1.The Enlightenment was one of most well known influences of the Age of Revolutions. Although the Enlightenment influenced most Revolutions, it’s important to mention specifically the French, American and Glorious Revolutions. During the French Revolution power was based on religion, which also meant that lower classes had very little say in public affairs and their importance was undervalued. As the Enlightenment began, France was filled with new ideas and knowledge, mainly from important philosophers like John Locke and Rosseau. The Enlightenment meant that the everyday citizen also received power, respect, and rights. Locke had mentioned in his Second Treatise of Government “It falls to the people, who have a right to resume their own original liberty, and, by the establishment of a new legislative, to provide for their own safety and security.” This excerpt expresses the Enlightenment because people were no longer being ruled unfairly, but rather equally through their natural rights. The American Revolution experienced the Enlightenment mainly because of new ideals, such as John Locke’s. John Locke believed that all men were born with equal rights. Locke influenced important events and documents, like the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson owned many of Locke’s writings and used his ideas in the Declaration of Independence. When Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence “but when a long train of abuses and usurpations…it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to for their future security,” he was referring to how valuable the freedom of each individual is. This idea of the government protecting the rights of the people and allowing them their liberty, property and freedom, was important in the Enlightenment of the American Revolution. Finally, the Enlightenment also influenced the Glorious Revolution.  The Glorious Revolution experienced a separation between the government and religion. People had more rights given to them and knowledge was no longer based only on religious beliefs, but instead research and factual evidence. Without the Enlightenment, many of the countries that experienced the revolutions would never have been able to move away from inequality and unfair government.

 

 

2.The French Revolution lasted from 1789-99 and was responsible for the influences of other revolutions. The French Revolution influenced the Haitian Revolution, American Revolution and Brazilian Revolution. Before the Haitian Revolution, there was a slave revolt in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which led to the elimination of slavery and founding of the Republic of Haiti. On November 1803, France won the Battle of Vertieres and ended Black African slavery. After this Haiti gained its independence on January 1st, 1804.  The American Revolution was inspired and influenced by the French Revolution as well. When France became aware of the United State’s desire to longer continue living under tyranny, they joined the revolt. This then led to the American Revolution, in their hope to become an independent country. The last revolution influenced by the French was the Brazilian Revolution. The French Revolution and the war against Napoleon impacted Brazil’s developments. When Napoleon declared war against countries near Portugal, the royal family took refuge in Brazil in 1807. This allowed Brazil and Portugal to eventually become similar politically. Without the French Revolution, other revolutions may have never taken place.

 

 

 

3.Throughout the Revolutions one of the main causes was the inequality and social depression. As well as all the other Revolutions, The French Revolution, Haiti Revolution and Rio de Plata Revolution all suffered through inequality. The French Revolutions socially, was divided into royals, nobles, the middle classes and the peasants. Politically, France was an absolute monarchy. The economy was suffering from the lack of food, high prices and starvation rates. The peasants as well as the middle classes suffered from inequality. Peasants couldn’t choose their rulers and were forced to work hard and long hours of labor. The Middle Class couldn’t vote and was also suppressed by the royal’s rule. Haiti socially, was divided between the richer and poorer. Haiti’s political system consisted of mercantilism. There economy was experiencing a serious social disambiguation as well. The richer classes had automatic power over the poorer classes, which caused great inequality for the less fortunate. The poor had to work more than the rich and lived on very little income. In Haiti there were large amounts of slaves as well as poor people. Slaves especially, were treated poorly and lived under extremely poor conditions with little food to live to survive. In Argentina and Uruguay during the Rio de Plata Revolution, many the social classes were divided up into seven categories and the social depression was high. Argentina and Uruguay was being controlled through a viceroyalties political system. Their economy was suffering depression and they were using the Hacienda System, Encomienda System and Repartimiento. Slavery was also a problem during this time and all slaves lived in just as poor conditions as in Haiti.

 

 

4.All revolutions from 1680-1820 were mainly caused from the people’s rebellions against their own governments. This was because of the inequality and social depression the people were experiencing. The governments were unfair and focused mainly on the higher classes. The lower classes had to work under extreme conditions and their overall quality of life was poor. For this reason, most revolutions happened around the same time. As mentioned previously, slavery was also a large issue during many revolutions such as, during the French Revolution, Haitian Revolution and Rio de Plata. Along with slavery and inequality, came starvation, social depression and decreases in the population. The revolutions occurred when no one could endure these injustices any longer and were desperate for change. The Enlightenment also greatly influenced the revolutions, since it drew the people away from the churches rule. People started to become more knowledgeable and know more about equality and the way they should be treated. Therefore, because of the inequality, social depression and poor quality of life most revolutions occurred around the same time.