The Age of RevolutionsNorth American, French, Latin American and

Haitian

Comparing Atlantic RevolutionsRevolutions of North America, Latin America,

Haiti and France all influenced each other- all grew out of enlightenment ideas

Locke and Rousseau – social contract“popular sovereignty” - the authority to

govern comes from the people, not from God or tradition

Example of Popular Sovereignty

North American RevolutionThe facts are well-known

But the question is “what changed?”

Until 18th century, colonists had autonomy- they saw it as a birthright- aimed at preserving their liberties than gaining new ones

Pre-revolution North America already had a quasi-egalitarian society

Britain in the 1760’sBritain needed money for its global war with

France- imposed a number of new taxes and tariffs- colonists were not represented in parliament- denied the colonists’ identity as true Englishmen- challenged colonial economic interests- attacked established traditions of local autonomy

British North America was revolutionary for the society that had already emerged, not for the revolution itself

Impact of the American RevolutionNo significant social transformation came with independenceAccelerated democratic tendencies that were already

established- political power remained in the hands of existing elites- property requirements for voting were lowered- property rights remained intact

Many Americans thought they were creating a new world order- some acclaimed the United States as “the hope and model of the human  race”- declaration of the “right to revolution” inspired other colonies around the world- the U.S. Constitution was one of the first lasting efforts to put Enlightenment political ideas into practice

The French Revolution, 1789–1815 1000’s of French soldiers fought for the

AmericansFrance going bankrupt

- estates general called to address the taille- 3rd estate calls themselves national assembly- tennis court oath- declaration of rights of man and citizen- storming of the Bastille

French Revolution

Birth of RevolutionThe French Revolution was born out of social

conflict(unlike the American Revolution)- titled nobility resisted monarchic efforts to tax them- middle class resented aristocratic privileges

- urban poor suffered from inflation and unemployment- the peasants were oppressed

The French RevolutionFrench Revolution was violent, far-reaching,

and radical- ended hereditary privilege- even abolished slavery (for a time)- the Church was subjected to government authority- king and queen were executed (1793)- the Terror and Robespierre (1793–1794)

The New Society1792 became Year I of a new calendar

- briefly passed a law for universal male suffrage- France was divided into 83 territorial departments- created a massive army (some 800,000 men) to fight threatening neighbors- all adult males were required to serve- officers came from middle and lower classes

Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte (r. 1799–1814) seized

power in 1799- preserved many moderate elements of the revolution- kept social equality, but got rid of liberty- imposed revolutionary practices on conquered regions- resentment of French domination stimulated national consciousness throughout Europe- national resistance brought down Napoleon’s empire by 1815

Napoleon Bonaparte

Haitian Revolution Saint Dominique (later named Haiti)

- regarded as the richest colony in the world- vast majority of population were slaves- around 500,000 slaves, 40,000 whites, 30,000  “free people of color”

French Revolution sparked a spiral of violence- but revolution meant different things to different people- massive slave revolt began in 1791- became a war between a number of factions- power gradually shifted to the slaves, who were led by former slave Toussaint Louverture

Success!!!This was the only successful slave revolt in history

- declared equality for all races- divided up plantations among small farmers- subsistence farming, Haiti pulls away from global commerce

Effects of Revolution- inspired other  slave rebellions- scared whites, led to social conservatism- increased slavery elsewhere

Napoleon’s defeat in Haiti convinced him to sell Louisiana Territory to the United States

Toussiant L’Overture

Spanish American RevolutionsLatin American revolutions were inspired by earlier

revolutionary movementsnative-born elites (creoles) in Spanish colonies of

Latin America were offended at the Spanish monarchy’s efforts to control them in the eighteenth century- but there were only scattered and uncoordinated protests initially

Latin American movements were originally limited- little tradition of local self-government- society was more authoritarian- with stricter class divisions- whites were vastly outnumbered

Latin American RevolutionsCreole elites had revolution thrust upon them by

events in Europe- 1808: Napoleon invaded Spain and Portugal, put royal authority in disarray- Latin Americans were forced to take action- most of Latin America was independent by 1826

Longer process than in North America- Latin American societies were torn by class, race, and regional divisions- fear of social rebellion from below- most people in society were exploited and oppressed

A Delicate Balancing ActLeaders of independence movements appealed to

the lower classes in terms of nativism: all free people born in the Americas were Americanos- in reality, natives and blacks did not benefit much

It proved impossible to unite the various Spanish colonies, unlike the United States

After Latin American Independence- United States grew wealthier and more democratic,- Latin American countries became increasingly underdeveloped, impoverished, undemocratic, and unstable

Simon Bolivar – The Liberator

Bolivar liberated most of South America.

Echoes of RevolutionSmaller revolutions took place in Europe in

1800’s- led to greater social equality and liberation from foreign rule- by 1914, major states of Western Europe, the United States, and Argentina had universal male suffrage- even in Russia, there was a constitutional movement in 1825- abolitionist, nationalist, and feminist movements arose to question other patterns of exclusion and oppression

Abolition of SlaveryLargely ended between 1790-1890

- Enlightenment thinkers – critical of slavery- Religious groups – Protestants, Quakers also critical

Brazil – last Latin American country to abolish in 1888

Emancipation usually did not lead to improved conditions. i.e. sharecropping in US

Abolitionist Movements

NationalismThese movements brought the idea of a

“nation”- humans are divided into separate nations, each with a distinct culture and territory and deserving an independent political life- foreign rule is now regarded as heinous- loyalty shifted from clans, villages and regions to nations- science weakened religion

Napoleon’s conquests brought about national resistance

Types of NationalismPolitical unification in 1800’s, Germany, Italy

“civic nationalism” identified the “nation” with a particular territory, encouraged assimilation

some defined the nation in racial terms (e.g., Germany)

nationalism was not limited to Europe

German Racial Purity Chart

Feminist BeginningsFeminist movements in Europe/USA in 19th

century- changed the relationship between women/men- during the French Revolution, some women argued that liberty  and equality must include women- more educational opportunities and less household drudgery for middle-class women- women increasingly joined temperance movements, charities, abolitionist movements, missionary work, etc.

Women’s Movement by 1900Some women had been admitted to universitiesWomen’s literacy rates were risingSome U.S. states passed laws allowing women to

control their property and wagesSome areas liberalized divorce lawsSome women made their way into new professions

- teaching- nursing (professionalized by Florence Nightingale)- social work (Jane Addams)

1893: New Zealand was the first to grant universal female suffrage

Florence Nightengale