French and American Revolution Key Figures, Documents, and Ideals

Who was Olympe de Gouges?

A revolutionary and strong advocate for women's rights during the French Revolution.

What document did Olympe de Gouges publish?

The Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen.

What was the main contradiction in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen?

It proclaimed freedom and equality for all, but only pertained to male citizens.

What were the two significant global results of the revolutions in the late 18th and early 19th centuries?

1) Spread of Enlightenment ideas about freedom, equality, and popular sovereignty. 2) Encouragement of the consolidation of national states.

What is popular sovereignty?

The principle that the authority of a government is created and sustained by the consent of its people.

What did revolutionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries seek?

An equal society where the government listens to the needs and interests of the people.

What was the outcome of the American Revolution?

The establishment of a government based on Enlightenment principles, including popular sovereignty.

What were the unalienable rights mentioned in the Declaration of Independence?

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

What did John Locke argue about government?

That government derives its authority from the consent of the governed and that subjects have the right to replace rulers who do not represent their interests.

What was the significance of the Boston Tea Party?

A protest against British taxation without representation, leading to increased revolutionary sentiment.

What was the 'mandate of heaven' in Imperial China?

An ancient political doctrine that justified imperial rule based on the virtue of the emperor.

What did Enlightenment thinkers advocate for?

Political equality, religious tolerance, and the idea that rulers should be accountable to the people.

What was the role of George Washington in the American Revolution?

He was a strong military leader who used guerrilla tactics to defeat British forces.

What did the Peace of Paris accomplish?

It formally recognized American independence by the British government.

What was the Continental Congress?

A meeting of representatives from the colonies to discuss resistance to British policies.

What did the Quartering Act entail?

It required colonists to provide housing and supplies for British troops stationed in the colonies.

What was the impact of Enlightenment ideas on the American government?

The creation of a constitutional framework emphasizing popular sovereignty and civil rights.

What was the primary grievance of North American colonists against British rule?

Imposition of taxes without representation and governance of their own affairs.

What is the 'divine right of kings'?

A doctrine asserting that a monarch's authority comes directly from God, not from the people.

What did Jean-Jacques Rousseau argue in The Social Contract?

That members of a society collectively hold sovereignty and that the general will supports government in the absence of a leader.

What were the Enlightenment ideals illustrated by Olympe de Gouges?

Freedom and universal human rights, advocating for equality between men and women.

What challenges did multicultural states face in the 19th century?

Strong nationalist sentiments that created problems for states like the Austrian Empire.

How did revolutions influence the formation of nation-states?

They encouraged the consolidation of territories into unified nation-states to advance national interests.

What was the significance of the slogan 'no taxation without representation'?

It encapsulated the colonists' demand for a say in their governance and opposition to British taxes.

What was the role of European states in the American Revolution?

They provided military and economic support to the American rebels against Britain.

What did the Enlightenment thinkers overlook in their advocacy for political rights?

They often did not consider extending political rights to women, minorities, or lower social classes.

What was the impact of revolutionary ideas on global politics in the 20th century?

The mid-20th century saw a global movement towards equality based on popular sovereignty.

What was the primary goal of the French revolutionaries?

To replace the preexisting government with new political, social, and cultural structures.

What financial issues contributed to the French Revolution?

The French royal government had to pay off war debts, including those from supporting the American Revolution.

What action did King Louis XVI take to address financial problems?

He attempted to tax the French Nobility after being unable to tax the peasantry further.

What was the Estates General?

An assembly representing the entire French population through three estates: Clergy, Nobility, and Everybody Else.

What did the Third Estate proclaim itself as?

The National Assembly.

What significant event did the Third Estate initiate?

They stormed the Bastille, searching for military weapons and releasing prisoners.

What document did the National Assembly adopt to assert individual rights?

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.

What principle did the National Assembly promote?

Liberty, equality, and fraternity.

What type of government did the National Assembly create?

A constitutional monarchy.

What was the fate of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette?

They were executed by guillotine.

Who dominated the Convention during the radical phase of the revolution?

Maximilien Robespierre.

What was the 'cult of reason'?

A secular alternative to Christianity promoted by the Jacobins.

What was the Directory?

A new government institution that ruled France from 1795 to 1799.

Who overthrew the Directory?

Napoleon Bonaparte.

What title did Napoleon assume after overthrowing the Directory?

Consul for life and later, Emperor.

What was the Civil Code?

A revised body of civil law that established a merit-based society and political equality for all adult men.

How did Napoleon's reign affect religious freedoms?

He made peace with the Roman Catholic Church and extended freedom of religion to Protestants and Jews.

What was a major consequence of Napoleon's invasion of Russia?

The destruction of his Grand Army due to the Russian Winter.

Where was Napoleon exiled after his defeat?

First to Elba, then to St. Helena.

What ideals did the American and French revolutions promote?

Freedom, equality, and popular sovereignty.

What was the significance of the Haitian Revolution?

It was a successful slave revolt that led to Haiti declaring independence from France in 1803.

Who was the leader of the Haitian Revolution?

Francois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture.

What was the social hierarchy in Saint-Domingue?

White residents at the top, followed by gens de couleur, and then enslaved people.

What led to the civil war in Saint-Domingue?

