Revolutions

13 Colonies

British colonies in North America along the Atlantic coast that declared their independence.

Thomas Jefferson

Author of the Declaration of Independence & supporter of American independence from Great Britain.

American Revolution

This political revolution where American colonists sought to break from Great Britain & create a modern democracy.

French Revolution

The revolution that overthrew French monarchy & ended with Napoleon's seizure of power in 1799.

National Assembly

French Revolutionary assembly where the three estates came together and demanded radical change.

Marie Antoinette

Queen of France who was unpopular for her opposition to reform & was eventually overthrown & guillotined.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Statement of fundamental political rights adopted by the French National Assembly at the beginning of the French Revolution.

Reign of Terror

A period in France where revolutionary terror took over and rebels were judged severely and mostly executed.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Military leader who overthrew French Directory, ended the revolution & became emperor of the French in 1804.

Waterloo

Battle in Belgium that was Napoleon's final defeat

Toussaint L'Ouverture

A former slave (1743-1803) who wrote the first constitution of Haiti and served as the first governor of the newly independent state.

Haitian Revolution

Led by Toussaint L'Ouverture it was the only successful slave revolt in history.

Louis XVI

King of France during the French Revolution

Declaration of Independence

Signed in 1776 by US revolutionaries; it declared the United States as a free state.

Grievance

injustice; complaint

Continuities

Ways in which we remain the same or continue to reflect our past

Discontent

Unhappy; displeased; miserable.

Sovereignty

supreme power or authority

inequitable

unfair, unjust

social unrest

Protests and rebellions that are early evidence of dissatisfaction with society.

Enlightenment

A movement in the 18th century that advocated the use of reason over long-accepted ideas and social institutions.

Divine Right of Kings

Doctrine that states that the right of ruling comes from God and not people's consent

Estates General

An assembly of representatives from all three of the estates, or social classes, in France where each estate was represented by one vote.

Jacobins

The most radical political faction of the French Revolution who ruled France during the Reign of Terror.

Robespierre

The leader of the Jacobins who helped destroy the monarchy and orchestrate the Reign of Terror.

Storming of the Bastille

Destruction of the prison seen as the true start of the French Revolution.

Counter-revolutionary

a revolutionary whose aim is to reverse the changes introduced by an earlier revolution.

Bonapartists

Supporters of the return of Napoleon.

Chateau d'If

Perches on a small island. Was built to store weapons and then became a prison.

Count

historical title of status and nobility in France.

Stamp Act

an act passed by the British in 1756 that raised revenue from the American colonies by taxes in the form of a stamp required on all newspapers and legal or commercial documents

liberty

The idea of freedom within a society, usually accompanied with some restrictions on governmental power

Parliament

the lawmaking body of British government; colonists had no representatives within parliament.

Colonists

a group of people who settle living in the colony of a larger empire; people within the British Empire but not living in Great Britain were considered colonists.

Boston

Capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and birthplace of the American Revolution

Guillotine

A machine for beheading people, used as a means of execution during the French Revolution.

Marquis de Lafayette

French soldier who served under George Washington in the American Revolution and was instrumental in the creation of the Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizens during the French Revolution.

despotism

A system of government where a ruler or state holds absolute, tyrannical, and unchecked power.

terror

a state of intense or overwhelming fear usually accompanied by violence or the threat of violence to intimidate or coerce

morality

The principles of right and wrong or good and bad behavior, often guiding personal conduct and societal norms.

Committee of Public Safety

A body established during the French Revolution, tasked with protecting the revolution which, ultimately, abused its power and spread the Terror.

royal

related to a monarchy or king.

effaced

to erase or remove completely.

Viceroy

A representative of the Spanish monarch who governs a province or territory on their behalf, often with significant autonomous authority. The viceroy acted as the king's surrogate, overseeing local administration and ensuring loyalty to the crown.

Creoles

People of Spanish descent who were born in the Americas, often holding some social status but limited political power.

Peninsulares

Spanish-born individuals residing in the Americas, typically occupying the highest social and political positions within colonial society.

Simon Bolivar

A military and political leader who played a key role in Latin America's successful struggle for independence from Spanish rule. Known as "El Libertador," he was instrumental in the liberation of several South American countries.

Grito de Delores

The event that marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence, where Miguel Hidalgo called for rebellion against Spanish rule on September 16, 1810. This rallying cry signified the desire for liberty and justice among the Mexican people.