...The American and French Revolutions occurred roughly 14 years apart. On the surface, they presented many similarities, such as the guarantee of liberty, but important distinctions also appeared. The primary documents written from each revolution will demonstrate how the papers produced during this period show that the American Revolution fought a system of government while the French Revolution struggled against a hierarchical society. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress of what would become the United States of America approved its first major document: the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration outlined the grievances against the British while also providing details on the universal political values that they believed in, which supported the grievances of the writers, including issues such as taxation without representation, absolute rule, and for destroying the American colonists’ ability to trade. A key phrase of the Declaration noted that the government was legitimate if it had “consent of the governed,” which highlighted the failure of the British colonial government to fairly represent the people they governed in the 13 colonies and the divine right that the king claimed as the legitimacy of his reign. Indeed, Jefferson argued that a government that did not have the consent was not a legitimate government, and...
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...Revolutions Unit Paper Alex Koscick March 4,2012 Revolutions Paper Between the French, English, and American Revolutions, there were likes and dislikes between why they occurred in the first place, and how they came to an end. This paper will compare and contrast these wars, and help explain these likes and dislikes. One of the first similarities in why these great Revolutions begun, is that the people were unanimously angered by something that their government had done, (Monarchies in this situation.) The second similarity of the cause of these revolutions is that they the common folk felt that they weren't even within their rights to make their own choices, or that they didn't have a voice in their government. The third similarity in the causes of these revolutions is that all of these countries had enough people, to be able to make a large impression if they rose up. I believe myself that if they didn't have the forces to execute such an uprising, they probably wouldn't have even tried to take down their respective government/monarchy. Some general similarities, not necessarily based on causes and effects, are the following. All of the Revolutions discussed, were fought by the common people. All overthrew a monarchy ( King & Queen.) These next following sentences will explain some of the different reasons that the Revolutions discussed were caused. Singularly, one of the main reasons the English Revolution began was due to the fact there was an heir...
Words: 599 - Pages: 3
...Contrast The French & Haitian Revolution |INTRODUCTION | | | |Historical context (what, where, when) | |Haitian revolution & French Revolution (1789-1800’s) | |Thesis similarity | |Inspired by the enlightenment | |Thesis difference | |France overthrew monarchy (internal) Haiti overthrew imperialist power (external) | |SIMILARITIES PARAGRAPH...
Words: 1471 - Pages: 6
...The American Revolution (1775-1783) or the War for American Independence was caused by the conflicts between the 13 colonies and Britain. Although not every colonist was for the war, there was a great enough following for the colonists to believe that going to war was the only way to gain independence from the British. However, in order for this war to take place, there needed to be events leading up towards the war or the war would have no justification. Of course, the colonists were severely outnumbered so other nations that may have not been as powerful as Britain but certainly much more powerful than the colonists, came to the colonists aid. Of course, before the war there was already growing tensions between the colonists and Britain....
Words: 764 - Pages: 4
... The American and French Revolutions: Compared and Contrasted The history of the human race always has been, and most likely will always be, that of evolution and revolution. – Lewis F. Korns, Thoughts A revolution occurs when one government is overthrown and replaced with another (Yahoo). The American and French revolutions can be both compared and contrasted in their origins and outcomes. Both revolutions began due to the common peoples’ need to obtain independence and liberty from an oppressive government (2). The American Revolution was triggered by the American colonists’ need for financial independence from the overpowering nation of Great Britain, while the French revolution was a struggle to gain social equality among the masses. Although the American and French Revolutions were fought over some of the same ideas, the American Revolution is considered more "conservative" than the French is (2). The intent of the American revolutionaries was not to initiate a revolution, but rather to gain their freedom from a "long train of abuses" (Jensen). In contrast, the French were trying to cause a true revolution because they were not just fighting for freedom but rather to over throw and remove the monarchy (3). The American revolutionaries had no choice but to defend their liberties and the tactics used by the Americans were not as directly aggressive as those used by the French. The American and French Revolution...
Words: 2424 - Pages: 10
...The Haitian Revolution and the Revolution of 1848 The Haitian Revolution and the Revolution of 1848 involve two distinct regions of the world. Despite the overlap of colonization linking the regions together, they hold different motivations for starting the revolution. The major similarities can be found in the economic setting of the locations. There are also some similarities in what happens after the revolutionary dust settles. The Haitian Revolution is arguably more influential due to the reinforcement of human rights and the establishment of the black run government. There is no doubt that the Haitian Revolution set an example for universal rights established during the Enlightenment. The setting of both revolutions occurs in a highly agricultural society. In Haiti, slave labor was churning out sugar and coffee...
