History-Social Science Content Standards 2
10.2 Students compare and contrast the Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution and their enduring effects worldwide on the political expectations for self-government and individual liberty.
The Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution were all something that changed each countries way of government. The Glorious Revolution of England had James II of England to be overthrown in 1968. This ended absolute monarchy and since 1968 the United Kingdom is governed from a constitutional monarchy. The American Revolution gave the political separation of the thirteen colonies from the British Empire and the development of the United States. The American Revolution also influenced some European politicians that later took part in the French Revolution. The French Revolution had democracy and republicanism replace constitutional monarchy. This was the turning point for Europe from the change of absolutism to citizenry.
1. Compare the major ideas of philosophers and their effects on the democratic revolutions in England, the United States, France, and Latin America (e.g., John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Simón Bolívar, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison).
John Locke believed that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property and they have the right to change a government. Montesquieu thought that the posers of government should be separated into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This was to prevent any group to gain too much power. Rousseu thought that people were basically good but are corrupted by society. His idea of a society is that people would make and obey the laws. Bolivar helped liberate northern South America from Spain. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence which reflected the ideas of John Locke. James Madison is referred to the “Father of the Constitution.” He protested that the constitution document was the work of many and not by one, and he also shaped the Bill of Rights. Each of these philosophers helped form England, the United States, France, and Latin America by each giving their own beliefs and ideas.
3. Understand the unique character of the American Revolution, its spread to other parts of the world, and its continuing significance to other nations.
The American Revolution led to the creation of America. It separated the thirteen colonies from Great Britain. It spread to other parts of the world by influencing many other countries such as France that later had the French Revolution which replaced absolute monarchy to republicanism. The American Revolution also influence South America which wars that are referred to Bolivar’s War. Simón Bolívar was their leader who eventually who later made many of the South American states independent. The continuing significance to other nations is the idea that the American Revolution has given which was the fight for independence.
4. Explain how the ideology of the French Revolution led France to develop from constitutional monarchy to democratic despotism to the Napoleonic empire.
The rebellions against absolute monarchy resulted to the French Revolution. It changed the government by forming a constitutional monarchy which created The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. More reforms developed later such as women gained some rights after demands were made and also the de-Christianization of France which banned many religious festivals and replacing them with secular celebrations. Napoleon became emperor of France after he gained enough power. The most lasting reforms for Napoleon’s was the Napoleonic Code which stated the Enlightenment principle such as the equality of all citizens before the law, religious toleration and it also made many of the new women’s rights lost.
5. Discuss how nationalism spread across Europe with Napoleon but was repressed for a generation under the Congress of Vienna and Concert of Europe until the Revolutions of 1848.
Nationalism spread across Europe with Napoleon by his support in trying to govern his country and also the support of his accomplishments from the battlefield. This support had spread across Europe and later was repressed from the Congress of Vienna. The goal of The Congress was to establish a balance of power and to protect the system of monarchy. The decisions that were made lasted for the next hundred years in Europe. The Concert of Europe helped protect the new order by including all of the major European stated and each leader pledged to maintain the balance of power and to suppress any uprisings inspired by the ideas of the French Revolution.