GoldenEagle
10-10-2003, 09:41 PM
I figure the history buffs on the board may have some fun with this one. (Hey, its Friday night and if your around here your probably bored. Why not start a little debate?) This was a paper World Civillization II Class. I do not know what type of grade I will make on it. I guess we will find out. The # marks were footnotes.
Viva La Revolution
What is a revolution? The Webster’s dictionary defines it as, “The overthrow or renunciation of one ruler or government and substitution of another by the governed.”# Is it ever necessary for a revolution to take place? History tells us yes. Revolts took place all over the world in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This paper will focus particularly on the American and French revolutions and will impose these questions: What were the causes of these up-risings? Why did the revolts happen in America and France? How did these attempts fare? Lastly, what type of governments were set-up after these revolutions took place?
Why did these attempts at over throwing the government take place? According to American history, the most influential revolt took place from the years 1775-1783. The war ended with the British and American signing the Treaty of Paris, which granted unconditional independence to the United States.# The colonists of America began their revolution due to several causes. The first and foremost was that the colonists felt like the crown was imposing unfair taxes to help pay off British debt.# There was also acts such as the Intolerable Acts, which closed the port of Boston and forbid town meetings in the colonies.# There was also bad blood between the colonists and British soldiers, as several skirmishes between the two erupted including the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre occurred when soldiers fired in to a rioting crowd, killing six citizens involved. The event caused the independence movement to gain more signatures.#
The French Revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, was also based on the same ideas of the American Revolution. The French too, felt it was a necessary to rebel against an absolute monarchy.# The French crisis was caused by different reasons. One of the main factors involved was the financial depleting of money which brought about a high inflation rate. The noble class and high ranking officials did not pay as much in taxes as the bourgeoisie (middle class) and lower classes paid.# There was also other causes, but the enormous debt that France had calculated was perhaps the main cause. The noble class refused to recognize the debt. Finally, the crisis came to a climax at the Estates-General.# The lower classes were not being given the representative that they wanted. They, along with a few members from the noble class, met in a National Assembly and swore to form a France a national constitution. This event was called the Tennis Court Oath, after the group was forced to meet at a tennis court because the king was attempting to oppress the reformers.#
Thomas Paine was an influential character in both the American Revolution and French Revolution. Paine published Common Sense, which was perhaps the peace of literature most responsible for explaining to the American people why they needed Independence. Paine said that kings are corrupt, and contribute very little towards “freedom of state”. He continued with saying that kings put themselves and their policies in front of anyone else, no matter at what expense. He said the king became a blood-thirsty monarch and that he should be the one to blame for departing from Paine’s ideal system of government.# Paine’s ideal style of government was a strong base with many different factions contributing, which would equally represent all of the colonies. He discussed the idea of Continental Conference, which is the very basis of our Senate in the United States today. Paine said that it was silly for an island like Britain to control a continent.#
Paine was also involved in the French Revolution. After a brief stint in England, where he tried reforms there, he went to France. He became a member of committees and had a right in the say of a newly established French government. However, he was imprisoned in France for a year for supporting the exile of the monarch instead of the execution. He was released from prison when the head of state of France who imprisoned him, Maximilien de Robespierre, suffered a fall from power. Paine regained his national seat. Unfortunately, after a series of misinterpreted writings, Paine was kicked out of France and returned to the United States where he lived out the rest of his life in poverty.#
How exactly did these revolutions fare? In America, it succeeded after eight long years of fighting. At the beginning of the war, the odds seemed to be in favor of Britain. Britain had a much superior military with a powerful navy. They also figured that there were many loyalists still in America and that Native Americans would help in the cause. The colonists did have some advantages in that they were fighting in their own territory. They also had good military leaders with experience and were counting on the assistance of some foreign aid, namely from France and Spain. The War for Independence looked bleak early as the Americans struggled due to lack of supplies, lack of man power, and lack of a military plan. The inadequate experience of the American solders also played a role. There were several reports of men deserting the armies of America. It took time and conflict to make these troops into hardened veterans of the war.#
In order to win the war, the Americans first had to make the up-rising into an official, well thought-out rebellion. This took time as the loyalists and the British army were in the way. The second thing the Americans needed was a turning point. They got that in the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777. Britain lost an entire army at Saratoga after it surrendered. It was the first major victory in the war for the Patriots, and perhaps inspired France and Spain to send aid. General George Washington knew his armies were weaker than the British and his plan was to draw them into New York and hit them with a surprising counter-attack. He got this when the British invaded New York in 1776. The third phase of the war was involved with Britain turning its focus to the Southern United States. Britain knew the Southern United States contained valuable export products, such as tobacco and rice. The British wildly succeeded in this plan in the years 1778 and 1779. The successfully captured Savannah, Georgia and held it for some time. They then turned their attention to South Carolina ad had victories there. However, the Southern conquest for Britain eventually failed. They did not have enough troops in the region and could not defend off the guerrilla warfare tactics of the colonists. This lead to the surrendering of an entire Army at Yorktown, which sealed the victory of the war for the Patriots. Finally, the Americans had won the rebellion in 1783 and had to set-up a new government.# The new government struggled during the early parts of its creativity, but finally found stability under the Constitution.