Words: 787 - Pages: 4
...When people think of World History, some might think of the American and French Revolutions. The American and French Revolutions were two major events that happened in the late 1700s and made an enormous impact for the original 13 colonies in America, Great Britain and France. This essay will cover the similarities and differences between these major events, such as: The factors that led to the wars, ended the wars, important figures during the wars and much more. Sit back, relax and maybe even learn something new. First and foremost, let’s start at the beginning and see what factors led to the revolutions. On April 18, 1775 General Thomas Gage, the British governor of Massachusetts, got a set of instructions from England to seize all stores...
Words: 277 - Pages: 2
...Cause and Outcome of War 1754-1815 Abstract This paper will compare and contrast the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and the War of 1812. All three wars were fought over land or expansion in one form or another. The French and Indian War was fought because both countries believed they had the right to the Ohio River Valley. This caused Britain to tax the colonist and place restrictions that led to the American Revolution. The American Revolution gave the colonies their freedom from British rule and the ability to form their nation and laws. Great Britain never respected the United States as a sovereign nation. Due to the conflict with France both France and Britain restricted U.S. imports because of the belief that the U.S. was supplying the enemy. The embargoes on American shipments along with the Native American attacks on colonist caused the War of 1812. The greatest accomplishment of the War of 1812 was the era of good feelings. Cause and Outcome of War 1754-1815 The cause and outcome of the French and Indian War, American Revolution, and the War of 1812 had many similarities. The wars started with the French and Indian war that was fought over the Ohio River Valley, which began in 1754 ending with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The American Revolutionary War was fought over the colonist not given the same rights as Englishmen along with the taxation of the colonist that began 1775 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The War of 1812 was fought because...
Words: 1654 - Pages: 7
...The American and French Revolutions had a common goal. Compare and contrast the causes and practices of the American and French Revolution. Throughout human history, few have always controlled the lives of many. This case still exists today, as governments consisting of a few hundred people attempt to do what is best for millions of others. However, the public through an electoral process most commonly selects these decision-makers. These decision-making individuals were not always selected by the public, and in some such instances, the few that ruled over others were overthrown after their actions earned the discontent of the people. Both the American Revolution and the French Revolution can be grouped as these events. In both the American and French Revolution, the ruler was regarded as a tyrant and overthrown for the benefit of the public. Although the aims of the two revolutions were quite similar, there were many differences between them. The American Revolution and the French Revolution can be categorized as events where rulers were overthrown due to their actions; however, no matter how similar the causes, there are many differences between the events of the two revolutions. The French-Indian War of 1754 was a war between the British and the French to gain control over North American colonies. The British eventually defeated the French but owed a great debt and expected the colonies to help pay for the cost of the war. The British wished to cut down on costs in its North...
Words: 3376 - Pages: 14
...Excelsior College Abstract Wars share similarities in cause, though not all are the same. The same goes for effects. The French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812 all share this. Each war had its similarities but each war had its own outcomes and reasons for the start of the war. Each war was a turning point in the history of the newly independent United States. Three Similar but Different Wars The Revolutionary war, War of 1812, and the French and Indian war had similar yet different effects on the new United States. The young United States would learn new ways of fighting and dealing with conflicts. Each war had its similarities but each war had its own outcomes and reasons for the start of the war. Each war was a turning point in the history of the newly independent United States. The French and Indian war was a starting point for the American Revolutionary War. The War of 1812 was a war to expand and verify territory borders. All the wars involved the British, French, and the Americans. The War of 1812 and the French and Indian War involved the Indians. Each war had a different treaty or agreement that settled the disagreement and evolved the way the countries fought and handled disputes. The French and Indian war was composed of three different phases. The leading causes started back in Europe with the King George’s War, which took place in between the years of 1744 and 1748. The first phase of the French and Indian War started six years after...
Words: 1137 - Pages: 5
...causes and similarities between the French, Russian and the Chinese Revolutions. An overview of how the tables have turned and how History has contributed in several ways to major political and social structuring that is taking place all around the globe in today’s world is a must in order to be able to link History with current affairs and better understand how and why certain historical events took place and had enough significance to challenge the existing system. The French, Russian and the Chinese revolutions are a perfect example of how totalitarian rule faced a strong challenge and with time was unable to resist this gradually fell apart. The revolutions paved way towards emancipation of the masses. The French revolutions success had a domino effect, the Russian followed in its footsteps and so did the Chinese. These revolutions may have not been exactly the same in nature but they did have similarities as far as causes and effects are concerned. This paper will work out an explanation of the causes and outcomes of the French Revolution of 1787-1800, the Russian Revolution of 1917-1921, and the Chinese Revolution of 1911-1949 and a detailed analysis of the three revolutions and historical references that will help understand the uprisings in a more credible manner and how although these revolutions took place at different times but their underlying goal was in many ways similar and to this day we see revolutionary leaders using the above mentioned revolutions as references...
