UNIT 5: Revolutions c. 1750 - 1900

Unit 5

• Revolutions

• C. 1750 - 1900

• explores the rise of new political systems, expanded rights, and the emergence of modern ideologies

• American, French, and Haitian Revolutions

Enlightenment

intellectual and cultural movement that emphasized reason, individual liberty, and scientific inquiry

• challenged traditional authority and promoted new ideas about politics, society, and human rights

• CONTEXT FOR EVERYTHING IN THIS UNIT

John Locke

all individuals are born with inherent rights, including the right to life, liberty, and property - these rights fundamental and inalienable

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Theory

Social Contract theory: a government's power comes from the consent of the governed, not divine right or hereditary rule

• people give up some of their rights for good in the community for mutual power (government) and rights (people)

Montesquieu’s Theory

Separation of Powers: power should be divided among different branches, each with its own distinct functions, to prevent tyranny and ensure a system of checks and balances

American Revolution: Causes

• Enlightenment

• French & Indian War (Natives + French VS British): war debts

  • British won

• Increased taxation

  • required a tax on various printed materials for paying off debt

• Declaration of Independence

  • showed the colonists' commitment to gaining independence

American Revolution: Effects

• official recognition of American independence from Great Britain, leading to the formation of the United States of America

• Bill of Rights created

  • from Enlightenment ideas - First Amendment (free speech and practice of religion)

• led to the French Revolution

French Revolution: Causes

• HAITIAN REVOLUTION OCURRING

• Enlightenment - challenging their monarchy for rights and constitution

• French & Indian War - war debt/financial crisis

• food shortages

• constitutional monarchy that limited the rights of the king

• Estate System: society was rigidly structured into three estates (based on status and rights

French Revolution: Effects

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen - modern human rights principles

• ended absolute monarchy: revolution overthrew the monarchy and established a republic, ending the feudal system and weakened the power of the elite

• rise of the middle class

• Napoleon: weak government from the American Revolution allowed him to rise in power

  • authoritarian government: power is concentrated in the hands of a single individual or a small group, with limited or no individual freedom and rights

Haitian Revolution: Causes

• FRENCH REVOLUTION OCURRING

• brutal slavery occurring

• Enlightenment: emphasized reason, individual rights, and equality

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

• rigid social hierarchy with white colonists at the top

• Toussaint Louverture: emerged as a brilliant military and political leader after being a FORMER SLAVE

  • led the revolt of enslaved people in Saint Domingue against French colonial rule

Haitian Revolution: Effects

• end of French colonial rule

• the abolition of slavery in Haiti

• end of the Atlantic Slave Trade

• established as a republic

Latin American Revolution: Causes

• discontent with Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule

• the rise of Creole elites

• Enlightenment: emphasized reason, individual rights, and equality

• earlier revolutions like the American and French Revolutions

• Simón Bolívar - a crucial figure in the Latin American Revolutions

Latin American Revolution: Effects

• creation of numerous independent nation-states:

  • Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Mexico, etc…

• economies began to integrate into the global market

• decline of European colonial power in the Americas

Simón Bolívar

• a crucial figure in the Latin American Revolutions

• embraced the Enlightenment ideals of liberty and equality

• he led military campaigns to liberate several countries

  • Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia

Nationalism

a group of people with a common language, culture, and history should govern themselves

Feminism

• Equal rights for all women

• Enlightenment: emphasized reason, individual rights, and equality

• Mary Wollstonecraft & Olympe de Gouges

• a struggle for women's rights and gender equality

Suffrage

the right to vote in political elections (have representation)

Feminists

Mary Wollstonecraft:

• A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: argued for women’s right to education and participation in public life

Olympe de Gouges:

• Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen: demanded equality in marriage, property rights, and political participation for women

Both challenged gender norms and laid the foundation for future feminist movements

Liberalism

emphasizes individual rights, liberty, and limited government, often advocating for democratic reforms and the rule of law

• opposed social monarchies

• encouraged suffrage

• encouraged the Enlightenment ideals

Unification of Germany

• creation of a unified German nation-state under Prussian leadership

  • a series of wars and diplomatic alliances, effectively consolidating power under Prussian leadership

• led by Otto von Bismarck

• displays the rise of nationalism

Factors Causing the Industrial Revolution

• Proximity to waterways; access to rivers and canals

• Geographical distribution of coal, iron, and timber access

• Capitalism

• Agricultural Revolution

• technological advancements

• Urbanization: rural areas to urban centers

Factory System

factories employed large numbers of workers and power-driven machines to mass-produce goods

(OPPOSITE OF COTTAGE INDUSTRIES: produced products in homes)

Steam Engine

the energy source for many machines and vehicles, making it cheaper and easier to produce commodities in large amounts

“Second Industrial Revolution”

• marked a period of rapid advancements in steel, electricity, and chemicals, leading to mass production

  • focused on innovations like the electric power, and communication technologies like the telegraph

State-Sponsored Industrialization

• government-led reforms to modernize and industrialize a nation’s economy by investing in infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology

  • state-owned initiatives, and reforms to strengthen industries and compete with global/imperial powers

Egypt: developed a cotton textile industry to modernize and compete with European powers. Also invested in infrastructure, agriculture, and military reforms. 

Japan: During the Meiji Era, Japan adopted Western technologies, industrialized rapidly, and modernized its military, becoming a regional power

Russia: implemented industrial policies like railway expansion and promoted heavy industries such as steel and coal to promote themselves rapidly and expand economically

Capitalism

an economic and political system where trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit

• Laissez-Faire Capitalism: governments minimize interference and regulations within markets, allowing supply and demand to regulate production, pricing, and trade

Labor Unions

organized groups of workers who come together to collectively negotiate for better wages, working conditions, and benefits

• achieved shorter workdays, higher wages, improved safety standards, and child labor laws

Karl Marx

• critiqued capitalism

• proposed Communism: advocating for a classless society where the means of production are communally owned

Communism

a political and economic system with a classless society where production is collectively owned and controlled and wealth is distributed equally

Socialism

an economic and political system where production is owned and controlled by the community or state, rather than by private individuals

Ottoman Empire: Attempts to Modernize

Tanzimat Reforms: to modernize the Ottoman Empire by adopting European models

• strengthen the central government and reduce the power of local elites

• European-style legal codes were adopted

• railways and other infrastructure projects were implemented