Atlantic Revolutions Background By the mid 1700’s the ideas of the Enlightenment had begun to influence people’s ideas of government and social structures Enlightenment grew the idea: That governments needed to rule with support/consent of people Citizens could/should overthrow governments that they felt didn’t represent them

Atlantic Revolutions Background These ideas combined with discontent of colonial subjects and citizens with lower status in society was growing These groups led a series of revolutions in the Atlantic World that would reshape Europe and the Americas Many citizens were in position of growing in wealth but not seeing any increase in their social status

Atlantic Revolution Background These revolution all took place in a pretty short period of time They all took place in the late 18th –mid 19th Centuries American Revolution was first starting in the 1760’s and the Latin American Revolutions were last mostly in the 1840’s

Atlantic Revolution Background Took place in AP world Regions: 1,2,3,10

Atlantic Revolutions We will be looking into the following revolutions over the next few days: The American Revolution The French Revolution The Haitian Revolution The Mexican War of Independence The South American Wars of Independence

Causes/Background American colonies had generally been left to govern themselves British Crown appointed Governors to oversee each colony Each of the 13 colonies were allowed to have their own government assembly that passed laws and regulations

Causes/Background France and Britain fought 7 Years War(aka French and Indian War) from 1754-1763 The British won 7 Years War, but went into MASSIVE debt to do so American colonies were heavily taxed to pay off this debt

Seven Years War

Causes/Background British government passed Tax Acts to pay of debt from 7 years War Ex: Stamp Act, Sugar Act, Townsend Acts Colonist were furious they had no representation in the British Government NO TAXATIONS WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

Causes/Background British began to enforce their economic control and laws much more intensely Americans SMUGGLED LIKE CRAZY ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Americans Americans challenged British mercantilism and sought more economic freedom

Causes/Background British Government began stationing troops in the Colonies which upset the American and made them feel threatened Americans began organizing and protesting against British laws and taxes Major acts of resistance and violence between the British and Americans pushed conflict even further

Causes/Background There was a growing sense of patriotism and national identity in the American Colonies For the most part they had been left on their own and this helped lead to an idea of American not necessarily meaning British

Engraving of The Boston Massacre by Paul Revere

Boston Tea Party

Causes/Background Americans claimed their individual rights were being violated Called them Rights as Englishmen Declaration of Independence was the point of no return Colonist claimed they could rebel and break with England because the king no longer had the people's consent

The War Though not there from the beginning, the support of France and Spain was ESSENTIAL These nations provided supplies, troops, and training for American army France in particular eventually would fund almost the entire war effort

Total Ships of the Line, Allies vs. Britain Seriously… Total Ships of the Line, Allies vs. Britain Year French Spanish Dutch American Total Allied British 1778 52 — 66 1779 63 58 121 90 1780 69 48 117 95 1781 70 54 13 137 94 1782 73 19 146

The War Success for the Colonists Despite British military might, colonists have advantages: Motivating cause of freedom French assistance War’s expense for Britain British surrender at Yorktown in 1781; colonists win the war

Most importantly, the Americans needed an alliance of foreign support to obtain supplies, trained soldiers, and warships. After the American victory in the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, France was persuaded to join the Americans against the British. Once France joined the American side, Spain and the Netherlands followed.

The war was ended in 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. In 1781, the French fleet blockaded Chesapeake Bay, creating a decisive victory for the Americans at Yorktown, Virginia. The war was ended in 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Britain recognized the independence of the United States of America.

The Treaty of Paris by Benjamin West

Major Changes/Effects A Weak National Government Articles of Confederation set government plan for new republic Articles of Confederation create legislature only, no executive or judicial branches Result is weak national government that fails to provide unity and order

Major Changes/Effects After the failure of the Articles of Confederation, a new government was created based on Constitution Government=democratic republic Created a government in which a federal/national government shared powers with governments in each state Called FEDERALISM

Major Changes/Effects A New Constitution Leaders call Constitutional Convention in 1787 to revise articles Group instead creates a new government under U.S. Constitution Constitution contains many political ideas of the Enlightenment

Washington Presides

Mr. Washington

Major Changes/Effects To prevent a dictatorship, government power at the federal level was shared among three branches: executive (president), legislative (Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court)

Major Changes/Effects Representatives and government leaders were elected by people Not ALL government positions however For example: President and Members of House of Representative=elected & Supreme Court Justices and Cabinet members were not elected It should be noted, however, that “democracy” in this case – as in all cases before the twentieth century – was by no means all-inclusive

Major Changes/Effects Not accompanied by any huge social transformation Accelerated the established democratic tendencies Political authority still in the hands of elites who had led the revolution Property requirements for voting = lowered

Major Changes/Effects Women and Native Americans could not vote Men who failed to fulfill certain property requirements could not vote Moreover, the U.S. Constitution did not outlaw slavery In fact slavery DRAMATICALLY increased during under the American government compared to British

Major Changes/Effects U.S. economy was generally influenced by Capitalism and had free trade But the government still created lots of tariffs and trade restrictions

Enlightenment Ideas and the Constitution

Major Changes/Effects Started political breakdown of Europe’s “New World” empires Inspired future revolutions and revolutionary leaders

American Revolution Bellwork Which Enlightenment thinkers influences the American Revolution and the government created by it? Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau Who financially supported the American Revolution? France

Objective WWBAT: Complete a DBQ