The French Revolution began in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille. Crowds charged the fortress hoping to find military supplies but we unsuccessful when it was discovered that the fortress held prisoners only. The king temporarily backed down after this event. But the common people continued violent acts and the king became a virtually a prisoner to the people when he was forced to relocate the royal family from Versailles to Paris. A constitutional monarchy was then set-up. The king was still the head of the state, but had his powers greatly reduced. However, the political stature of the kingdom of France kept changing, due to a lack of a leader. Another government was established with a king. The king then decided to declare war on Austria and Prussia to try to strengthen the royal government. Unfortunately, for the king, the French military, going through a change, was not ready to fight and suffered disaster after disaster in these campaigns. This led to the rebellion of the French people against the government and the revolt continued. Total chaos broke out in France with several different factions jousting fro control of the government. The king of France, Louis, was executed in 1793 by revolutionary leaders. The leaders of the factions and their supporters began to turn on each other, with France now fighting Netherlands and Spain in military conflicts. The Reign of Terror began in 1793, where the French government would use all possible means to put down rebellions by its own people. The Reign of Terror cost the lives of close to 40,000 people. The government of France had great military success in defending the homeland from many attackers, including the English. The Revolution finally ended when Napoleon Bonaparte, a military hero, took over as a dictator.#
The American and French Revolutions both have had long lasting effects which are still imposed today. The country of America has become a super-power and has influence all over the world today. It Is no secret that the French Revolution significantly weakened the country of France. These revolutions inspired other countries from all over the world to begin the process of establishing democracy and putting the power of decision making in everyone’s hands, instead of a select few. For that, these revolts play a significant role in the history of the world.
Viva La Revolution
What is a revolution? The Webster’s dictionary defines it as, “The overthrow or renunciation of one ruler or government and substitution of another by the governed.”# Is it ever necessary for a revolution to take place? History tells us yes. Revolts took place all over the world in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This paper will focus particularly on the American and French revolutions and will impose these questions: What were the causes of these up-risings? Why did the revolts happen in America and France? How did these attempts fare? Lastly, what type of governments were set-up after these revolutions took place?
Why did these attempts at over throwing the government take place? According to American history, the most influential revolt took place from the years 1775-1783. The war ended with the British and American signing the Treaty of Paris, which granted unconditional independence to the United States.# The colonists of America began their revolution due to several causes. The first and foremost was that the colonists felt like the crown was imposing unfair taxes to help pay off British debt.# There was also acts such as the Intolerable Acts, which closed the port of Boston and forbid town meetings in the colonies.# There was also bad blood between the colonists and British soldiers, as several skirmishes between the two erupted including the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre occurred when soldiers fired in to a rioting crowd, killing six citizens involved. The event caused the independence movement to gain more signatures.#
The French Revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, was also based on the same ideas of the American Revolution. The French too, felt it was a necessary to rebel against an absolute monarchy.# The French crisis was caused by different reasons. One of the main factors involved was the financial depleting of money which brought about a high inflation rate. The noble class and high ranking officials did not pay as much in taxes as the bourgeoisie (middle class) and lower classes paid.# There was also other causes, but the enormous debt that France had calculated was perhaps the main cause. The noble class refused to recognize the debt. Finally, the crisis came to a climax at the Estates-General.# The lower classes were not being given the representative that they wanted. They, along with a few members from the noble class, met in a National Assembly and swore to form a France a national constitution. This event was called the Tennis Court Oath, after the group was forced to meet at a tennis court because the king was attempting to oppress the reformers.#
Thomas Paine was an influential character in both the American Revolution and French Revolution. Paine published Common Sense, which was perhaps the peace of literature most responsible for explaining to the American people why they needed Independence. Paine said that kings are corrupt, and contribute very little towards “freedom of state”. He continued with saying that kings put themselves and their policies in front of anyone else, no matter at what expense. He said the king became a blood-thirsty monarch and that he should be the one to blame for departing from Paine’s ideal system of government.# Paine’s ideal style of government was a strong base with many different factions contributing, which would equally represent all of the colonies. He discussed the idea of Continental Conference, which is the very basis of our Senate in the United States today. Paine said that it was silly for an island like Britain to control a continent.#
