Ch.6 - Constitutional revolutions: America, France, Europe(1830 and 1848), and Meiji Japan Flashcards
How did revolutionaries before the 17th century view kingship and religion?
Revolutionaries never fought against kingship or religion as unjust institutions and relied on state-supported religion and traditional authority to maintain order
What was Oliver Cromwell’s view on traditional social ranks during the Puritan Revolution?
Cromwell defended the traditional ranks and orders of men, such as noblemen, gentlemen, and yeomen, stating that these distinctions were in the best interest of the nation.
What did the revolutionaries of 1688 (the Glorious Revolution) believe they were doing?
They believed they were restoring the traditional balance between Crown and Parliament, not creating a constitution or breaking with the past.
How did ideas about governance change in the 17th and 18th centuries due to scientific discoveries?
People became skeptical of religious authority and questioned the divine right of kings, leading to the idea that government should be based on reason and natural rights rather than custom or religion.
What modern twist on revolution emerged as skepticism and secularism grew?
Revolutionaries began to attack the rights of kings and churches as institutions and drew up constitutions based on reason and natural rights to liberate men from these authorities.
What were the origins of the British colonies in North America?
The colonies were founded by commercial companies and religious groups, including Puritans, Quakers, and Catholics, seeking freedom from British society, but they remained under the rule of the British Crown.
What role did the British government play in colonial expansion?
The British government helped secure colonial claims by defeating the French and Native American allies in the French and Indian War, ensuring control of lands east of the Mississippi.
Why did tensions rise between American colonists and the British government after the French and Indian War?
The British government imposed new taxes on the colonies to recover war costs, which the colonists refused to pay, leading to sharp divisions between rebels and loyalists.
What did the American colonists believe about their rights compared to British rule?
The colonists believed they had the rights won in the Glorious Revolution, including representation in Parliament for taxation, but felt their liberties were being stripped away by a distant king.
What argument did Thomas Paine make in his pamphlet Common Sense in 1776?
Paine argued that it was absurd for Britain to rule America, that all men were created equal, and that Americans owed no allegiance to a distant king who had no interest in their welfare.
What key event followed the publication of Common Sense in 1776?
American leaders held a continental congress and declared independence in July 1776, with Thomas Jefferson drafting the Declaration of Independence.
What was the American Declaration of Independence’s claim about government power?
It claimed that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, not from God.
What was the significance of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles regulated relations among the states but were seen as inadequate due to the lack of rules for trade, currency, and a strong central government.
How long did the war between the American colonies and Britain last, and what led to the end of the conflict?
The war lasted eight years, ending after General Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces at Yorktown in 1781.
What issues arose from the Articles of Confederation, leading to the drafting of a new constitution in 1787?
The Articles failed to regulate trade, create a common currency, and provide a strong central government for national defense and managing debts.
What was the outcome of the national convention in Philadelphia in 1787?
A new federal constitution was drafted, leading to the establishment of a representative republic with a Senate, House of Representatives, and president.
What role did France play in the American Revolutionary War?
France provided financial support and military intervention, helping the American colonies secure victory over Britain.
What was the Federalist Papers’ role in defending the new U.S. Constitution?
Written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton, the Federalist Papers argued for the Constitution, advocating a strong central government.
When was the new U.S. Constitution ratified, and who became the first president?
The Constitution was ratified in 1788, and George Washington was elected the first president of the United States later that year.
What fiscal crisis contributed to the French Revolution?
France’s accumulated war debts and the expiration of wartime tax measures led to a fiscal crisis, pushing the king to call a meeting of the Estates in 1789.
What significant action did the Third Estate take during the French Revolution?
The Third Estate reconstituted itself as the National Assembly, claiming to speak for the entire nation and producing the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
What was Abbé Sieyés’ famous declaration about the Third Estate?
Abbé Sieyés famously declared, “What is the Third Estate? Everything. What has it been until now in the public order? Nothing.”
What caused the Third Estate to revolt during the Estates-General meeting in 1789?
The Third Estate, composed of commoners, was enraged by being treated as insignificant, especially since many were professionals and bureaucrats seeking noble status.
What did the French National Convention abolish during the French Revolution?
The National Convention abolished the monarchy, feudal privileges, and nationalized the Catholic Church, declaring France a republic.
What event marked a popular uprising in Paris in 1789?
The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, by Parisian workers fearing the king would disperse the National Assembly.
