Enlightenment Vs French Revolutions

The ideas discussed in the Age of Reason, or the Enlightenment, has played an influential role in the production of revolutionary ideals for the French and American citizens as they battled for their independence, which made them unique events that occurred in history. According to McDougal Littell, from Modern World History, philosophers in the Enlightenment formulated concepts that influences human beliefs, such as “reason, nature, happiness, progress, and liberty.” These ideas are highly evident in the revolutions because human morale was challenged to a certain degree. Not only does the two revolutions possess unique similarities and differences; but also important elements that notably emphasizes them both distinctly.
There are multiple

One distinct difference was how they define and view liberty and how it should be implemented in their government. In his lecture, “The Great Divide: The Ideological Legacies of the American and French Revolutions”, Kim R. Holmes, Ph.D. proclaims that “For Americans, the state of nature was very real. It was where individuals were endowed by the Creator with natural rights like life and liberty.” Americans believed that they already hold the rights to attain freedom granted by the Creator, however their government restricted those rights -- in which they have concluded from the ideas of John Locke. The French on the other hand, “ imagined a new order in which everyone naturally loved and cared for one another, but only if all the bad laws and customs of the past were completely destroyed.” (Holmes, PhD 2014) This means that the French believed that freedom can only be present if the laws that oppressed them were gone -- this idea was influenced by the writings of Rousseau. For example, the Americans’ view on equality is based on the idea that “all men are created equal”, which was stated in the Declaration of Independence. For the French, freedom is collective and based on general will (the diverse opinions and interests the people possess). Another difference between the two revolutions is their overall outcomes. One can argue that the American Revolution turned out to be more

One distinguished event was called Storming the Bastille that happened on July 14, 1789 -- which can be debated as “a pivotal moment in the unfolding of the French Revolution” (Platon 2014). In addition, Platon also states that “...the events of July 14 retained their power as the most powerful symbol of the people bringing down a despotic government and putting an end to arbitrary rule.” These people raided the prison due to the fear of being attacked, so they needed weapons to protect themselves. (Littell, 221). The National Assembly was a significant event for the Third Estate because it was a chance to gain power in political decisions. McDougal states, “Soon after, nobles and members of the clergy who favored reform joined the Third Estate delegates.” (Littell, 220). This shows that even the nobles felt powerless in their government and wanted to join the commoners, also known as the lower