The American Revolution was the beginning of a new era—one which showed other countries under foreign rule that they didn’t have to support a monarchy that wasn’t putting their best interests at heart. It brought a new idea that everyone, including the common man, should have a voice. They wanted their own ideas to influence their government. It also introduced a new governmental conception; from monarchy, to a democracy.
The French Revolution, like many other revolutions, was inspired by the Americans. The Americans had done the impossible; they separated from the monarchy, something that the French wanted to accomplish as well.
One thing both revolutions had in common was that the wars were fought by dissatisfied lower classes. In France,
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They both got what they wanted—freedom, and the ability to govern themselves as they chose. They created new states. The French monarchy became a republic, and in America the colonies merged to become the United States.
The contrasts between the two revolutions when are on the opposite end of the spectrum. After the monarchy was overthrown in France, the country entered chaos. What was called The Reign of Terror truly affected the country. A mobocracy ruled the nation. France became an extremely aggressive state. The French even tried to circulate republicanism to other parts of Europe.
However, post-revolution America did not have the same complications. The type of chaos and strife in France never existed. Only aristocrats were allowed to vote at the time. America remained isolated from Europe, not getting into any political affairs. They wanted a fresh start, and wanted to continue to build up their new-found government.
In France, after the Reign of Terror, a new constitution was adopted. The new constitution established a five-man body, The Directory, to run the government. The Directory faced many enemies. Foreign armies surrounded their borders. The economy was in ruins, and food shortages began to turn into
...on, Enlightenment ideas permeated the politics, economics, and religion of the French Revolution and the American Revolution. While both show several similarities, they predominantly differ on most things. Politically, American conservatives respected the individual and property rights of a citizen, while French politics respected the individual rights, took property rights in some cases, and used terror to influence people. Economically, the American free market idea left the economy alone, while the French input socialist ideas such as price ceilings. Religiously, the America closely associated itself with religion in the revolution, while the French public mostly despised the church.
For starters, both revolutions were inspired by others. The French revolution was empowered by the American. News spread throughout the rest of the world that England’s American colony had overthrown their British government with a war. A period called "The Enlightenment" sparked the American Revolution. During this time, philosophers and lawmakers focused on basic human rights and creating a balanced government. Ideas from the Declaration of Independence which came from these philosophers, inspired the people of France to develop a sense of natural rights in French government. Since their current government gave the people very little natural rights, they rebelled.
The American revolution was a reaction to unfavorable tax policies from the King of England. When the King of England began to infringe on the colonists’ liberties, leaders inspired by the enlightenment grouped together to defend the rights of the American colonies. As Thomas Jefferson writes in the Declaration of Independence, “History of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries ad usurpations,
Analyzing the post-revolutionary governments of America and France will prove that the French Revolution was far more revolutionary than the American Revolution, due to the radical change that took place, the type of government implemented after, as well as the Napoleonic Code brought forth by Napoleon Bonaparte.
A revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system. In 1775, America was ready for dramatic change, freedom, and a disconnection from Great Britain. Taxes, trade regulations, and overarching, power, made all colonists, aside from the loyalists, more than ready to detach from Great Britain’s rule. The American Revolution portrays many similarities and qualities of the French revolution, due to the inspiration of one to another. The similarities and qualities lie within their spiraling economies, selfish, money-worship-thirsty leaders, ideologies, and provocation.
French and Russian Revolutions Both the French and Russian revolutions occurred for two main reasons. Both of these revolutions were the direct result of bad leadership and a bad economy. These two reasons, along with other factors, caused both of these revolutions. Although they were both similar, they also had differences. A difference between the two is that the Russians had an unsuccessful "pre-revolution" in 1905.
The American Revolution was the beginning of the revolutionary era, and Americans were seen as rebels for causing such an ordeal, that is until they were successful in defeating the British and establishing themselves as an independent country. Then in 1789 France, the leading and most influential country in Europe became the newest revolutionary nation.
