Similarities Between American And French Revolution

Both the American and French Revolutions were based upon the Enlightenment ideal of freedom. Each nation desperately wanted eradicate the monarchies that controlled them and refused to represent each nation’s citizens. French king Louis XVI had an immense need for wealth to support himself and Queen Marie Antoinette, despite having good intentions, his leadership skills were poor (Furet). The British King and Parliament also attempted to severely control the American colonies (Morgan 8). In both cases this resulted in extreme taxation of the people of each nation. Once the idea of revolutionizing was planted, the reaction from the over-taxed citizens was inevitable. Although both the French and American Revolutions were fought in the name

In France during the 1700s, the Third Estate felt oppressed by their government, over taxed and neglected by the French Monarchy, despite making up 97% of the Country (Beck 654). Around the same time, the British Parliament was severely trying to control the American colonies, and to gain the most profit possible from them by passing a trade law called the Navigation Act. This prevented the colonists from trading their valuable commodities to any countries except Britain (Morgan 10). Although both governments were gaining money from the taxation of their citizens, the nation’s debt was still increasing. This, as well as the consistent spread of Enlightenment ideas and the Scientific Revolution inspired both nations to revolutionize in the name of freedom

After King Louis XVI was executed, France became a republic with universal voting rights. In attempt to create a new France, the National Convention tried to erase France’s past and made many changes to the people’s socio economic life. However the American colonies first step after revolutionizing was setting up a functional government, with a constitution providing equal power in the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches (Branches of Government). The new form of government was based on the Greek democracy with some aspects of the British government, and the idea of a representative or president that came from the Ancient Rome . The American Constitution was heavily influenced by the colonists wanting to break away from the King and Parliament and Enlightenment ideas. After the oppression they faced under British government, the early Americans established a Bill of Rights , protecting their rights as American citizens (Beck