American and French Revolutions: Key Events and Causes

American Revolution Causes and Context

Colonial Economy and Tensions

The Northern Colonies' economy was based on agriculture and trade. In the Southern Colonies, the main activity was tobacco farming, primarily carried out by enslaved Black people.

Britain desired raw materials from the American colonies but had no interest in developing industry there. They also held a monopoly on trade.

Political Disputes and Taxes

Political tensions arose as colonial assemblies gained significant powers, such as collecting certain taxes. Britain imposed taxes on the settlers, but they often refused to pay. This served as a protest because the settlers were not represented in the British Parliament.

King George III attempted to impose new taxes, further escalating tensions.

Key Events Leading to War

• The American Revolutionary War began in 1775.
• In 1774, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
• On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies signed the Declaration of Independence.

The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)

Warfare and International Support

During the war (1775-1783), the American colonies, led by General George Washington, received support from France and Spain.

Independence and the US Constitution

Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation in the Treaty of Versailles (1783).

The USA Constitution was signed in 1787. It was the first written constitution in history and established the separation of powers:

• Legislative: Members were chosen in free elections, although only white males could vote.
• Executive: Power held by the President.
• Judicial: Power held by independent judges.

The French Revolution: Origins (1787-1792)

The French Revolution destroyed the Old Regime. Key causes included:

• Social Unrest: The Third Estate, which paid most taxes, resented the privileged estates (nobility and clergy) who scarcely paid taxes at all. The wealthy bourgeoisie was frustrated by their lack of political power.
• Economic Crisis: A tax crisis resulted from overspending, partly on the American Revolutionary War. Bad harvests in the 1760s caused rising prices, leading to widespread hunger and social unrest.
• Enlightenment Ideas: Political thought encouraged people to question royal authority when it was considered unfair and inefficient.

The First French Republic (1792-1799)

Establishment of the Republic

The National Convention assembly was elected by universal adult male suffrage. France became a republic, marking what was later called Year One of the French Republican Calendar. The Girondins were the moderate republicans.

The Convention tried King Louis XVI for treason, and he was executed by guillotine. This event led to the formation of the First Coalition against France.

The Reign of Terror (1793-1794)

The Jacobins, radical revolutionaries, used support from the sans-culottes to seize power from the Girondins. The Jacobin leader, Maximilien Robespierre, established a dictatorship.

The Committee of Public Safety was established, led initially by figures like George Danton and later dominated by Robespierre. A Revolutionary Tribunal sentenced people suspected of opposing the Republic to death by the guillotine, often with little or no proof.

Robespierre attempted to ease the economic crisis by establishing maximum prices for basic items.