septeember 3 us survery history (second class) week 2
Founding Figures, Handwriting, and Early Ideas
The speaker emphasizes this isn’t just a select group; identifying a dozen people offhand isn’t possible. The founding fathers were many, and historians say there were about founding fathers, including many politicians’ wives.
The idea-building happened around the kitchen table, sometimes at two o’clock in the morning. "They have the on the next slide"—the Declaration of Independence appears later in the discussion.
The original drafts of the Declaration reportedly have wine glass stains and little rings, showing people were drinking while drafting.
The people who came up with the ideas included Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and two others, but the person who actually put pen to paper and wrote the Declaration was Thomas Jefferson’s wife. (Note: the speaker emphasizes this point with a mix of humor and historical ambiguity.)
Handwriting in the era: men were not generally taught handwriting; handwriting quality varied, with John Hancock famous for his signature while many men had “chicken scratch.”
Edward Rutledge is given as an example of poor handwriting among signers.
The message: there were many people helping beyond the canonical founding fathers; not all contributions were by the famous names.
The Continental Congress: Two Phases and War Coordination
The First Continental Congress: formed to plan what to do, but realized they needed an organizing body.
The Second Continental Congress vs the First:
The Second Continental Congress is different in that it will be the most persistent and the longest-lasting governing body (the same body, later under new ownership in the 1790s).
It coordinates the war, appoints George Washington as commander in chief, and names him a general.
It ultimately signs the Treaty of Paris with the French, which confirms British defeat.
The early period lacked a clear leadership or propaganda language for independence, hence the need for continuous organization.
Common Sense and the Push for Independence
Thomas Paine, an influential English-born thinker in America, published Common Sense anonymously at first.
Publication impact: first week sold around copies; by week , about copies; everyone knew Paine was the author due to the plain language and widespread distribution.
Common Sense length: about pages long.
Content and tone: it calls out King George III by name and describes him as an "animalistic brute" (the exact phrasing exists in various editions).
The pamphlet argued that America must break away and declare independence; its arguments align closely with the later Declaration of Independence.
The pamphlet is a foundational text for revolutionary rhetoric; Jefferson’s later drafting of the Declaration echoes many ideas from Common Sense.
The linkage between Common Sense and the Declaration illustrates the flow from popular pamphleteering to formal constitutional declaration.
The Declaration of Independence: Drafting, Script, and Handwriting Details
The Declaration is typically attributed to Thomas Jefferson, with Jefferson as one of four primary drafters; but the speaker notes that the actual act of writing the document was performed by Jefferson’s wife, per the audience’s interpretation.
Handwriting features in the historical discussion: the text includes many dashes, which served as stopping points for the writer to ensure sentences were secure before continuing. These drafting marks are used to illustrate how documents were composed in real time.
A conspiracy-theory aside is mentioned: some claim the different line sizes in the text encode alien messages; the speaker dismisses it as a curiosity.
A humorous aside: the reference to July 4, 1776 as the declaration of independence, with the note that Britain did not immediately recognize independence, leading to armed conflict.
The American Revolution’s timeline is summarized narrowly: the war begins in 1776 and lasts until 1783, with major campaigns and events described rather than a full battle-by-battle account.
The speaker remarks on the often-quoted imagery of Washington crossing the Delaware, Valley Forge, and other battle clichés, but notes the emphasis is not on militaristic detail here.
The Battle of Yorktown is treated as a decisive moment more than a singular grand battle; the French alliance, particularly their naval blockade, is highlighted as crucial to the American victory.
Benjamin Franklin is nicknamed the “founding flirt” due to his sociability and his ability to secure French support; he maintained close relations with French courtiers and used those connections to obtain funding for the American cause.
Franklin’s fundraising strategy is described as a network: wealthy patrons and “family checker” (chequero) accountants who managed the flow of funds and who fostered competition among donors to match or exceed contributions.
The Yorktown surrender is described as a result of British strategic failures and the French naval blockade; the scene is argued to be less like dramatic cinema and more like a siege of logistics and supply.
The French alliance and Franklin’s role illustrate the transatlantic nature of the revolution, showing how diplomacy and finance intersected with military action.
The French Revolution: Causes, Events, and Foundational Texts
The French Revolution begins in 1789 as a response to a combination of debt, famine, and discontent, with debt exacerbated by the Seven Years’ War, funding of the American Revolution, and three major blizzards between 1785 and 1787 that worsened famine.
