to introduce new ways of collecting revenue collecting revenue

The Enlightenment and the Old The Enlightenment and the Old Order Order

The Enlightenment thinkers sought to apply The Enlightenment thinkers sought to apply the methods and questions of the Scientific the methods and questions of the Scientific Revolution to the study of human society. Revolution to the study of human society.

One way of doing so was to classify and One way of doing so was to classify and systematize knowledgesystematize knowledge

Another way was to search for natural laws Another way was to search for natural laws that were thought to underlie human affairs that were thought to underlie human affairs and to devise scientific techniques of and to devise scientific techniques of government and social regulation government and social regulation

Different Political IdeasDifferent Political Ideas John Locke argued that governments John Locke argued that governments

were created to protect the peoplewere created to protect the people Locke emphasized the importance of Locke emphasized the importance of

individual rights. individual rights. Jean Jacques Rousseau asserted that Jean Jacques Rousseau asserted that

the will of the people was sacredthe will of the people was sacred Rousseau believed that people would Rousseau believed that people would

act collectively on the basis of their act collectively on the basis of their shared historical experience shared historical experience

Not all Enlightenment thinkers were radicals or Not all Enlightenment thinkers were radicals or atheists. Many, like Voltaire, believed that atheists. Many, like Voltaire, believed that monarchs could be agents of change monarchs could be agents of change

The new ideas of the Enlightenment were The new ideas of the Enlightenment were particularly attractive to the expanding middle particularly attractive to the expanding middle class in Europe and in the Western class in Europe and in the Western Hemisphere. Hemisphere.

Many European intellectuals saw the Americas Many European intellectuals saw the Americas as a new, uncorrupted place in which material as a new, uncorrupted place in which material and social progress would come more quickly and social progress would come more quickly than in Europe than in Europe

Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin came to symbolize Benjamin Franklin came to symbolize the natural genius and the vast the natural genius and the vast potential of America. potential of America.

Franklin’s success in business, his Franklin’s success in business, his intellectual and scientific intellectual and scientific accomplishments, and his political accomplishments, and his political career offered proof that in America, career offered proof that in America, where society was free of the chains where society was free of the chains of inherited privilege, genius could of inherited privilege, genius could thrive thrive

The American Revolution, The American Revolution, 1775–1800 1775–1800

After 1763, the British government faced two After 1763, the British government faced two problems in its North American colonies: problems in its North American colonies:

1. The danger of war with the Amerindians as 1. The danger of war with the Amerindians as colonists pushed west across the Appalachians colonists pushed west across the Appalachians

2. The need to raise more taxes from the 2. The need to raise more taxes from the colonists in order to pay the increasing costs of colonists in order to pay the increasing costs of colonial administration and defense. colonial administration and defense.

British attempts to impose new taxes or to British attempts to impose new taxes or to prevent further westward settlement provoked prevent further westward settlement provoked protests in the colonies protests in the colonies

In the Great Lakes region, British policies In the Great Lakes region, British policies undermined the Amerindian economy and undermined the Amerindian economy and provoked a series of Amerindian raids on provoked a series of Amerindian raids on the settled areas of Pennsylvania and the settled areas of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Virginia.

The Amerindian alliance that carried out The Amerindian alliance that carried out these raids was defeated within a year. these raids was defeated within a year.

Fear of more violence led the British to Fear of more violence led the British to establish a western limit for settlement in establish a western limit for settlement in the Proclamation of 1763 the Proclamation of 1763

Also the British wanted to slow down Also the British wanted to slow down settlement of the regions north of the Ohio settlement of the regions north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi in the Quebec and east of the Mississippi in the Quebec Act of 1774 Act of 1774

The British government tried to raise new The British government tried to raise new revenue from the American colonies through revenue from the American colonies through a series of fiscal reforms and new taxes a series of fiscal reforms and new taxes including a number of new commercial including a number of new commercial regulations, including the Stamp Act of 1765 regulations, including the Stamp Act of 1765 and other taxes and duties.and other taxes and duties.

In response to these actions, the colonists In response to these actions, the colonists organized boycotts of British goods, staged organized boycotts of British goods, staged violent protests, and attacked British officials.violent protests, and attacked British officials.

Relations between the American colonists Relations between the American colonists and the British authorities were further and the British authorities were further exacerbated by the killing of five civilians in exacerbated by the killing of five civilians in the “Boston Massacre” (1770)the “Boston Massacre” (1770)

Also the British government in granting the Also the British government in granting the East India Company a monopoly on the East India Company a monopoly on the import of tea to the colonies. import of tea to the colonies.

When colonists in Boston responded to the When colonists in Boston responded to the monopoly by dumping tea into Boston monopoly by dumping tea into Boston harbor, the British closed the port of Boston harbor, the British closed the port of Boston

The Course of Revolution, The Course of Revolution, 1775–1783 1775–1783

Colonial governing bodies deposed Colonial governing bodies deposed British governors and established a British governors and established a Continental Congress that printed Continental Congress that printed currency and organized an army. currency and organized an army.

Ideological support for independence Ideological support for independence was given by the rhetoric of was given by the rhetoric of thousands of street-corner speakers, thousands of street-corner speakers, by Thomas Paine’s pamphlet by Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense, Common Sense, and in the and in the Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence

The British sent a military force to The British sent a military force to pacify the colonies. pacify the colonies.

The British force won most of its The British force won most of its battles, but it was unable to control battles, but it was unable to control the countryside. the countryside.

The British were also unable to The British were also unable to achieve a compromise political achieve a compromise political solution to the problems of the solution to the problems of the colonies colonies

Amerindians served as allies to both Amerindians served as allies to both sides. sides.

