Transcript COT Atlantic Revolutions - White Plains Public Schools

COT Theses Atlantic Revolutions

From 1750-1900, the American Revolution became the first successful revolution to bring about popular sovereignty
and democratic constitutionalism, however, the abolition of slavery would take another 75 plus years with the
establishment of the 13th Amendment and women would not be granted the right to vote until the 19th amendment and
all would come about due to the enlightened ideals espoused in the constitution

The French Revolution form 1750-1900 would undergo a series of repetitious cycles from liberal to radical to
conservative, enlightened ideals would be enshrined in constitutions and laws (Code Napoleon) ,however the Catholic
Church would maintain strong influence and women would struggle with suffrage until after WWI.
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The Haitian Revolution 1750-1900 would see the birth of the first successful slave rebellion and the first
constitutionally democratic state in the Caribbean in the Age of Atlantic Revolution, however, due to fear of slave
uprisings and institutionalized racism, Haiti's independence will be hindered by crippling debt and lack of Hemispheric
diplomacy.

The Latin America Revolutions of 1750-1900 would see the rise of nationalism and newly independent nation-states
throughout Latin America, however, failure of the newly formed constitutional democracies and the crippling war debts
incurred from the Revolutions would lead to the rise of the military strong-man known as the caudillos whose interest
lie in “foreign” ties and their own self interest rather than liberty and equality.
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The Mexican Revolution from 1750-1900 would see its independence form Spanish control and the establishment of a
constitutional democracy , however, the loss of territories to War as well as crippling war debt would see the rise of
conservative governments which would exclude women and indigenous populations amongst so many others.
Atlantic Revolutions 1750-1900
Continuities
Changes
Native Indigenous populations not included in
Constitutions
Women remained left out of new governments
Great resistance to the abolition of slavery
European monarchs still retained some influence
and power over their former colonial territories
(France goes back to monarchs)
Caudillos (military strong men) very similar rule to
that of absolute monarchs
Nationalism still meets monarchal resistance
(Ukraine and Poland with Russia and Ireland with
Great Britain)
Economic imperialism in Latin America maintains
some mercantilist ties with Europe (and U.S)
Racism only increases ( now burgeoning new theory
known as social Darwinism only reinforces it)
Freedoms don’t apply equally to all
War debts of revolutions still lead to heavy
dependence on stronger economies (mother
countries?
Popular soveirgnty achieved (U.S, Haiti, France briefly,
Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico)
Constitutions with rights (inspired by enlightenment)
establish new nation-states
Nationalism spreads throughout Europe leading to
independence Greece and Serbia from Ottoman and
unification of Italy and Germany.
Slowly slavery will be abolished
Suffrage will eventually be increased to men and feminism
will increase ( including the fight for women’s suffrage)
Czechs and Hungarians will demand more rights from
Austrian empire
European Jews will seek a homeland in Palestine
Increased wars between nationalist groups
Nationalism perpetuated the notion that a nation’s strength
lie in the amount of territory they controlled
New imperialism would see the capture of Asian, African
and Asian territories (under the principles of social
Darwinism and Christianizing, civilizing and
commercializing)
Nationalism taking on the ideology that nation comes first
and can do no wrong (how is this different from patriotism?)
Effects of Revolution: Did they Achieve their
Objectives?
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Doc #1 written by Bourgeoisie elite with such enlightened inspired ideals like freedoms of religion,
speech, press, assembly, rights to redress of grievances”. Jefferson added these after returning from
France to further the inalienable rights. The purpose of this document was to establish a government
of popular sovereignty, develop a better tax code, but limited freedoms to “free persons” and not
Indians, slaves, women etc.