Louis XVI: A Bourbon king, born into privilege (the “nepo baby” of the family), who showed little interest in effective governance and allowed others to run the state; his dented legitimacy and indecisiveness contributed to revolutionary pressure.
Marie Antoinette is described through popular legend as a controversial figure; the speaker notes the famous line “Let them eat cake” is a mischaracterization or simplification, but demonstrates the disconnect between the monarchy and starving population.
The move from the monarchy to a broader political assembly begins with the Tennis Court Oath on 06/20/1789, marking the political birth of the National Assembly and a commitment to reform.
The Bastille is stormed on 07/14/1789, a symbolic beginning of the revolution; the Bastille’s destruction is described in vivid terms (the crowd breaks in, armed with rum, and tears the prison down brick-by-brick; the note mentions that the stones were dumped into the river).
The Bastille’s fall is contrasted with the ongoing political process: the constitution and a more representative government emerge later as the monarchy’s authority is challenged.
The famous scene of the “Tennis Court Oath” is coupled with details about the room’s continued existence today as a historic site.
The fall of the Bastille and the July revolutionary momentum lead to broader calls for rights and representation; the revolution is depicted as a struggle between famine, debt, and demands for political reform.
The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) is introduced as a direct consequence of the rights of man and a statement that universal rights apply to all, including colonial subjects; it becomes the first successful abolition movement and reshapes Atlantic politics.
The “Rights of Man” is described as the most important European document of its era; it becomes a touchstone for later political rights and informs the French constitution.
The image of the Right of Man is connected to the Tiananmen Square photograph (a man with a folded paper in his back pocket), illustrating the enduring symbolic power of natural rights.
The guillotine is discussed as a tool designed to make executions more humane and accessible; it becomes a symbol of equality in death, used across major French cities.
The French Revolution’s revolutionary politics lead to an ongoing cycle of constitutional experimentation and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who eventually crowns himself emperor and reshapes Europe.
The obelisk in Paris is introduced as an Egyptian artifact associated with Napoleon; the speaker notes the popular myth around Napoleon stealing the obelisk from Egypt, clarifying it as a story rather than a fact.
The period’s geography is highlighted by references to the Louvre, the Madeleine, the Champs-Élysées, and the Seine, mapping where historic sites are located for context.
The roller-coaster nature of the revolution is acknowledged: some positive outcomes, some extreme violence, and the long-term influence on constitutional design and universal rights.
The speaker notes that the revolution’s violence and the suspension of rights (the “Rights of Man”) foreshadow later waves of political reform and the paradoxes of revolutionary justice.
The international ripple effects are underscored: Haiti’s revolution, enslaved peoples’ abolition movements, and the long-term global debates about liberty, rights, and governance.
Haiti, Toussaint Louverture, and the Global Ripple Effects
Saint-Domingue (Haiti) was the French Empire’s most valuable colony, rich in coffee and sugar; it was divided into several provinces (Northern, Western, Southern) and was the source of vast wealth for France.
The Haitian Revolution begins in the context of the broader rights discourse; the idea that rights apply to all led enslaved people to organize and challenge the plantation system.
Toussaint Louverture emerges as a central leader: born enslaved on a plantation (sickly as a child, likely with childhood cancer, later recovered), he becomes a master horseman and a transformative military leader.
Louverture’s early life and skillset: as a sick child, he spent time around enslaved healers and midwives, gaining medical knowledge, knowledge of childbirth, and an understanding of anatomy; he uses this to train and organize his troops.
He is reputed to have trained every new recruit in literacy, languages, horse care, and medical care; his leadership emphasizes education and discipline in his army.
The role of Toussaint as commander: he names a key lieutenant, Dessalines, who ultimately leads after Toussaint’s capture.
The French alliance with the revolutionaries is mediated by Toussaint and the French colonial officials; the decisive turning point is Cap-Français (Cap-Frénais) in 1793, where the destruction and capture of royal symbols mark a significant event in the revolutionary arc.
The revolution’s violence escalates: Napoleon later orders the extermination of slaves, a brutal policy that leads to Toussaint’s exile and death in a French prison (the “personal prison” of Napoleon).