The Mohawk leader Joseph Brant led The Mohawk leader Joseph Brant led one of the most effective Amerindian one of the most effective Amerindian forces in support of the Britishforces in support of the British

When the war was over, he and his When the war was over, he and his followers fled to Canadafollowers fled to Canada

France entered the war as an ally of the France entered the war as an ally of the United States in 1778 and gave crucial United States in 1778 and gave crucial assistance to the American forcesassistance to the American forces

This would include naval support that This would include naval support that enabled Washington to defeat Cornwallis enabled Washington to defeat Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. at Yorktown, Virginia.

Following this defeat, the British Following this defeat, the British negotiators signed the Treaty of Paris negotiators signed the Treaty of Paris (1783), giving unconditional independence (1783), giving unconditional independence to the former colonies to the former colonies

The Construction of Republican The Construction of Republican Institutions, to 1800 Institutions, to 1800

After independence each of the After independence each of the former colonies drafted written former colonies drafted written constitutions that were submitted to constitutions that were submitted to the voters for approval. the voters for approval.

The Articles of Confederation served The Articles of Confederation served as a constitution for the United as a constitution for the United States during and after the States during and after the revolutionary war revolutionary war

In May 1787 a Constitutional In May 1787 a Constitutional Convention began to write a new Convention began to write a new constitution, which established a constitution, which established a system of government that was system of government that was democratic, but which gave the vote democratic, but which gave the vote only to a minority of the adult male only to a minority of the adult male population and which protected population and which protected slavery slavery

The French Revolution, 1789–The French Revolution, 1789–18151815

French Society and Fiscal French Society and Fiscal Crisis Crisis French society was divided into three French society was divided into three

groups: the First Estate (clergy), the groups: the First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (hereditary nobility), Second Estate (hereditary nobility), and the Third Estate (everyone else). and the Third Estate (everyone else).

The clergy and the nobility controlled The clergy and the nobility controlled vast amounts of wealth, and the vast amounts of wealth, and the clergy was exempt from nearly all clergy was exempt from nearly all taxes taxes

The Third Estate included the rapidly The Third Estate included the rapidly growing, wealthy middle class (bourgeoisie). growing, wealthy middle class (bourgeoisie).

While the bourgeoisie prospered, France’s While the bourgeoisie prospered, France’s peasants (80 percent of the population), its peasants (80 percent of the population), its artisans, workers, and small shopkeepers, artisans, workers, and small shopkeepers, were suffering in the 1780s from economic were suffering in the 1780s from economic depression caused by poor harvests. depression caused by poor harvests.

Urban poverty and rural suffering often led Urban poverty and rural suffering often led to violent protests, but these protests were to violent protests, but these protests were not revolutionary not revolutionary

During the 1700s the expenses of During the 1700s the expenses of wars drove France into debt and wars drove France into debt and inspired the French kings to try to inspired the French kings to try to introduce new taxes and fiscal introduce new taxes and fiscal reforms in order to increase revenue. reforms in order to increase revenue.

These attempts met with resistance These attempts met with resistance in the Parlements and on the part of in the Parlements and on the part of the high nobility the high nobility

Protest Turns to Revolution, Protest Turns to Revolution, 1789–1792 1789–1792

The king called a meeting of the The king called a meeting of the Estates General in order to get Estates General in order to get approval of new taxes. approval of new taxes.

The representatives of the Third The representatives of the Third Estate and some members of the Estate and some members of the First Estate declared themselves to First Estate declared themselves to be a National Assembly be a National Assembly

They pledged to write a constitution They pledged to write a constitution that would incorporate the idea of that would incorporate the idea of popular sovereignty popular sovereignty

As the king prepared to send troops to As the king prepared to send troops to arrest the members of the National arrest the members of the National Assembly, the common people of Paris Assembly, the common people of Paris rose up in arms against the government rose up in arms against the government and peasant uprisings broke out in the and peasant uprisings broke out in the countryside. countryside.

The National Assembly was The National Assembly was emboldened to set forth its position in emboldened to set forth its position in the Declaration of the Rights of Man the Declaration of the Rights of Man

As the economic crisis grew worse, Parisian As the economic crisis grew worse, Parisian market women marched on Versailles and market women marched on Versailles and captured the king and his family. captured the king and his family.

The National Assembly passed a new The National Assembly passed a new constitution that limited the power of the constitution that limited the power of the monarchy and restructured French politics monarchy and restructured French politics and society.and society.

When Austria and Prussia threatened to When Austria and Prussia threatened to intervene, the National Assembly declared intervene, the National Assembly declared war in 1791 war in 1791

The Terror, 1793–1794 The Terror, 1793–1794

The king’s attempt to flee in 1792 led The king’s attempt to flee in 1792 led to his execution and to the formation to his execution and to the formation of a new government, the National of a new government, the National Convention, which was dominated by Convention, which was dominated by the radical “Mountain” faction of the the radical “Mountain” faction of the Jacobins and by their leader, Jacobins and by their leader, Robespierre Robespierre

Under Robespierre:Under Robespierre: 1. Executive power was placed in the 1. Executive power was placed in the

hands of the Committee of Public Safety,hands of the Committee of Public Safety, 2. Militant feminist forces were repressed2. Militant feminist forces were repressed 3. New actions against the clergy were 3. New actions against the clergy were

approvedapproved 4. Suspected enemies of the revolution 4. Suspected enemies of the revolution

were imprisoned and guillotined in the were imprisoned and guillotined in the Reign of Terror (1793–1794). Reign of Terror (1793–1794).

In July 1794 conservatives in the National In July 1794 conservatives in the National Convention voted for the arrest and Convention voted for the arrest and execution of Robespierre execution of Robespierre