Words: 3485 - Pages: 14
...Why and What Do We Compare? The Story of Revolution and Democratization Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Syracuse University Introduction The field of comparative politics starts with the assumption that knowledge in the social sciences must proceed by way of the search for comparisons, or what has been called "suggestive contrasts." Scholars of comparative politics compare in order to discover similarities and explain differences. As infrequent and highly complex events, revolutions have attracted a great deal of attention from comparativists. In this article, we will address the following topics: • The Concept of Revolution • Why Revolutions Happen? • Can Revolutions be Predicted? • What Do Revolutions Accomplish? • What Are some of the Failures of Revolutions? • Comparing Characteristics and Outcomes of Some Revolutions • Questions The Concept of Revolution: According to the American philosopher Richard Rorty "revolution," like such other words as "reason," "democracy," and "socialism" is a "thick word" which can be contrasted with such "thin words" as truth, dialogue, and justice. How do we define a "revolution?" How are revolutions distinct from other forms of political change such as Coup d'état, rebellion, mutiny, insurrection, or uprising? All of the above nouns may denote acts of violence aimed at changing or overthrowing an existing order or authority. However, there are important legal and political differences among them as well. ...
Words: 3593 - Pages: 15
...APUSH Study Guide 8 A weak Confederacy and the Constitution, 1776-1790 Themes/Constructs: The federal Constitution represented a moderately conservative reaction against the democratilizing effects of the Revolution and the Articles of Confederation. The American Revolution was not a radical transformation like the French or Russian revolutions, but it produced political innovations and some social change in the direction of greater equality and democracy. The American Revolution did not overturn the social order, but it did produce substantial changes in social customs, political institutions, and ideas about society and government. Among the changes were the separation of church and state in some places, the abolition of slavery in the North, written political constitutions, and a shift in political power from the eastern seaboard toward the frontier. The first weak government, the Articles of Confederation, was unable to exercise real authority, although it did successfully deal with the western lands issue. The Confederation’s weakness in handling foreign policy, commerce and the Shays Rebellion spurred the movement to alter the Articles. Instead of revising the Articles, the well-off delegates to the Constitutional Convention created a charter for a whole new government. In a series of compromises, the convention produced a plan that provided for a vigorous central government, a strong executive, the protection for property, while still upholding republican...
Words: 3481 - Pages: 14
...Name Institution Professor Date The French revolution began in 1789 until the late 1790’s. This revolution was an influential period of political upheaval in France with various social aspects. The French revolution was mainly inspired by radical and liberal ideas altering the course of modern history. The revolution triggered the decline of absolute monarchies and theocracies then replaced them with democracies and republics (Hibbert, 1999). The revolutionary wars unleashed global conflicts that extended from the Middle East to the Caribbean. This revolution was later termed by historians as being one of the greatest events to occur in the human history. Historians debate amongst themselves the causes of the great French revolution, based on the compound nature of the situation. After the American Revolution and the seven years’ war, the French government was deep in debt and thought of restoring its financial status trough the introduction of taxation schemes (Brown, 2008). Privileges enjoyed by the aristocrats and the clergy were resented after bad harvests hence also leading to the revolution. Enlightenment ideals were in demand for change of the situation at hand that resulted in the convocation of estates general and took place in May 1789. Members of the third estate took control in the first year of the revolution that saw the declaration of the right of man being passed, assault on the Bastille and the march of women Versailles...
Words: 2944 - Pages: 12
...colonized the area that would become known as United States of America. First there was the Asian nomads, who would become known as the American Indians. Europeans would be the next to colonize America, but this would be a few thousand years later, First there was the Spanish, followed by the French, and last but not least the British.(Muntone, 2011, p. 3) It was 1607 that the British founded the original colony in Jamestown, Virginia . It was the British intention from the beginning to colonize the Americas for the expansion of the British Empire. This new settlement in Jamestown would allow for the people of Jamestown to send back natural resources to England for the benefit of the mother country. These new colonies that began across North America were all British subjects or under control of the British. The Definition of Colonialism basically means when a country rules over a territory outside their own with citizens of the original Country. Another example would be when you create an empire by expanding into a region by dominance, both examples refer directly to the British in and how they treated the Native Americans.("Difference Between," 2011, p. 1) As the new settlers came to the new world there wasn’t much thought given to the Natives that currently lived there. Native Americans A good example of English relationships with the Native Americans would be Jamestown. After the settlement of Jamestown was established, the local tribe of Indians known as the Algonquian people...
Words: 1589 - Pages: 7