Toussaint’s leadership details: he spoke multiple languages (seven known; five confirmed), excelled at horsemanship, and built a highly educated, well-trained army. His education of soldiers, teaching them reading and writing, and expanding their linguistic capabilities, sets him apart as a strategic organizer.
Napoleon’s interventions: after Toussaint’s leadership, Dessalines continues the fight; Napoleon’s attempt to suppress the Haitian Revolution culminates in Toussaint’s exile and eventual death; Napoleon’s order to exterminate slaves underscores his broader imperial strategy.
The Haitian Revolution’s outcome: Haiti becomes a symbolic beacon for anti-slavery movements, inspiring abolitionists elsewhere, including in the United States, and prompting pro-slavery counter-movements in some places.
The diaspora: following upheavals in Haiti, refugees and former enslaved individuals move to New Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah, affecting political and social dynamics in the United States.
The long-term link to abolition in the United States: the Haitian example tempers abolitionist momentum in the U.S. and intensifies debates about race, slavery, and republics.
The broader historical arc ends with Haiti’s ongoing evolution (the discussion notes a later split into the Kingdom of Haiti and the Republic of Haiti, to be covered in a different class).
Napoleon, the Aftermath, and the Modern Constitution
Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power after the Haitian and French revolutionary periods; his reign marks a shift from revolutionary upheaval to imperial consolidation.
Napoleon’s famous quip about sugar, coffee, and colonies signals his recalibration of imperial focus toward the European mainland; his strategic priorities center on Mainland Europe rather than overseas colonies.
The post-Napoleonic era redrew the map of Europe; the resulting arrangements contribute to long-term geopolitical tensions and lay groundwork for future conflicts, including World War I.
The lecture emphasizes that while Napoleon is often mythologized as a great strategist, his legacy includes both reform and reckless expansion; the map changes after 1815 have lasting consequences for European and global history.
Thematic Takeaways and Connections
Interconnected revolutions: American Revolution (1776–1783), French Revolution (1789–1799), and Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) are deeply interwoven; ideas about natural rights, representation, and universal liberty travel across the Atlantic and inspire movements globally.
Rights as universal: the Declaration’s influence and the Rights of Man document underpin the belief that natural rights apply to all people, including those in colonies or empires, which bleeds into abolitionist and anti-colonial movements.
The power of pamphlets and rhetoric: Common Sense demonstrates how accessible language and pamphleteering can mobilize popular support for radical political change.
The role of material culture and artifacts: drafts, penmanship details, and famous artifacts (Tennis Court, Bastille, Cap-Français, the Egyptian obelisk) illustrate how physical objects and documents shape national memory.
Ethics and violence: revolutions frequently involve violence, suppression of rights, and mass executions; the balance between liberty and security, and the costs of political transformation, remain central ethical questions.
Global consequences: events in Haiti reverberate in North America and Europe, influencing slave economies, abolition movements, and the political calculus around race and citizenship in the Atlantic world.
Timeline Snapshot (Key Dates)
Founding context and early ideas: late 18th century; the Founding Fathers and legal preservation begin to coalesce.
Common Sense published: first weeks, quick spread; length pages; calls out King George III by name.
Declaration of Independence drafted (Jefferson as primary drafter; wife as scribe in some accounts): 1776; discussed in the context of Doubts about authorship and penmanship.
Second Continental Congress: coordinates war, appoints Washington, later negotiates with France; signs Treaty of Paris.
American Revolution: 1776–1783 (timeline referenced broadly in lecture).
French Revolution begins: 1789; Tennis Court Oath: 06/20/1789; Bastille falls: 07/14/1789.
Rights of Man published: 1789; Haitian Revolution starts: 1791.
Cap-Français (Cap-Français) burning and turning point: 1793.
Napoleon’s rise and conflicts: late 1790s–1815; final defeat: 1815.
Haitian independence and system evolution: 1804 (formal independence) with subsequent political arrangements (Kingdom and Republic references).
Anecdotes, Imagery, and Practical Takeaways
Visuals and places: the speaker notes famous Paris landmarks (Louvre, Madeleine, Champs-Élysées) and the location of the old tennis court where the oath was taken; the Bastille site and the destruction of the fortress; the Place de la Concorde and the Egyptian obelisk associated with Napoleon.