The American Revolution marked the divorce of the British Empire and its one of the most valued colonies. Behind the independence that America had fought so hard for, there emerged a diverging society that was eager to embrace new doctrines. The ideals in the revolution that motivated the people to fight for freedom continued to influence American society well beyond the colonial period. For example, the ideas borrowed from John Locke about the natural rights of man was extended in an unsuccessful effort to include women and slaves. The creation of state governments and the search for a national government were the first steps that Americans took to experiment with their own system. Expansion, postwar depression as well as the new distribution of land were all evidence that pointed to the gradual maturing of the economic system. Although America was fast on its way to becoming a strong and powerful nation, the underlying issues brought about by the Revolution remained an important part in the social, political and economical developments that in some instances contradicted revolutionary principles in the period from 1775-1800.
The American Revolution and French Revolution were two long lasting uprisings that had great value to those battling for their rights and want they wanted to change. Yet there are a few distinctions details set them apart in a small way. The Americans wanted a change in their government, but the French wanted a huge change in everything including their government, religion, social structure (whereas American’s social system stayed the same) and economy. Other than the few differences they had, they two Revolutions were much alike, basically twin revolutions.
According to the textbook, written by Jackson Spielvogel, “it tried to create both a new political order and a new social order” (330). The three estates weren’t very equal or fair in the least. The lower class, the commoners, had to pay all the taxes and they were allowed to own barely any land at all. The way these estates ran made the third estate very upset. Due to bad harvests, the government was low on money yet they still spent the money on fancy luxuries and costly war expenses. The third estate decided to create the National Assembly and drafted their own constitution. On one of their meetings, they arrived to find the doors locked so they moved to an indoor tennis court. They swore to meet there until they made a French constitution and they called it the Tennis Court Oath. King Louis XVI was ready to use force against the thirst estate since he did not like how they made the National Assembly. However, the Bastille was stormed and Louis XVI was informed he couldn’t trust his troops. There were more and more laws made to ensure that the French would do as they were told. Many people died in what was known as The Reign of Terror. In this, about 40,000 people were killed. There was a lot of violence in this Revolution but eventually, Napoleon overthrew the Directory and things started going the way the Third estate
The late 18th century and early 19th century was a prominent time period in which the French Revolution and Haitian revolution occurred. Both revolutions were connected to each other such that they shared similar causes and consequences. Together, France and Haiti were angered by the inequality and unfair privileges that continued to appear in their societies. At the same time, they were inspired and hopeful of bringing the Enlightenment ideas into reality. Although they were able to accomplish most of what they fought for, such as the abolition of slavery, they still took part in bloody revolutions.
The American and the French revolutions had many similarities and differences. One similarity being is that they both wanted to escape the rule of their King. Second, they both started by an uprising of people against unfair taxation by the monarchy. The French peasants were not represented by the Parliament. It was mainly composed of middle and upper class people. Now, the American colonists were not represented in England because of their lack of presence. Both wanted to set up a Republic, which provided liberty and justice to all classes of citizens. Just like France, the American colonists were composed up mainly middle and lower class citizens. The American Revolution started out by not wanting bloodshed and violence. France started out with violence and bloodshed. (American Revolution)
The French also saw how the Americans overthrew an absolute monarch and obtained freedom (Krieger 484). The fourth underlying cause was the writings and teachings of several well known philosophers. Many people took up ideas from philosophers such as John Locke, who advocated freedom from oppression (Krieger 461). An immediate cause of the French Revolution was the rising price of bread. The grain harvest had been low the previous year, so the price of bread rose.
The Glorious Revolution took place in England in 1688. They wanted to overthrow King James because people in the English parliament didn’t want to have a dynasty of Catholic monarchs. They were tired of Catholics and wanted a protestant monarch. William of Orange then came to power to. They changed the system of the Parliament having power over the monarch. This was first form of parliament democracy in the world. The American revolution started on a similar idea, freedom. Americans were tired of paying taxes from the Tea act of
One cause of both Revolutions was that people from all social classes were discontented. Each social class in France had its own reasons for wanting a change in government. The aristocracy was upset by the king’s power while the Bourgeoisie was upset by the privileges of the aristocracy. The peasants and urban workers were upset by their burdensome existence. The rigid, unjust social structure meant that citizens were looking for change because “all social classes…had become uncomfortable and unhappy with the status quo.” (Nardo, 13) Many believed that a more just system was long overdue in France.