Age of Revolutions Study Guide - Test Review

Great Britain:

West Africa: Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria
North Africa: Egypt, Sudan
South Africa

France

Indochina (Indonesia): Cambodia, Laos, Annam, Tonkin, Mekong Delta (Cochinchina)

Japan

Korea, Taiwan, Manchuria

Only TWO states remained independent after the Berlin Conference:

1. Ethiopia - Protected by mountains and Christian population 

2. Liberia - Founded by ex-slaves from USA, had "protection" of the United States 

Examples of Colonial Labor Exploitation:

Great Britain:
Sepoys (Indian soldiers) forced to work for British East India Company
Used Indian labor to extract: Gold, Salt, Diamonds
Indians forced to export raw materials rather than develop their own manufacturing
France:
Exploited labor in Indochina for: teak wood, rubber, tin, spices, tea, coffee, sugar
Plantation work in dense jungles
Japan:
Exploited Korean and Chinese labor for: coal, iron, tea, silk
Forced assimilation policies on Koreans

Which environmental factor helped with industrialization the most in countries likeEngland and Germany?

Coal was the most important environmental factor that helped industrialization in England and Germany because:
Provided energy for steam engines
Powered factories and railroads
Japan also increased coal production during Meiji Era
Coal availability determined which countries could industrialize rapidly

Capitalism

Private ownership of property and businesses
Free market economy
Competition drives innovation
Helped most: Business owners, entrepreneurs, wealthy individuals

Socialism

Belief that political equality is meaningless without economic equality
Some government control of industry
Focus on workers' rights
Helped most: Working class people seeking better conditions

Communism

Complete government control of economy
No private property
Equal distribution of wealth
Emerged after failures of 1848 revolutions (Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto)
Helped most: In theory, the poorest workers; in practice, often government officials

Haiti was the first state to ever have a slave uprising to succeed. What was the sadresult of this?

Despite gaining freedom, Haiti faced international isolation
Other slave-holding nations (including USA) refused to recognize Haiti
Economic struggles due to lack of trade partners
Had to pay enormous reparations to France
Set back Haiti's development for generations

Haiti's Success (1791):

Led by Toussaint L'Ouverture (former slave)
Created the 2nd independent country in Western Hemisphere
ONLY slave revolt to result in creation of independent state

Which enlightenment ideals caused the revolutions of the 1770's-1810's?

1. Natural Rights - Life, liberty, property (John Locke) 

2. Social Contract Theory - Government power comes from consent of the governed 

3. Constitutional Government - Limited government with checks on power 

4. Equality Before the Law - All people born with equal rights 

5. Separation of Powers - Legislative, executive, judicial branches (Montesquieu) 

6. Freedom of Speech - (Voltaire) 

7. "No taxation without representation" - American Revolution 

8. "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" - French Revolution slogan

The French Revolution and Napoleon helped create what ism? (French NationalAnthem is a part of this ism)

Answer: NATIONALISM
Created national pride in France for revolutionary ideals
Wars inspired nationalism across Europe
French National Anthem embodies nationalist spirit
Led to unification movements in Germany and Italy
Napoleon spread these ideals through conquest

Europe used their colonies as what?

Answer: Sources of RAW MATERIALS and MARKETS for manufactured goods 

Specifically: 

• Exploited natural resources - minerals, crops, lumber 

• Exported raw materials to Europe 

• Markets for Western manufactured goods - colonies forced to buy European products 

• Discouraged local manufacturing - kept colonies dependent on mother country 

• Source of cheap labor 

Which group of people led revolutions in Latin America? (Simon Bolivar, San Martin)

Answer: CREOLES (People of Spanish descent born in the Americas)
Key Leaders:
Simón Bolívar:
Led revolts in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
Formed Gran Colombia (collapsed by 1831)
Known as "The Liberator"
José de San Martín:
Also a major leader in Latin American independence movements
Context:
These were wealthy, educated people of European descent
Inspired by Enlightenment ideals
Took advantage of Spanish weakness after Napoleonic Wars
Fought against Spanish mercantile trade policies

Written Response Question 1: Causes of French Revolution

Three Key Causes (Minimum 150 words):

Cause 1: Financial Crisis

• Louis XVI had huge debts from wars and Versailles

• Bankers refused to loan more money (1788)

• Government was broke and couldn't pay bills

Cause 2: Unfair Tax System (Three Estates)

• 1st Estate (clergy) and 2nd Estate (nobles) paid ZERO taxes

• 3rd Estate (98% of people) paid ALL the taxes

• Poor people funded rich people's lifestyle

• No political power for common people

Cause 3: Bread Crisis/Starvation

• French ate 2 pounds of bread per day

• Bad harvests = super high bread prices

• Wages stayed low, prices went up

• People literally starving while nobles partied

Extra points to add:

• Louis XVI was weak leader

• Enlightenment ideas spread (liberty, equality)

• American Revolution inspired French people

• Marie Antoinette's excessive spending angered people

Written Response Question 2: Effects of Industrial Revolution

Written Response Question 2: Effects of Industrial Revolution (150+ words)

Good stuff:

• New jobs in factories

• Economic growth

• Cities connected by railroads

Bad stuff:

• Crowded, dirty slums

• Dangerous factory work

• Child labor

• 12-16 hour workdays, terrible pay

Effect 2: Economic Changes

Good stuff:

• More products made faster

• Cheaper goods for consumers

• New technology (trains, steamships)

• Countries like Britain got rich and powerful

Bad stuff:

• Led to imperialism (colonizing Africa/Asia)

• Exploited colonies for raw materials

• Forced colonies to buy European goods

Effect 3: New Political Ideas

Good stuff:

• Socialism and labor unions fought for workers

• Eventually got better working conditions

• Child labor laws passed

Bad stuff:

• Communism emerged (Karl Marx)

• Big gap between rich factory owners and poor workers

• Class conflict and tension

Extra points to add:

• Changed from farming to factory economy

• Population boom in cities

• Environmental pollution from factories

• Women and children worked in factories

Key Terms to Remember

• Social Contract Theory - Government created by people to protect rights 

• Natural Rights - Life, liberty, property 

• Absolutism - Total control by monarch ("Divine Right of Kings") 

• Imperialism - Stronger nation controls weaker one 

• Social Darwinism - Racist ideology justifying imperialism ("survival of fittest") 

• Nationalism - Loyalty and devotion to nation; belief in superiority 

• Realpolitik - Tough, practical politics (Bismarck's policy) 

• Sepoy - Indian soldier working for British 

• Creole - Person of European descent born in Americas 

Quick Reference Timeline

1700-1800: Enlightenment
1775-1783: American Revolution
1789-1799: French Revolution
1791: Haitian Revolution
1799-1815: Napoleonic Era
1815: Congress of Vienna / Berlin Conference
1815-1848: The Restoration
1820s: Latin American Independence
1848: Revolutions across Europe / Communist Manifesto
1857: Sepoy Mutiny (India)
1867-1912: Meiji Era (Japan)
1900: Boxer Rebellion (China)
1904-1905: Russo-Japanese War