Age of Revolutions Flashcards
What is Mercantilism?
A Country uses their colonies to make money for the mother country, by providing raw materials and buying finished goods
The Intolerable Acts were a response to what event?
Boston Tea Party
What were the Intolerable Acts?
- Boston Port Bill - Shut down Boston Harbor
- Massachusetts Government Act - Disbanded the elected governments
- Administration of Justice Act - Allowed British officials and troops who were accused of killing people to go to England for court instead of the colonies.
- Quartering Act - Colonists were forced to pay for British soldiers’ housing, including
According to John Locke, what is a government’s main concern?
To protect natural rights of their citizens
Explain how the Enlightenment ideas inspired the American Revolution.
John Locke thought that a government was only supposed to be around to protect natural rights, and if it didn’t it should be overthrown. England was only trying to make itself richer, and wasn’t protecting our rights (the Navigation Acts, the Stamp Act, not allowed us to govern ourselves, forcing us to house their troops, etc.)
In what ways can you still see the impact of the Enlightenment on the United States government?
We have a government that focuses on protecting its citizens’ happiness. Voting rights, freedoms of speech religion, press, etc. 3 branches of government, trial by jury, no illegal search and seizure, capitalism.
What is an Estate?
French social system/classes
What things did the first and second estates have in common?
Both had political power and were very wealthy, but did not pay any taxes
What were the professions and sizes of the 1st and 2nd estates?
1st - 1%, Priests
2nd - 2% Royalty
What is the only quality that all 3rd estate members shared?
None had political power, and they all had to pay taxes
How large was the 3rd estate, and what kind of jobs did these people have?
97% total
17% were in the “upper 3rd” and were merchants, doctors, lawyers, business owners, etc.
80% were poor peasant farmers
Describe the living conditions for the peasants. Give specific examples.
They lived in one room houses with dirt floors, mud walls, and thatch roofs.
They were usually hungry, and frequently starved if the weather was not good
They usually had one or two sets of clothes, and had to make everything they had in the home
Worked from sun up to sundown every day but Sunday
What are five words that would describe the lifestyle of the second class, especially Louis and Marie Antoinette?
Answers may vary (Rich, Expensive, Unnecessary, Unequal, “Over the top”, etc)
How did Enlightenment ideas helped bring about the French Revolution?
John Locke thought that a government was only supposed to be around to protect natural rights, and if it didn’t it should be overthrown. French peasants were only used to make the king richer, and the government was taking away the rights of the peasants. (Taking their food, no freedoms of speech or religion, executing peasants without a trial for small crimes.)
In what TWO ways the did the American Revolution help to cause the French Revolution?
- France spent so much money helping us, that they ruined their own economy
- The successes of our revolution, and the government that followed were an inspiration to France
