The Age of Revolution: American and French Revolutions

The Age of Revolution

• 1776-1871
• The American Revolution
• Thirteen British colonies in Eastern North America
• Economy based on agriculture and trade
• Black slaves worked in agriculture
• Britain had the monopoly of trade
• Political tensions: Settlers payed taxes but did not have political representation. Rejection to buy British products. Boston Tea Party: attack against a ship with tea [ outbreak of the Revolutionary War
• The conflict brought political changes: Jefferson wrote the Virginia declaration of Rights. 1776 Declaration of Independence
• The American Revolutionary War: Colonies were supported by France and Spain. Washington victories Britain recognised independence. Treaty of Versailles 1783. 1787 United States Constitution. 1789 Washington first American President
• The French Revolution (1789-1792)
• The failures of the Ancient Regime:Social unrest: bourgeoisie without power. Economy: crisis for expenditure in wars and bad harvests. Enlightenment: put monarchy into question
• The rise of the Third State:Assembly of Notables opposed to new taxes. King called the States General. Citizens presented grievances. Third State created a National Assembly, later Constituent Assembly
• End of the Ancient Regime:
• Mobs of Paris took the Bastille
• Constituent Assembly introduced laws: Abolition of feudal rights. Citizens Bill of Rights. Constitution: monarchy + separated powers
• Opposition to constitutional monarchy:
• Legislative Assembly found opposition: Nobility and clergy plotted. Sans culottes considered reforms not enough
• War on France: Royal family prisoner
• First French Republic (1792-1799)
• Birth of the French Republic 1792-93: Creation of the Convention and France became a Republic Control of Girondins (moderate). Execution of the King: First Coalition and realist upraise in the Vendee
• Reign of Terror 1793-94: Jacobins (radical) conducted by Robespierre. Creation of the Committee of Public Safety. Attempt to control prices fixing maximums. Moderated reaction ended with Robespierre.
• The Directory
• New constitution
• Power in the hands of a moderate government of five members
• Challenges: Conspiracy of radicals. Royalist revolts. Napoleon confronted international oppositors.
• Napoleon’s coup d'état: beginning of the Consulate
• Europe under Napoleon
• Reforms: Napoleonic Code: prohibited privileges. Concordat: control of the Church.
• Empire: Napoleon became Emperor. Defeated by British at Trafalgar. Won Austerlitz and Jena. Organization of blockade against Britain. Allies defeated Napoleon at Leipzig and Waterloo.
• Conservative Order
• Conservative Order: in favour of: Monarchy: defence of absolutism. Internationalism: support monarchies in danger. Congresses: contact among great powers.
• Congress of Vienna 1814-15 (Metternich): France returned to borders previous to Revolution. Cushion states’ creation. Territorial changes. Holy Alliance: Prussia, Russia and Austria
• Liberal and National Revolutions
• Challenge to the conservative order: Liberalism: restrictions to the power of kings. National movements: in countries under foreign control
• 1820 and 1830 revolutions: Spain: during Fernando VII. Greece: Independence from Ottomans. France: change to a liberal system. Belgium: independence from the Netherlands. Poland: failure in front of the Russians.
• 1848 revolutions
• Conducted by the bourgeoisie and workers
• They asked for democratic principles nad male suffrage
• Main locations: France: deposition of Louis Phillipe [Second French Republic with Louis Napoleon [ Second French Empire. Germany: Democratization and liberal reforms. Habsburg Empire: several independence movements
• In general failed
• Some important advances
• The unification of Italy
• Nationalism: Disintegration of states when gaining independence. Unification in the case of separated ones
• Italian caseUnification led by Piedmont.Cavour got French support against Austrians They obtained Lombardy. Garibaldi’s Red Shirts controlled Naples and Sicily. Italy supported Prussia against Austria and were given Venice. 1870 Piedmont occupied Rome.
• The unification of Germany
• Before the unification39 associated states: German Confederation. Prussia and Austria dominated. Customs union: Zolverein. Wilhelm I of Prussia and Bismarck.
• Unification process.Against Denmark to obtain two duchies. Austro-Prussian war: creation of North German Confederation. Franco-Prussian war: union of Southern states. Wilhelm I emperor of Second Reich.