The lecture weaves humor and personal anecdotes (spiders, cockroaches in Milledgeville and Macon; fashion-week escapade in Paris) to connect historical content to a memorable presentation style.
The importance of contextual details (food, drink, and daily life) in understanding political upheavals: hunger, debt, gossip, pamphleteering, and social networks all contribute to revolutions.
Closing Notes (Structure and Study Tips)
The material emphasizes interconnections across revolutions, emphasizing that ideas about rights and governance move across borders and centuries.
Be mindful of how propaganda, pamphlets, and leadership styles influence popular support for political change.
Recognize the role of key individuals (Jefferson, Adams, Paine, Franklin, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Toussaint Louverture, Dessalines, Napoleon) and how their actions intersect with broader structural forces (debt, famine, war, colonial economies).
Consider the balance between idealistic goals (universal rights) and the brutal realities of revolutionary violence and oppression.
If you’re asked to compare revolutions, focus on timelines, key triggers (debt, famine, political crises), institutions created (constitutions, national assemblies), and the long-term constitutional legacies (universal rights, representative government).
Here are the definitions for the terms based on the provided notes:
The American Revolution: Began in and lasted until . The war involved major campaigns and events, culminating in American independence.
Second Continental Congress: It was the most persistent and longest-lasting governing body. It coordinated the war, appointed George Washington as commander in chief, and ultimately signed the Treaty of Paris with the French, confirming British defeat.
Thomas Paine, Common Sense: Thomas Paine was an influential English-born thinker in America who published Common Sense anonymously at first. This roughly -page pamphlet was widely distributed, calling out King George III as an "animalistic brute" and arguing that America must break away and declare independence. Its arguments align closely with the later Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson: Attributed as the primary drafter of the Declaration of Independence. The speaker notes that the actual act of writing the document was performed by Jefferson’s wife, suggesting a mix of humor and historical ambiguity.
Declaration of Independence: A document drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, with its ideas closely aligning with those in Thomas Paine's Common Sense. It was completed in . The original drafts reportedly had wine glass stains.
Battle of Yorktown: A decisive moment in the American Revolution, where the French alliance, particularly their naval blockade, was crucial to the American victory. The surrender was a result of British strategic failures and the French naval blockade, described as a siege of logistics and supply.
The French Revolution: Began in as a response to a combination of debt, famine, and discontent, exacerbated by the Seven Years’ War, funding of the American Revolution, and blizzards. It led to political assembly, the storming of the Bastille, and broader calls for rights and representation.
Louis XVI (16): A Bourbon king, born into privilege, who showed little interest in effective governance and allowed others to run the state. His dented legitimacy and indecisiveness contributed to revolutionary pressure.
Tennis Court Oath: Occurred on , marking the political birth of the National Assembly and a commitment to reform.
Fall of the Bastille: On , this event symbolically began the French Revolution. The crowd broke in, armed with rum, and tore the prison down brick-by-brick, dumping the stones into the river.
Declaration of the Rights of Man: Described as the most important European document of its era, it became a touchstone for later political rights and informed the French constitution, asserting that universal rights apply to all.
Guillotine: A tool designed to make executions more humane and accessible, which became a symbol of equality in death, used across major French cities.
The Haitian Revolution: Started in (lasting until ) as a direct consequence of the rights of man, making a statement that universal rights apply to all, including colonial subjects. It became the first successful abolition movement and reshaped Atlantic politics.
Burning of Cap-Francais: Referred to as Cap-Français (Cap-Frénais) in , this was a decisive turning point in the Haitian Revolution where the destruction and capture of royal symbols marked a significant event in the revolutionary arc.
Sonthonax: This term was not explicitly mentioned or defined in the provided notes.
Emancipation Proclamation (1793): This term was not explicitly mentioned or defined in the provided notes.
Toussaint l'Ouverture: A central leader of the Haitian Revolution. Born enslaved, he became a master horseman and a transformative military leader. He reputedly trained every new recruit in literacy, languages, horse care, and medical care, emphasizing education and discipline in his army. He eventually died in a French prison after being exiled.
Napoleon Bonaparte: Rose to power after the Haitian and French revolutionary periods, marking a shift from revolutionary upheaval to imperial consolidation. He eventually crowned himself emperor and reshaped Europe. His legacy includes reform and reckless expansion, with lasting consequences for European and global history.