Ch 06 - Constitutional revolutions: America, France, Europe( 1830 and 1848 ), and Meiji Japan Flashcards
(97 cards)
How did ancient revolutionaries perceive their actions?
They fought for justice and new regimes but in traditional terms, such as overthrowing kings or supporting specific religions, without rejecting kingship or state-supported religion itself.
What were the most radical ancient revolutions?
The creation of city-states and constitutions in places like Athens, Sparta, and Rome, which relied on local custom and religion.
Why was the English Revolution of 1688 called “Glorious”?
Revolutionaries believed they were restoring a traditional balance of power between Crown and Parliament.
How did Oliver Cromwell view societal hierarchy?
He defended traditional ranks and orders, emphasizing the importance of distinctions like noblemen, gentlemen, and yeomen.
How did scientific discoveries influence governance?
They fostered skepticism about religious authority and the divine right of kings, promoting reason and practical experience.
What marked the shift to modern revolutionary thinking?
The idea of breaking with the past, creating new systems using reason, and drafting constitutions based on natural rights.
What roles did skepticism and secularism play in revolutions?
They led to attacks on kings’ and churches’ rights and the development of constitutions based on reason and natural rights.
Why were British colonies in North America founded?
For commercial ventures and religious freedom, including Puritans in New England, Quakers in Pennsylvania, and Catholics in Maryland.
How were the colonies governed before the revolution?
They had local legislatures but were ruled by British governors and subject to the Crown.
What caused economic growth in the colonies?
Trade in tobacco, wheat, cotton, timber, and furs, and westward expansion into the Appalachians.
What was the French and Indian War’s impact?
It secured British claims east of the Mississippi but led to British attempts to recover costs through colonial taxation.
What sparked colonial outrage against Britain?
Imposition of taxes without representation, including the infamous Boston Tea Party.
What rights did the colonists believe they had?
The rights won in the Glorious Revolution, such as taxation only with Parliamentary consent.
How did Patrick Henry inspire revolutionaries?
With his speech advocating for liberty over life itself, famously declaring, “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”
What did Thomas Paine argue in Common Sense?
That it was absurd for Britain to rule America, all men were equal, and America should declare independence.
What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
To state that King George III violated Americans’ rights and to assert that government’s purpose is to secure “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” based on the consent of the governed.
What extraordinary claim was made in the Declaration of Independence about the power of kings?
The Declaration claimed that the power of kings did not come from God but that governments should derive their power from the consent of the governed.
How long did the American Revolutionary War last?
Eight years.
Who led the colonial army during the American Revolutionary War?
George Washington.
What were some democratic features of the state constitutions adopted by the colonies in the late 1770s?
They outlawed distinctions of rank and title, included bills of rights, and extended voting rights to a wide range of male citizens.
What was the significance of French involvement in the American Revolutionary War?
France provided financial support and military intervention, helping the colonies achieve victory over Britain.
What major event led to the British surrender in the Revolutionary War?
The Siege of Yorktown in late 1781, where American and French forces surrounded British General Cornwallis, forcing his surrender.
What treaty officially ended the American Revolutionary War?
The Treaty of Paris in 1783.
What were the Articles of Confederation, and why were they found to be inadequate?
The Articles were the first governing document of the United States, but they lacked provisions for regulating trade, creating a common currency, and managing national defense.
