The American and French Revolutions

The American and French Revolutions

1. What events and ideas inspired the American Revolution?

2. How did the class/socioeconomic structure of pre-revolution France invoke the French Revolution?

Multiple Choice

John Locke influenced the American Revolution through his ideas about:

• Slavery

• Socialism

• Natural rights

• Women's equality

The Influence of the Enlightenment

• The Enlightenment used the emphasis of reason and logic from the Scientific Revolution and applied it to government and citizens' rights

• These ideas were in response to European monarchs and their absolute power

• Personal freedom and natural rights were some of the ideas from the period

• Enlightenment influenced revolutions in America, France, Haiti, and Latin American countries

Multiple Choice

Which sequence of events is listed in the correct chronological order?

• French Revolution-->Enlightenment-->Scientific Revolution

• Scientific Revolution-->Enlightenment-->Renaissance

• Scientific Revolution-->Enlightenment-->American Revolution

• American Revolution-->Enlightenment-->French Revolution

Multiple Choice

How did the British victory in the French and Indian War contribute to the call for revolution in the American colonies?

• Great Britain forced the colonies to end the Atlantic slave trade during the war.

• Great Britain instituted a blockade on American ports after the war.

• Great Britain eliminated colonial legislatures after the war.

• Great Britain began increasingly taxing the colonies to pay for the war.

Multiple Choice

Based on this excerpt, which statement BEST explains Locke’s influence on the American Revolution?

[F]reedom of men under government is, to have a standing rule to live by . . . and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man. . . .—John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1690

• People set limits on government to protect individual rights.

• Citizens obeyed the government even when rulers were unjust.

• People rejected a new government to remain loyal to original colonial power.

• Citizens gave up individual rights when they agreed to create a government.

The Three Estates (France's Social Order)

• First Estate: People who worked within the Catholic Church. This group lived a lavish lifestyle and paid no taxes.

• Second Estate: Nobility that came from old families. Made up 2% of the pop. but owned 25% of the land. Privileged class. Earned money from the peasants who worked their land.

• Third Estate: Made up 97% of the population. This class included the bankers, merchants, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. Working class that made low wages. Majority of this group (80%) were farmers. Paid half of all taxes.

Multiple Choice

Prior to the French Revolution, what was the basis for the division among the Three Estates?

• Education level

• Geographic region

• Social class

• Religious beliefs

Multiple Choice

What effect did the American Revolution have on the French Revolution?

• It popularized the idea of democracy, and also helped bankrupt the French government.

• It led the revolutionary French government to grant freedom to their colonies.

• It led the French revolutionaries to establish a system of government with three branch

• It caused the revolutionary government to declare war on England.

Multiple Choice

What did the American and French Revolution have in common?

• Both revolutions supported the authority of the monarchy.

• Both the colonies and Third Estate used strong navies to overthrow their government.

• Both revolutions were sparked by conflict over taxation.

• In both revolutions, monarchs maintained authority over the taxation of their people.