The Significance of The American Revolution

Pair-Share What specific ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers inspired the American Revolution?

CA Standard Understand the unique character of the American Revolution, its spread to other parts of the world, and its continuing significance to other nations.

Common Core Standard CCR 2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development, summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Essential Questions What was the unique character of the American Revolution? How did the American Revolution spread to other parts of the world? What is the continuing significance of the American Revolution?

Complete the Dialectical Journal

The Enlightenment will inspire the American Revolution…. lets review…

The Enlightenment grew out of the Scientific Revolution that swept through Europe in the 1600s

Enlightenment Philosophers

The start of the problems for the French Kings were the growing conflict with England. In the 1700s the French and British went to war three times. The biggest and most expensive war was the French and Indian War ( ). France lost the war…and all of its territory in North America. Britain won the war and the French lands in North America. But, Britain went from being the richest country in the world to being the country with the biggest debt (money it owed to others). To help repay the debt, Britain started taxing the American colonists. This led to popular uprisings and resistance. The American Colonists did not want to pay the British taxes and so they declared their Independence in The American colonists were not skilled soldiers, and they could not raise enough money to pay the volunteers who wanted to fight for their independence. To get even with the British, the French send huge amounts of money, soldiers, and supplies to the Americans. Without French help the American Revolution would have failed. The Americans won their independence. But France faced huge financial (money) problems.

Enlightenment Ideas led to the American Revolution encouraged people to question authority led to ideas of equality people can make their own laws and governments led to the end of monarchy kings lost power in France and America democracy spreads

Film: America Declares Independence

List The Principles of the Declaration of Independence

Film: Bill of Rights

List the Principles of the Bill of Rights

The American Revolution inspired the people of France to have their own Revolution…