1. Liberalism and the Challenge to Absolute Monarchy SSWH14:b.
SSWH14 The student will analyze the Age of Revolutions and Rebellions. b. Identify the causes and results of the revolutions in England (1689), United States (1776), France (1789), Haiti (1791), and Latin America ( ).

2. Time and Geography

4. INTELLECTUAL

5. The Liberal Creed Roots of liberalism go back to Reformation
Basic principles:
Liberty of individual in religion and person
Equality of individuals in eyes of God and law

6. The Liberal Creed Children of the Enlightenment
Believed in necessity of equality, freedoms
Hated censorship, aristocratic privilege
Against state religion
A tree of liberty set up in Mainz in Such symbols were used by several revolutionary movements of the time.

7. Liberalism
Did not necessarily believe in equality for all in everything
More the idea of a “level playing field”
Weaker or less talented should be allowed to fail
Reflected general optimism about human nature
Good will eventually triumph
Rational progress was certain
Education was best cure for society’s ills
Thought representative government was most workable, just system
Mistrusted total democracy as potential for “mob rule”

8. POLITICAL

9. American Revolutionary War
Colonies were strongholds of liberal thought
Washington, Jefferson, Madison were all liberals
Less fear of popular democracy than back in England
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
George Washington

10. American Revolutionary War
Revolutionary war began as tax dispute
Seven Years War was expensive: British government needed new taxes to pay for it
Stamp Act, Navigation Acts were very unpopular
Colonists used to high
degree of autonomy,
democracy
One thing led to
another: April 1775,
war began
April 1775, war began

11. American Revolution What did the colonists want?
“No taxation without representation”
More radical group wanted total independence
Paine’s Common Sense shows depth of differences
Loyalists maltreated, had to emigrate
Thomas Paine
Original cover to Common Sense

12. American Revolution Factors favoring the rebels
Logistic effort to transport, supply army overseas
French aid – fleet and money by Alliance of 1778
Only half-hearted support of king in Parliament
Treaty of Alliance (1778)

13. Results of the Revolution
Revolution did not change politics, economics, society for most colonists
Real change only after 1783
Paris treaty recognized thirteen former colonies as a sovereign nation
First major state to have republican form of government (no monarch)
A representative body responsible to the citizenry through the electoral process would exercise lawmaking power
Most citizens could vote, hold office, had freedom of religion, no economic restrictions
That form of government, with those freedoms, was the Revolution

14. Constitution of 1789
Conservative approach to social institutions, but liberal with regard to individual freedoms
Wanted system to allow talent, while keeping primacy of the State
Freedom of opportunity, but rejecting political, social equality
Sacred right of property (no attack on slavery)
United States Constitution, page 1

15. French Constitution of 1791
Strongly influenced European opinion
Showed men could create moderate government without monarchy
Received most attention in France – very favorable
French Constitution of 1791

17. REVIEW

18. Discussion Questions
The American Founding Fathers were well-read on the major thinkers of the Enlightenment. What elements of Enlightenment philosophies can you see in the ideas of the American Revolution and its founding documents? What elements, if any, were rejected by Washington, Jefferson, and others?
2. Both British and Spanish American colonies might have had rebellions to separate from their mother countries in the 18th century, yet it only happened at this point in North America. Why? What was unique about the British colonies and not present in the Spanish colonies? How did these factors influence the potential for revolution at this point in time?