White settlers sought self-governance without granting equality to gens de couleur.

What grievances did the creoles have against the peninsulares?

They resented administrative control and economic regulations imposed by the Iberian powers.

What was the outcome of the Haitian Revolution?

Haiti became the first independent black-led nation in the world.

What was the role of foreign intervention in the Haitian Revolution?

It escalated the conflict between the factions in Saint-Domingue.

What happened to Napoleon after his return from Elba?

He briefly regained power before being defeated again and exiled to St. Helena.

Who led the Mexican War of Independence?

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

What was the outcome of Miguel Hidalgo's initial uprising?

Despite his death, the revolution for independence from Spain continued for three years.

Who declared Mexico's independence from Spain?

Creole general Augustin de Iturbide

What happened to Augustin de Iturbide after declaring independence?

He was deposed by creole elites, leading to the creation of a republic.

What was Gran Colombia?

A confederation of former Spanish colonies in South America led by Simón Bolívar.

What inspired Simón Bolívar in his fight for independence?

Enlightenment ideas such as popular sovereignty and the example of George Washington.

What was the significance of Pedro's declaration of independence in Brazil?

He declared Brazil's independence and became Emperor Pedro I.

What characterized the new independent states in Latin America post-independence?

They granted military authority to local strongmen called caudillos and maintained social hierarchies.

What ideologies emerged from the American and French revolutions?

Conservatism and Liberalism.

How did conservatives view social change?

As a slow process, condemning radical changes.

Who was a prominent exponent of liberalism?

John Stuart Mill.

What did John Stuart Mill advocate for?

Individual freedom and universal suffrage.

What limitations characterized voting rights during the Age of Revolution?

Voting was seen as a privilege, with disenfranchisement based on citizenship, class, age, gender, and race.

What was the role of Olaudah Equiano in the abolition movement?

He was a freed slave who voiced opposition to slavery.

What significant legislation did William Wilberforce help pass?

A bill to stop the slave trade in 1807.

What was the outcome of the abolition of slavery?

Legal freedom for African and African-American slaves, but political equality did not follow.

How did women's rights activists draw from Enlightenment ideas?

They referenced equality to advocate for women's rights.

What was Mary Wollstonecraft's contribution to women's rights?

She published 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,' advocating for women's education.

What role did women play in the revolutions of the late 18th and early 19th centuries?

They aided in the fight, ran businesses, and led revolutionary movements.

What rights were granted to women during the French Revolution?

Increased rights included free public education and the right to divorce.

What happened to women's rights under Napoleon in France?

Many rights were overturned.

What was the Seneca Falls Convention?

A meeting where women's rights activists passed resolutions for equal rights.

What specific rights did the resolutions from the Seneca Falls Convention call for?

Voting rights, access to public schools, professional occupations, and participation in public affairs.

What significant change regarding women's rights occurred in the 19th century?

Women began receiving education as a right.

What was a major limitation for women in the 19th century despite gaining education?

Women rarely entered professional occupations and lacked the right to vote.

What social change occurred in the 20th century regarding women's rights?

Women eventually gained rights comparable to those of men.

What was the impact of Enlightenment values on nationalism in Europe?

Enlightenment values spread through revolutions but nationalism was often distinct from these ideals.

How did wartime experiences influence national identity in Europe?

Wartime experiences encouraged people to see themselves as members of distinct national communities.

What was the role of nationalist leaders in the late 19th century?

They worked to create states based on national identities.

What aspects were commonly associated with a nation in the 19th century?

A common language, customs, values, and sometimes religious beliefs.

Who was a significant cultural nationalist in the 19th century?

Johann Gottfried von Herder.

What was the purpose of Giuseppe Mazzini's group, Young Italy?

To promote independence from Austrian and Spanish rule and form an Italian national state.

What was one consequence of nationalism in Europe?

It had the potential to fuel conflicts between different groups, such as the emergence of Zionism.

What did the first Zionist Congress aim to achieve?

To establish a home for Jewish people in Palestine.

What was a significant event that highlighted anti-Semitism in Europe?

The trial of Alfred Dreyfus.

What was the Congress of Vienna's primary goal?

To restore sovereignty to Europe's royal families and suppress national consciousness.

What inspired a wave of rebellions in Europe from the 1820s to the 1840s?

Nationalist sentiments and the desire for independence.

Which countries sought independence during the wave of rebellions in Europe?

Greece, Belgium, Italy, and Poland.

What was the outcome of the unification movements in Italy?

Italy was unified under leaders like Count Camillo di Cavour and King Vittore Emmanuele II.

What was the German Confederation created by the Congress of Vienna?

A union of 39 city-states dominated by Austria.

What role did nationalism play in the unification of Germany?

It harnessed nationalist aspirations to achieve unification through political leadership.

How did the unification of Italy and Germany demonstrate the power of nationalism?

It showed that strong political, diplomatic, and military leadership could mobilize national sentiment.

What was the political organization model that emerged by the end of the 19th century in Europe?

The national state became a powerful model of political organization.

What characterized the government system in Canada after gaining independence?

A weak federal government with provinces having considerable power over local affairs.

What was a major difference between the US and Canada regarding independence?

The US fought a war for independence, while Canada gained independence without conflict.