This document can be grouped politically, economically, and/or culturally. It may be grouped by cause
to the subsequent revolutions or that the objectives were partially fulfilled limited rights, duties and
responsibilities to a few and not the many
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Remember, these rights and priviges were not extended to women, slaves, native Americans and nonland holding men. Historians often refer to the American Revolution as a Bourgeosie revolution
impacting those specific individuals. It is important to note that Thomas Jefferson would attempt to
find scientific differences between races (many framers were slave owners) and the constitution wouls
be put into peril on many occasions( Whiskey rebellion, Lousiana Purchase, etc.)
French Constitution
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Document #2 also written by bourgeoisie from the third estate in France establishes the identity and rights of
citizenship in France and the rights which are tied to it. The limitations of citizenship appear to be less limited than the
United States and include public education, public relief in addition to speech, press and religion. It does not specify
slavery (which it had abolished) nor property holders.
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This may be grouped politically, economically or culturally. It may also be grouped by far more inclusive than the
United States of America which may also help to understand why it was short-lived. Napoleon will take over after the
chaos of the radical phase ( which may be grouped juxtaposed against moderate grouping with Doc #1)
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Many of these ideas would be extended through Napoleon’s code of Laws throughout Continental France establishing
public schools, legion of honor, equal tax system and dissolution of feudalism. The constitution would not be honored as
France would go from a republic to Napoleon (strong-man stage 4) and then a monarchy again (Louis XVII) : The
Comgress of Vienna installed would see this return to the legitimacy of the Monarchs of Europe and a balance of power
to bring a semblance of peace to Europe after the Napoleonic wars. Nationalism in France will inspire unification
movements in Germany, Itlay, Czechslovakia, Greece and Serbia “When France sneezes, the rest of Europe gets a cold”
and will increase France’s imperialistic desires ( which were contradictory in many wasy to the constitution).
Haiti’s Constitution
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Document #3 is written by a former slave Toussaint L’ouverture and is also inspired by the Revolutionary events in
America and France but takes a more moderate approach to ensuring that laborers continue to work on the lucrative
sugar plantations. His purpose is to keep the labor in both formerly Saint Dominguez and Spanish-owned portion of
the island (Dominican Republic) keep its output and that laborer (although freed) keep working and not remain idle.
His audience are the people of the island to instruct them to respect the freed slaves and allow a peaceful transition
without tensions between the former slaves and former lave owners.
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This proclamation is primarily economic but inspired by the cultural components of the enlightenment. It may be
grouped by moderate as it is trying to prevent a radical reaction ( usually reigns of terror) or by direct French
inspiration.
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While slavery would be abolished in Haiti, neighboring French colonies like Saint Lucia, Martinique as well as the
United Stares would maintain slavery due to the lucrative plantation economies and the systemic racism associated with
chattel slavery would be perpetuated in foreign policy by Europeans and their lending programs as Haiti’s economy was
decimated by war and disease.
Latin American Constitution
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Document #4 written by Creole Simon Bolivar in this meeting preceding the Latin American constitution in Angostura
wishes to create a government of hereditary legislature instead of the elected one. He seems to be appealing to the
British form rather than the North American one perhaps to gain the British support in the Wars against Spain in the
Latin American (Bolivarian) Revolutions. He seems suspicious of the gullibility of people in elections.
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This can be grouped politically through the role of government and the underpinnings of constitutions. It may also me
grouped either moderately or even conservatively through the inherited senate who , by virtue of birth, seem to have
legislative power for life
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The rise of caudillos and debt to European and later U.S. business interests would see the wealth creole elite gain
substantially from these constitutions but indigenous, women, mestizos and Mullatoes would continue to be
marginalized and slavery would become abolished slowly seeing an end later in sugar producing nation-states like Cuba
and Brazil.Bolivars dream of an Gran Colombia would not be realized but, rather contributing to the nationalist desires,
Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru would gain their own sovereignty and their own constitutions.
Mexican Constitution 1824

Document #5 was written by primarily Catholic creole elites for the purpose of popular sovereignty and an official state
religion in addition to providing powers for congress for education and rights like liberty and press. This constitutions
purpose was to protect the liberties of a newly independent Mexico and help to promote its independence through
competing with former colonial holdings in the region through science, engineering and military.

This can be grouped politically or culturally ( France in document #2 was the only other which identified public
education as a right), it can be grouped moderately or even conservatively as the Catholic Church remains a holder
although the revolution was led by a priest (Father Miguel Hidalgo) who was killed.

