Chapter 21: Revolutionary Changes in the Atlantic World, 1750-1850Chapter 21: Revolutionary Changes in the Atlantic World, 1750-1850

Colonial Wars & Fiscal CrisesThe Cost of War

Cost of maintaining defense of colonies = expensiveWar debts strap European powers

The Enlightenment and the old orderEnlightenment – scientific revolution meets politics & religionIntellectual Challenge to Old Order – hereditary rulers & the church

Intellectual Challenge to Old Order – hereditary rulers & the churchHobbes – Social contract, we surrender certain rights to government in

exchange for orderLocke – Government duty to protect life/liberty/property, otherwise

rebelRousseau – Governments operate with the consent of the governed;

will of the majorityMontesquieu – 3 branches of govt, checks/balancesVoltaire – freedom of speech/religion, critic of “optimism”;“I do not agree with a word you say . . . “ Wollstonecraft – rights of women, “On the Vindication . .”

Monarchs and the Enlightenment – enlightened despots – benevolent dictators

Prelude to Revolution: The 18Prelude to Revolution: The 18thth Century Crisis Century Crisis… continuedThe Community of Belief Systems

Many channels of communication open – pamphlets, salons, correspondenceExpanding middle class – high literacy rate – coffee & tea houses

Enlightenment and the New WorldAmerica = unrestrained by Europe’s corruption would thriveBenjamin Franklin – writer, inventor, representative, ambassador

The Counter Enlightenment – driven by Catholic nations

Reform and Popular CultureTax reforms met with riots and protests – prefer status quoMeet with popular uprisings

The America Revolution, 1775-1800The America Revolution, 1775-1800Frontiers & TaxesBritish Frontier Policy

Westward push seen as future cost of conflictOttawa chief Pontiac fought British over policiesProclamation of 1763 – est. western limits

New Colonial Tax & Commercial Policies – Americans enjoyed foreign tradeColonial Protests

Stamp Act of 1765 – every document was taxedWomen from prominent colonial families

organized boycottsReaction to boycotts threatens libertiesBoston Massacre – fueled popular support for

independenceEast India Co monopoly on tea – met with Tea

Party, and martial law

The America Revolution, 1775-1800The America Revolution, 1775-1800… continuedThe Course of Revolution, 1775-1783Continental Congress

Created a currency, declared independence, and organized an armyGeorge Washington – Virginia planter & veteran of French Indian warJoseph Brant – Mohawk chief on side of BritishBritish defeat at Saratoga – Mohawk go to Canada, French join American sideYorktown courtesy of French supportTreaty of Paris – unconditional independence

“Common Sense” – Thomas Paine – made argument for independenceThe Construction of Republican Political Structures, to 1800Europeans lived vicariously through U.S. – constitutions published in Europe2nd Continental Congress = Articles of Confederation

One House legislatureNo executive branch

Creating a new Government: Constitutional Convention – 3 branchesLimits of Democracy – still slavery and limited women’s rights

The French Revolution, 1789-1815The French Revolution, 1789-1815French Society and Fiscal CrisisEstates General – each has one vote

1st Estate – Church (1 % of pop)2nd Estate – Nobles (1-2 % of pop)3rd Estate – 97-98% of Population1780 onward – series of poor harvests (Potato had NOT

caught on)The Poor – 80+ % of population – increase in price of bread =

The Politics of Debts and Taxes – Louis XVI (& Marie Antoinette) inherit debt but support US; Protest turns to Revolution (1789-1792)

3rd Estate ActsTennis Court Oath – becomes National Assembly33% unemployed and hungry

The Bastille FallsFear leads to Bastille and heads on pikesGreat Fear spreads throughout France – not a good time to be rich

Emigres (mainly nobles who emigrate to other countries)

The French Revolution, 1789-1815The French Revolution, 1789-1815 … continuedDeclaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – similar to US ConstitutionThe Women of Paris Act – march to Versailles, bring back royalsRevolutionary Changes Begin – Church’s land seized, neighbors worried, religion outlawed

The Reign of Terror, 1793-1794The Jacobins and Girondists (Radicals and moderates)

Jacobins take the lead – Guillotine, Terror, Execution of Louis XVIMaximilien Robespierre – virtual dictator

September Massacres – one way to clean out the prison population

Guillotine – democratic & used on Louis XVI +40,000Women & the Revolution – women’s sacrifices go unrewardedNO ONE is safe from the Guillotine – not even Robespierre

Rise of NapoleonNapoleonic Code: Equality for ALL (in the eyes of the law)

Concordat with Church – churches; Catholic religion restored, churches reopened, ppl can “go to heaven again” – woo hoo!

Lycees – public schools for

Declares himself emperor 1804 – widely popular w/pplNapoleon restores stability and security to France, military powerhouse, great deal of

nationalism - making him widely popular with the ppl – rockstar, pro athlete, hollywood star all in one times 100! “Cult of Personality”

Undefeated in Europe 1796 – 1812 Impact on Napoleon’s perception?

Continental System – unified economic Europe – targeting Britain; attempts to starve them into submission

Iberian war – Napoleon never personally commanded French troops; therefore did NOT understand the threat Wellington would represent

King of Portugal to Brazil (many creoles, including San Martin and Bolivar will fight in Napoleonic Wars)

Russian Scorched Earth policy; Napoleon refuses to quit

Defeated at Leipzig (Battle of Nations) - exiled to Elba

Returns to France – defeated at Waterloo (Wellington); exiled to St. Helena (dies 1821)

The Haitian Revolution, 1789-1804 – while the cat’s away…Accounted for 66% of French tropical imports and 33% of French Foreign trade

The Haitian Revolution - colonial government weakenedRebelling slaves killed & destroyed plantationsToussaint L’Ouverture takes military leadership; defeats British expeditionary force and

next door Spanish

Napoleon sent forces , Toussaint ends up in Prison, eventually Haiti win indepedenceYellow Fever and tenacity of rebels defeat French troops

Napoleon decides to end dream of N. American Empire; sells Louisiana Purchase to US (What if . . . . . . . )

Congress of Vienna & Conservative Retrenchment, 1815-1820Balance of Power, restore monarchy to all of Europe

The Holy Alliance – Austria/Russia/Prussia People have tasted democratic rights, will not give them up w/o a fight

Nationalism, Reform, and Revolution, 1821-1850Greek Independence – from Ottomans – w/help of Brits and French

Revolutionary Fears in France and Britain

The Revolutions of 1848 – Paris/Vienna/Rome/Berlin looking for reform & self determination