Political Upheavals

1
Political Upheavals

• Historical Experiences, Ideas, and their
  Manifestations in British North America and
  France, 1763-1800

2
U. S. and French Revolutions

• Reflected Historical experiences that were
  influenced by the Ideology of the Enlightenment
• Created new politics informed by the
  Enlightenment, experience, practical necessity
• Spurred independence movements elsewhere,
  including the Spanish Empire in the Western
  Hemisphere
• Pendulum effecthow much changed?

3
Historical Experiences Ideology in American
Revolution

• American Revolution grew out of understanding of
  the Glorious Revolution salutary neglect
  and the New Imperial Policy Produced following
  the 7 Years War
• Enlightenment Ideology suggested that good
  government mediated between Tyranny and Anarchy
• Tyranny was the greatest possibility and was
  symptomatic of governmental corruption.

4
17th Century Monarchs

• James I (1603-1625)- tried to collect taxes w/o
  parliamentary consent.
• Charles I (1625-1649)-religious policies led to
  Civil War had ruled without Parliament from
  1628-1642.

• Cromwell and Interregnumneed for historical
  legitimacy.
• Charles II (1660-1685)-found ways to ignore
  Parliament.
• James II (1685-1688)-His Catholicism and
  despotism spawned Glorious Revolution.

5
Rights of Englishmen

• That the pretended power of dispensing with laws
  or the execution of laws by regal authority, as
  it hath been assumed and exercised of late, is
  illegal
• That the commission for erecting the late Court
  of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes, and
  all other commissions and courts of like nature,
  are illegal and pernicious
• That levying money for or to the use of the Crown
  by pretence of prerogative, without grant of
  Parliament, for longer time, or in other manner
  than the same is or shall be granted, is illegal
  
• That the pretended power of suspending the laws
  or the execution of laws by regal authority
  without consent of Parliament is illegal
• That it is the right of the subjects to petition
  the king, and all commitments and prosecutions
  for such petitioning are illegal
• That the raising or keeping a standing army
  within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be
  with consent of Parliament, is against law
• That the subjects which are Protestants may have
  arms for their defence suitable to their
  conditions and as allowed by law
• That election of members of Parliament ought to
  be free
• That the freedom of speech and debates or
  proceedings in Parliament ought not to be
  impeached or questioned in any court or place out
  of Parliament
• That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor
  excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual
  punishments inflicted
• That jurors ought to be duly impanelled and
  returned, and jurors which pass upon men in
  trials for high treason ought to be freeholders
• That all grants and promises of fines and
  forfeitures of particular persons before
  conviction are illegal and void
• And that for redress of all grievances, and for
  the amending, strengthening and preserving of the
  laws, Parliaments ought to be held frequently.

6
John Locke

• No Divine Right Monarchy
• Government must protect Life, Liberty Property
  of Subjects or it can be abolished

7
Experiences and Ideology 1763-1776

• New Imperial Policy
• George III English Constitution
• Trans-Atlantic Misunderstanding

8
Ideology and Experience informed New Government

• Articles of Confederationinsufficient power to
  central government
• New Constitution Bill of Rightschecks and
  balances among branches of national government,
  between the states and federal government,
  between citizen and government

9
French Revolution

• Enlightenment informed critiques of Frances
  absolute monarchy.
• Structural inequities in the Ancien Regime
• Example of the U. S. Revolution
• Financial Crisis

10
A Cycle of Events

• Louis XVI asked Nobles to pay taxes
• Self-interested nobles refuse unless Estates
  General gives them permission
• Estates General meets on May 5, 1789
• Third Estate insists on a written constitution
• Paris MobSans Culottesradicalize revolution
• Nobility surrenders privileges in August

11
Ideological and Structural Movements

• 1791Constitutional Monarchy (Moderate Phase)
• 1792Monarchy overthrownFrance is a Republic
  (Radical Phase)
• 1793-1794Reign of Terror under Robespierre
• July 27, 1794Thermidorian Reaction
• 1795The Directory
• 1799The Consulate
• 1804Napoleon Declares himself emperor

12
Napoleon (1769-1821)

• Spread ideals of Revolutionwhich proved to be
  his own undoing
• Code Napoleon
• Simplified German State System
• Violations of balance of power led to series of
  Wars from 1803-1815.

13
Napoleon embodied the ideals and
contradictions of the French Revolution.
14
Simplified German State Systemfrom 300 to 39
15
The Lowendenkmal commemorate the Swiss Guard who
died while defending Louis XVI in August 1792
the saddest and most compassionate piece of rock
on earth- Mark Twain