Revolutions in the West, 1750-1830

Flashcards covering the key topics from the lecture notes on Revolutions in the West, 1750-1830.

Who was Simón Bolívar?

Venezuelan revolutionary leader who led military forces throughout present-day Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru.

What inspired Simón Bolívar?

He vowed to help liberate South America from the Spanish empire and was inspired by the French Revolution and Enlightenment ideas.

What were the major revolutions during the period 1750-1830?

American War of Independence (1776-1783), French Revolution (1789-1799), Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), Latin American Revolutions (1800-1824)

What was a significant change in thinking during the Age of Revolutions?

People began to believe they had the right to participate in government.

What were the main reasons for the colonists' resentment towards British rule?

Shipping, trading, and manufacturing restrictions; taxation without representation; disputes over land.

What impact did the Seven Years’ War have on the relationship between Britain and its American colonies?

Increased tensions between the British and colonists due to increased military presence and new taxes imposed by British authorities.

What was Common Sense?

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 that advocated for severing ties with Britain based on Enlightenment ideals.

What was the Declaration of Independence?

A formal declaration approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, listing grievances against the British and declaring the universal political values the colonists claimed to follow.

What factors contributed to the Colonial Continental Army's advantages in the Revolutionary War?

French support, Washington's leadership, and the British surrender at Yorktown.

What powers were granted to the federal government under the U.S. Constitution?

Granted the federal government powers of taxation, judicial oversight, banking, diplomacy, and warfare, ensuring a separation of powers through checks and balances.

What were some key contradictions of the American Revolution?

It represented a rejection of colonial rule, but resulted in westward expansion at the expense of Native Americans and excluded many groups from full participation.

What were the origins of the French Revolution?

Louis XVI's inability to unite his subjects, an empty treasury, tremendous public debt, and tax burden on commoners.

What were the three Estates in pre-revolutionary France?

First Estate (clergy), Second Estate (nobility), and Third Estate (everyone else).

What actions did the Third Estate take during the early phase of the French Revolution?

The Third Estate organized into the National Assembly and issued the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen,” declaring equality before the law and natural rights.

What were some key reforms during the first phase of the French Revolution?

Noble privileges were eliminated, serfdom and slavery were abolished, freedom of worship was declared, and church property was nationalized.

What was the Flight to Varennes?

June 1791, the Royal Family attempted to escape to Belgium to orchestrate an anti-Revolution coalition and restore order but failed.

What characterized The Terror phase of the French Revolution (1793-95)?

Domination by the Jacobins led by Maximilian Robespierre, who wanted a state based on absolute equality and the “general will,” resulting in a period of ruthless repression and executions.

What led to the establishment of the Directory in France?

Members of the middle class favored a more moderate republic, leading to the disbanding of the Committee of Public Safety and the establishment of the Directory, an executive body comprised of five members.

How did Napoleon come to power in France and what were the key events of his rule?

Seized power through a coup d’état in 1799 and implemented reforms while also pursuing military victories that increased French nationalism, but was eventually defeated by a coalition of European powers.

What was the economic significance of Saint-Domingue (Haiti) to France?

France's richest overseas colony, producing vast wealth from sugar plantations through the labor of 500,000 black slaves.

How did the Haitian Revolution result in independence?

Led by Toussaint L’Ouverture, slaves fought for freedom and won control of most of the island, leading to Haiti’s independence in 1804.

What inspired revolutions in Spanish and Portuguese America?

Revolutionary enthusiasm spread to Spanish and Portuguese America among Creole elites and lower classes, mobilizing European ideas against European colonizers.

Who led and benefitted from the Latin American Revolutions?

Creole elites sought control of countries and enjoyment of Enlightenment ideals, resenting the peninsulares.

Who led the fight for independence in Spanish South America?

Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín led wars for independence against Spain between 1810 and 1824, resulting in the creation of 18 different nations led by military strongmen.

How did Mexico achieve independence?

Mexico gained autonomy from the Spanish crown during the Napoleonic wars.

How did Brazil achieve independence?

Brazil’s road to statehood involved little political turmoil and no social revolution, with Pedro declaring Brazil independent with a constitutional monarchy in 1822.

What were the consequences of independence in Haiti and Latin America?

Criollos benefitted most from independence, while Africans, Amerindians, and those of mixed descent were not rewarded with power or privilege, and Latin America remained economically dependent on Western capital.