The Mexican Constitution, like many others, did not address land distribution (equitable), widespread poverty, status
of Mexican Indians, access to public education, and limitation on the role of the Catholic church. Like Latin America,
the caudillo like Iturbide or Santa Anna would see restrictions on these rights in favor of foreign business interests.
 From 1750-1900 the Revolutions of the Atlantic world
worked to developed governments of popular sovereignty
providing rights to people through newly established
constitutions, establishing a fairer tax code based on
further representation in governments and providing
rights and liberties to the citizens of the newly formed
government. Not all people would enjoy these liberties in
all regions nor would these constitutions create lasting
governments in every revolution. A document from one
of the caudillos in Latin America after the failure of the
would provide Latin American Revolutions would help
illustrate how nationalism and chaos gained the further
support of the military and people.
The Abolition of Slavery
 1780 – 1890 = slavery lost its
legitimacy and was largely ended
 Multiple strands of anti-slavery
thinking:
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Secular = slavery is a violation of natural
rights and the ideas of liberty and equality
Religious = slavery is a moral; a “crime in
the sight of God”
Economic = slavery is not necessary for
economic progress; countries can be
successful with paid labor
Political = slavery is unwise because
obviously slaves aren’t content and could
rise up and revolt
The Abolition of Slavery
 Most powerful abolitionist
movements = in Britain
 Growing pressure on the
government to take action 
techniques included:
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Public Meeting Featuring an
Abolitionist Speaker
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Pamphlets  featuring descriptions
of slavery
Petitions to Parliament
Lawsuits
Boycotts of slave-produced sugar
Public meetings  most of which
featured testimony of former slaves
The Abolition of Slavery
 1807 = Britain ended the
sale of slaves within its
empire
 1834 = Britain freed all
remaining slaves
 British naval vessels
patrolled the Atlantic,
intercepted illegal slave
ships, and freed the people
on board
 Other countries followed
suit over the next half
century
Resistance to Abolition
 Abolition was not easy
 Plantation owners = fiercely
resisted the efforts of
abolitionists
 Both European and African
slave traders also resisted
abolitionists
 Most intense resistance to
abolition and persistence of
slavery = in the southern
United States

Took a WAR to end slavery!
Effects of Abolition
 Economic and political lives of
former slaves = did not
improve dramatically at all
 Often could not find work or
found work, but were paid
VERY little
 No political equality  in
many places, former slaves
couldn’t vote and had to live
with harsh segregation laws
 Former slaves had to deal with
persistent racism,
discrimination, and violence
What is a Nation?
 A “state” = political territory that does
not necessarily coincide with the
culture of a certain group of people
 For most of world history, people have
been organized into great empires or
smaller states like this

These entities governed culturally diverse
societies
 A “nation” = has a distinct culture and
territory and deserves an independent
political life


Citizens of a nation = feel connected to their
fellows by ties of blood, culture, or common
experience
Not simply common subjects of a ruling
dynasty
What did Nationalism Inspire?
 1871 = the political unification of Italy and Germany
 Greeks and Serbs = asserted their independence
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from the Ottoman Empire
Czechs and Hungarians = demanded more
independence within the Austrian Empire
Poles and Ukrainians = became more aware of their
oppression within the Russian Empire
Irish = sought separation from Great Britain
European Jews = sought a homeland in Palestine
Results of Nationalism
 Intensified rivalries
between European
states
 Fueled a highly
competitive drive for
colonies in Asia and
Africa
 One of the leading
causes of World War I
Different Versions of Nationalism
 “Civic Nationalism” = the nation
is a particular territory and
people of various cultural
backgrounds can assimilate into
the dominant culture

Example: “becoming American”
 Other versions = defined the
nation in racial terms, which
excluded those who did not share
common ancestry

Example: Germany expelling all “nonGerman”, especially Jewish people
Europe around 1880
Feminist Beginnings
 Feminist movements took
shape mostly in Europe
and North America
 Believed revolutionary
ideas of liberty and equality
applied to women also
 First organized women’s
rights conference = in
Seneca Falls, NY in 1848

Leading feminist and speaker =
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Major Goals of the Feminist Movement
 Access to schools and
universities
 Access to more professions
 Suffrage (the right to vote)
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1893 = New Zealand is the first
country to grant all women the
right to vote
1920 = 19th Amendment passed
in the U.S.
Most countries did not grant
female suffrage until after WWI
Some Accomplishments of the Movement
 Increased entrance to
universities and increasing
women’s literacy rates
 Many U.S. states passed laws
to let women control and
manage their own property
and wages
 Increased access to
professions
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Medicine opened to a few
Teaching
Social work (invented by Jane
Addams)
Nursing (professionalized by
Florence Nightingale)
Opposition to Feminism
 Many viewed feminists as
selfish and willing to sacrifice
their families and/or the
nation in order to pursue
individual goals
 Some argued: the strains of
education and life in the world
outside the home would cause
reproductive damage

What many believed women
should keep doing
Result: it would depopulate the
nation