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

Prelude to Revolution: The 18Prelude to Revolution: The 18thth Century Crisis Century CrisisColonial 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

Hobbes – 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

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 nationsFolk Cultures and Popular ProtestReform and Popular Culture

Tax reforms met with riots and protests – prefer status quoReformers look to replace non-productive festivalsMeet 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 – 10% of land2nd Estate – Nobles – 30% of land3rd Estate – 98% of Population, 33% of land, tied to economy1780 onward – poor harvests

The Poor – 80% of population – Les Miserables, increase in bread price = riotThe Politics of Debts and Taxes – Louis XVI (& Marie Antoinette) inherit debt but support USProtest turns to Revolution, 1789-17923rd Estate Acts – after 6 weeks of deadlock

Tennis 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

The French Revolution, 1789-1815The French Revolution, 1789-1815 … continuedDeclaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – similar to USThe Women of Paris Act – march to Versailles, bring back royalsRevolutionary Changes Begin – Church’s land seized, neighbors worriedThe Reign of Terror, 1793-1794September Massacres – one way to clean out the prison populationGuillotine – democratic & used on Louis XVI +40,000The Jacobins

Girondists & the MountainMaximilien Robespierre – king of the hill

Women & the Revolution – women’s sacrifices go unrewardedThe end of Robespierre – when he dies, the end is near

The French Revolution, 1789-1815The French Revolution, 1789-1815 … continuedReaction and the Rise of Napoleon, 1795-1815 – coup détente – popular authoritarianismFrance under Napoleon

1801 – Civil Code: Protection for persons and property1804 – Concordat with Church & declared himself emperorFree speech limited

French Expansion and DefeatStarts off undefeated in battleContinental System – unified economic Europe – BritainIberian war – King of Portugal to BrazilRussian Scorched Earth Policy – losses 95% of ArmyLoses and exiled to Elba, leaves for 100 days – WaterlooSt. Helena in South Atlantic

Revolution Spreads, Conservatives Respond, 1789-1850Revolution Spreads, Conservatives Respond, 1789-1850The Haitian Revolution, 1789-1804 – while the cat’s away…Accounted for 66% of French tropical imports and 33% of French Foreign tradeGens de Couleur (free mixed race) sent delegates to Estates General for greater freedomsThe Haitian Revolution begins – colonial government weakened

Rebelling slaves killed & destroyed plantationsToussaint L’Ouverture takes military leadershipDefeats British expeditionary force and next door SpanishNapoleon sent forces , Toussaint ends up in Prison, eventually Haiti

The Congress of Vienna & Conservative Retrenchment, 1815-1820Balance of Power, reseat Iberian monarchies, reestablish bordersThe Holy Alliance – Austria/Russia/PrussiaNationalism, Reform, and Revolution, 1821-1850Greek Independence – from OttomansRevolutionary Fears in France and BritainThe Revolutions of 1848 – Paris/Vienna/Rome/Berlin looking for self-determination