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Similarities Between American And French Revolution

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During the eighteenth century, the Enlightenment culminated in the French and American Revolutions. Philosophy and science increased in prominence. Philosophers such as J. Locke and Russo dreamed of a brighter age and universal equality. This Enlightenment dream turned into a reality with both the American the French Revolutions, uncovering more opportunities for the people and the countries themselves. While there are several similarities between these revolutions, there are also a few key differences that set them apart from each other. Both Revolutions had in common was that they had the same ideas behind them, ideas closely connected to the Enlightenment movement and driven by the desire to oppose oppression and defeat social inequality. But the political and social climate was completely different in both countries during and prior to their revolutions. In France people arose to fight the monarchy, which was becoming more and more inefficient as a system, corrupt and degraded, whereas in the Colonies people were just reluctant to be part of the British Empire. Also, despite …show more content…

The Enlightenment, which started in France and is associated with writers such as Rousseau and Voltaire, caused those under the thumb of monarchies to begin to recognize the inequality inherent in such systems. People of all classes, especially the middle and lower classes, began to use these ideas to formulate an ideology of resistance. They insisted on the implementation of new measures that would guarantee the natural rights of all citizens and believed that, as Rousseau wrote, “no man has any natural authority over his fellow men, and since force is not the source of right, conventions remain as the basis of all lawful authority among men.” . These ideas also shaped the American Revolution and the success of it went on to also inspire the French as

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The French, Haitian, and American Revolutions were all sparked from the minds of the colonists, slaves, or lower classes who were treated with inequality by their own governments. In each location, there was a noticeable trend of mistreatment between government and people. In Haiti, slaves brought over by the French who captured the island, and forced them into brutal labor in what was the most valuable and wealthy are at the time. The government and leadership in France was corrupt as they were in much debt. King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lived in Versailles far from the other forms of government, abusing the country wealth.

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In analyzing the onset of both the American Revolution and the French Revolution we can observe a slew of similarities that they share, along with a couple of ways in which they aren't so similar. The socio political climate was similar during these times where both the Thirteen colonies and France were fractionated into separate groups based on how loyal and comfortable they were with their current government. Along with that, there was much turmoil rooted disagreement about how people should be represented, and whether or not a monarchy was beneficial. However, the key difference during these two Revolutions was that the French Revolution's entire purpose was to reform France and make it better, while the point of the American Revolution was to completely separate themselves from British rule. These two Revolutions were more similar than different as they were sparked by many of the same reasons, but their original goal was much different.

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The years 1750-1900 are better known as the Revolution Era. During this time period, there were several revolutions that occurred throughout the developing world. Two of the main revolutions were the French Revolution and the Latin American Revolution. Both revolutions followed the anatomy of a revolution and had comparable causes, however the French Revolution politically better outcomes, whereas the Latin American Revolution resulted in poverty and lost territory.

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Thus, Philosophes like Voltaire, Rousseau, John Locke and Montesquieu, created new ideas about the different types of possible governments and societies, such as human rights, citizenship, & democracy. Eventually, these ideas began spreading throughout France. Similarities between the French and Haitian Revolution: In France, the Enlightenment helped influence the French Revolution because the third estate, noticed that their basic right wasn’t being met. Specifically, the bourgeoisie, which was the growing merchant/professional class were well educated and familiar with the writings of philosophes like Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau.

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The main difference between the American and French Revoultion was that one successfully converted to a democratic government and one did not. The French Revolution was not successful in forming a democratic government due to France’s history of a monarchy, economic issues and divison among its’ people. Unlike America, France had a long history of sole rulers and dictatorship which made the change to a democratic government much more difficult and ultimately impossible. America’s motto of “all men are created equal” (Doc A) was the complete opposite of France’s dividing estate class system. The third estate consisted of peasents, common people and the bourgeoisie, the second estate belonged to the Nobles, and the first was the home to the Clergy.

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The American and French Revolution are both remembered in history as two major changes that would shape what we know today. Every child learns of the American Revolution at least once in their lives. Both these revolutions had the similar cause, effects, and stages that resulted or started them. Just like in every warring country, it is inevitable that there will be some change that occurs whether it be for the better or for worse. Although the American and French revolutions were very similar in the actions, there were many differences leading them into ultimately different paths and states of rest.

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As presented the American and French revolutionaries faced different circumstances and dealt responses as they saw fit, the two revolutions had similar political order outcomes. The Americans added the “Bill of Rights” to the Constitution in 1791, while the Constitution was ratified in 1788, all while also building a strong central government with “checks and balances” (Our Human History, pg. 522-523). The French saw what the Americans had created, whom took inspiration from enlightenment writers

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The American and French revolutions were very similar. Although they happen years and miles from each other they had similar ideas and characteristics. People in France and the Americas fought for only one specific reason liberty. France revolution was for liberty in their government and American Revolution was for liberty in their territory and to liberty from Great Britain.

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From first glance of the phrases we see obviously that both documents share similarities within the general ideas, but the specifics are what causes them to become so different. Once I analyze each document and look at why one revolution was more successful than the others I learn that they both support different ideas. For example, the French on one side state that all men will remain equal in their rights, while on the other hand Americans state that though all men were created equal it may not remain this way forever. I am able to see that the French take a much more radical approach than the Americans decided to take. It is evident that the French took a much different approach because the French encountered a much more wide ranging revolt than the Americans

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Enlightenment views on government and policy helped the two new governments create their own unique system for governing. One ideal of enlightenment was equality. America believed in equality before the law. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created

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The French Revolution all began after people in France decided it was time to fight for their rights and freedom and escape the tyranny that took place and give the people more power. At the time King Louis XVI was the French king and had power from 1774 to 1792 and was later executed in 1793. In France, the people were divided into three separate social estates, clergy, nobility, and the commoner as the lowest and the highest above all of course would be the king. The Enlightenment was a movement by intellectuals who promoted reason and science, and they began to question the system in place at the time in France and they began to spread revolutionary ideas that got people thinking about change. The “French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals” and when the ideas began to spread people were newly educated about something they never thought about, and after

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The Enlightenment was a period of time that stressed the importance of reason and individual ideas. Many philosophers published works criticizing a country’s monarch or divulging the flaws they saw in a system within the government, such as the justice system. The Enlightenment also stressed the importance of education, and as a result of this, literacy rates experienced a major upward trend. Now able to read the philosopher’s works, a larger sum of people now were educated on the corruptions within their government. This caused a questioning of traditional practices, and people began to believe they could revise their government.

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With such an ideological basis, it becomes clear when one sets out to compare the French Revolution and American Revolution that people felt the need to be free from oppressive or tyrannical rule of absolute monarchs and have the ability to live independent from such forces. The leadership in both countries at the time of their revolutions was certainly repressive, especially in terms of taxation. Both areas suffered social and economic hardships that led to the realization that something must be done to topple the hierarchy and put power back into the hands of the people. While there are several similarities in

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The American and the French revolutions were more similar than different. One similarity being is that both the Americans and French wanted to escape the rule of their King. Also, both revolutions were started by an uprising of people against unfair taxation by the monarchy. American colonists protested against taxation passed by the English Parliament without any representation in that body.

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The first way that the French Revolution in the late 1700s and the Russian Revolution in the early 1900s compare is their government. During their times, they both had weak leaders that did not desire to rule, this was King Louis XVI of France and Czar Nicholas II of Russia. Both Royal families were eventually executed or assassinated. Also, both countries around the time of their revolutions were affected by a war in a way, the American Revolution for France and World War I for Russia. Both tried new governments, for France this was democracy and for Russia it was communism.

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