Revolutions Documents Essay
By Naveen Suresh period 5 Two bloody revolutions: The American Revolution, and French Revolution, one had barely any bloodshed: The Glorious Revolution, all had the purpose of overthrowing a higher authority. Three documents, one which created was created centuries before the other: The Magna Carta, one is The Constitution, the third a book written by a strong supporter: The Rights of Men. The Magna Carta was a heavy influence on future documents including the Constitution, because it was the first constitutional text and one of the most important documents on the path to democracy, and the Founding Fathers of US used many of the principles first codified on in the Magna Carta. The French Revolution followed the American Revolution both being a year apart from each other, and both supported each other in the two revolutions. France fought alongside US in the American Revolution giving money, munitions, soldiers, and naval force, and an American victory had France dreaming of their own revolution against their monarchy, and when it occurred America was enthusiastic that the French citizens will overthrow their monarchy. These two revolutions came after, and couldn’t exactly replicate the Glorious Revolution. The Glorious Revolution of 1688- 1689, was the overthrow of King James II of England (James VII of Scotland and James II of Ireland) by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange). Many opposed King James’s Catholicism and his close- ties to France including his own daughter Mary. Her husband William of Orange, who feared Anglo- French alliance, indicated the need for military intervention. William had brought a large naval invasion to England. Eventually, and almost nearly without any death, James’ regime collapsed, many due to no resolve by the king. William and Mary took the place as monarchs, and many restrictions were put in place to keep from having Catholicism re-established in England. The name Glorious Revolution came because of its bloodless ways of oppression, but none can be said for the French Revolution. The French Revolution of 1789- 1799, was the overthrow of the French monarchy by the citizens. Poor harvest and two expensive wars put France in a financial crisis, and change was demanded but with no change, revolt was upon them. The first year of the revolution saw the assault on the Bastille in July, the passage of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in August, and a women's march on Versailles. In 1791 a 31 article book called The Rights of Man was published by strong supporter of the revolution; Thomas Paine. He writes that popular political revolution is permissible when a government does not safeguard the natural rights of its people. Using these points as a base it defends the French Revolution against Edmund Burke's attack in Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790) .By 1793 king Louis XVI was executed along with his wife Marie- Antoinette, ending monarchy, but with no government, the whole country was reckless, this resulted in the rise to power of Maximilien Robespierre and Jacobins. The dictatorship imposed during the reign of terror saw 40,000 deaths inside France, abolished slavery in the colonies, and secured the borders of the new republic from its enemies. The Reign of Terror ended with the overthrow and execution of Robespierre and the other leading Jacobins. The execution symbolized the end of the Revolution. The French Revolution came after the American Revolution, and the two are very similar. The American Revolution of 1775- 1783 was the war started by the rebellion of thirteen of the North American colonies of Britain. They formed a new nation, the United States of America in July 1776. Taxation was the big controversy between colonists and the British parliament. Any sign of rebellion saw the British impose anything to control such actions such as imposing