Paine was also involved in the French Revolution. After a brief stint in England, where he tried reforms there, he went to France. He became a member of committees and had a right in the say of a newly established French government. However, he was imprisoned in France for a year for supporting the exile of the monarch instead of the execution. He was released from prison when the head of state of France who imprisoned him, Maximilien de Robespierre, suffered a fall from power. Paine regained his national seat. Unfortunately, after a series of misinterpreted writings, Paine was kicked out of France and returned to the United States where he lived out the rest of his life in poverty.#
How exactly did these revolutions fare? In America, it succeeded after eight long years of fighting. At the beginning of the war, the odds seemed to be in favor of Britain. Britain had a much superior military with a powerful navy. They also figured that there were many loyalists still in America and that Native Americans would help in the cause. The colonists did have some advantages in that they were fighting in their own territory. They also had good military leaders with experience and were counting on the assistance of some foreign aid, namely from France and Spain. The War for Independence looked bleak early as the Americans struggled due to lack of supplies, lack of man power, and lack of a military plan. The inadequate experience of the American solders also played a role. There were several reports of men deserting the armies of America. It took time and conflict to make these troops into hardened veterans of the war.#
In order to win the war, the Americans first had to make the up-rising into an official, well thought-out rebellion. This took time as the loyalists and the British army were in the way. The second thing the Americans needed was a turning point. They got that in the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777. Britain lost an entire army at Saratoga after it surrendered. It was the first major victory in the war for the Patriots, and perhaps inspired France and Spain to send aid. General George Washington knew his armies were weaker than the British and his plan was to draw them into New York and hit them with a surprising counter-attack. He got this when the British invaded New York in 1776. The third phase of the war was involved with Britain turning its focus to the Southern United States. Britain knew the Southern United States contained valuable export products, such as tobacco and rice. The British wildly succeeded in this plan in the years 1778 and 1779. The successfully captured Savannah, Georgia and held it for some time. They then turned their attention to South Carolina ad had victories there. However, the Southern conquest for Britain eventually failed. They did not have enough troops in the region and could not defend off the guerrilla warfare tactics of the colonists. This lead to the surrendering of an entire Army at Yorktown, which sealed the victory of the war for the Patriots. Finally, the Americans had won the rebellion in 1783 and had to set-up a new government.# The new government struggled during the early parts of its creativity, but finally found stability under the Constitution.
The French Revolution began in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille. Crowds charged the fortress hoping to find military supplies but we unsuccessful when it was discovered that the fortress held prisoners only. The king temporarily backed down after this event. But the common people continued violent acts and the king became a virtually a prisoner to the people when he was forced to relocate the royal family from Versailles to Paris. A constitutional monarchy was then set-up. The king was still the head of the state, but had his powers greatly reduced. However, the political stature of the kingdom of France kept changing, due to a lack of a leader. Another government was established with a king. The king then decided to declare war on Austria and Prussia to try to strengthen the royal government. Unfortunately, for the king, the French military, going through a change, was not ready to fight and suffered disaster after disaster in these campaigns. This led to the rebellion of the French people against the government and the revolt continued. Total chaos broke out in France with several different factions jousting fro control of the government. The king of France, Louis, was executed in 1793 by revolutionary leaders. The leaders of the factions and their supporters began to turn on each other, with France now fighting Netherlands and Spain in military conflicts. The Reign of Terror began in 1793, where the French government would use all possible means to put down rebellions by its own people. The Reign of Terror cost the lives of close to 40,000 people. The government of France had great military success in defending the homeland from many attackers, including the English. The Revolution finally ended when Napoleon Bonaparte, a military hero, took over as a dictator.#
The American and French Revolutions both have had long lasting effects which are still imposed today. The country of America has become a super-power and has influence all over the world today. It Is no secret that the French Revolution significantly weakened the country of France. These revolutions inspired other countries from all over the world to begin the process of establishing democracy and putting the power of decision making in everyone’s hands, instead of a select few. For that, these revolts play a significant role in the history of the world.