Matt Mastrianni Mikayla Robinson Globalization I 12/10/15 A Plurality of Revolutionary Ideals: How France Built Their Revolution In the, “Age of Reason”, Thomas Paine talks about the “plurality of worlds” and its effect on our world and others. This metaphor can be applied to the Atlantic Revolutions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These revolutions are extremely interconnected, and as Klooster says in Revolutions in the Atlantic World, “Colonial uprisings… can, as I have stressed, only be understood in an international context” (45). The French Revolution, while it ultimately failed, is one such revolution that was influenced and had influence on many others before and after it. France’s use of many of the same …show more content…
Klooster writes, “The example of the young republic had inspired several French protagonists to draft a similar document. Among them was Lafayette, who asked the US ambassador to Paris, Thomas Jefferson, for advice” (57). Thomas Jefferson, the author of the American Declaration, was an advisor to the French on their declaration, explaining why so many American ideals made their way into the document. Klooster goes on to say, “Language apart, the Declaration owed more to its American example than to French Enlightenment thought” (57). More than just American revolutionary ideas, this declaration draws heavily on the American Declaration of Independence. As a preamble to the constitution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was based on rights that were to be discovered, not invented (Klooster 57). This is very similar to the Declaration of Independence, which argues that men have certain unalienable rights endowed on them by God. These core rights in the American Declaration included equality, liberty, property, and security. All of these were also present in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The sixth article of the declaration reads, “Law is the expression of the general will… All citizens, being equal …show more content…
However, only the American Revolution was successful in establishing a new government. This is because the outcome of these revolutions ultimately depended on their leaders for success. Klooster writes, “Various officers in the Continental army openly declared themselves for Washington assuming royal powers, believing that the republican experiment would fail” (166). However, Washington turned this authority down believing in the government they had created. On the other hand, Napoleon made himself the undisputed leader of France as he rose to power. American revolutionary ideals and practices gave France the platform for a successful revolution, but ultimately the respective leaders of the revolutions determined their
The Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Preamble share many similar ideas among them. One idea being the promotion of peace. In the Declaration of Independence, it talks about how it wants to split away from Great Britain, and the document says that it doesn’t want to go into war, but when it’s necessary, the colonists will have too. The Bill of Rights were the first 10 amendments and it described what the power of the government could and could not do. It was set in place, so that people knew the amount of power the government had over them, this promoting peace between the two. The Preamble literally says “promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” which correlates
When the King of England began to infringe on the colonists’ liberties, leaders inspired by the enlightenment grouped together to defend the rights of the American colonies. As Thomas Jefferson writes in the Declaration of Independence, “History of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these States” (Jefferson 778). The citizens of France, inspired by the enlightenment, desired a government run by the people. Marquis de Lafayette wrote, “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights; social distinctions may be based only upon general usefulness” (de Lafayette 783).
Looking at the three Declarations from America, France, and Haiti, a common theme of liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty arises that directly sprung from France. So contagious were the ideas that even though the Thirteen Colonies previously warred with France it could not stop the revelation caused by Enlightenment thought. Nationalism on a worldwide scale began with France’s conquest for domination under Napoleon. As Napoleon physically “freed” the countries he conquered from their previous rules, he simultaneously freed them intellectually by the exchange of Enlightenment thought. As a result, nations around Europe reunited amongst themselves with new national identity as freemen. Even France’s colonies clamored for reform as Haiti rose to newly defining a free black man. At the end of it all, these physical marks that stained the earth 's geography all originated with a quill and ink pad in
Specifically, the idea that man is endowed with certain liberties that were granted by God and/or nature was advocated by the Enlightenment thinkers. Many people took aim at arbitrary governments and the “divine right of kings.” John Locke in return offered principles of constructing a constitutional government, a contract between rulers and the ruled. In Document 7, John Locke in The Two Treatises of Government stated that men consent to enter society in order to preserve their natural rights such as life, liberty, and property. The government should protect people's natural rights and if not, then the people can remove their consent because the government derives its power from the consent of the people. John Locke wrote during the time period of the Enlightenment; therefore, his thoughts were based on the emerging idea of individualism furthermore man's inherent rights and powers. Thomas Jefferson wrote in The Declaration of Independence (Document 9) that are all men are created equal and that they are endowed with certain natural rights. The Declaration of Independence was written because of England's tyrannical rule over the American colonies thus, the citizens felt that their natural rights were being abused by the English government. Individualism was indeed formed in response to the skepticism of the Church as
Throughout the 18th century there were a lot of transformations that took place when it came to deciding what and who were entitled to this alleged equality of rights and also what are these rights. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first who took part in this ethical debate unknowingly. While he was writing his first draft of the Declaration of Independence he stated that: “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Hunt pg. 15) This declaration would influence the French to begun thinking about their rights. Jefferson helped his with some of the key drafts prepared by Lafayette.
There are many different ways in which the Enlightenment affected the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution. One way was the by the idea of a Social Contract; an agreement by which human beings are said to have abandoned the "state of nature" in order to form the society in which they now live. HOBBES, LOCKE, and J.J. ROUSSEAU each developed differing versions of the social contract, but all agreed that certain freedoms had been surrendered for society's protection and that the government has definite responsibilities to its citizens. Locke believed that governments were formed to protect the natural rights of men, and that overthrowing a government that did not protect these rights was not only a right, but also an obligation. His thoughts influenced many revolutionary pamphlets and documents, including the Virginia Constitution of 1776, and the Declaration of Independence. The Bill of Rights was created as a listing of the rights granted to citizens, the Bill of Rights serves to protect the people from a too powerful government. These civil rights granted to U.S. Citizens are included in the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, Locke’s ideas about checks and balances and the division of church and state were later embodied in the U.S. Constitution as well. The Constitution replaced a more weakly organized system of government as outlined under the Articles of Confederation.
The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen ratified in August 1789 contains rather distinct similarities with the United States Declaration of Independence ratified on July 4, 1776. Each document contains an assertion of equality among men. Although these two documents appear to follow the same
What is the Declaration of Independence? The declaration of independence states that all individuals have inalienable rights, requiring life, liberty, and property, a document by which the thirteen colonies proclaimed their independence from Great Britain. If these rights are not protected, people have the right to abolish the government and institute a new one that is willing to secure those rights and their happiness. The declaration was written by Jefferson when he had the vision that America should be liberal. While liberals wanted to over through the government, conservatives believed that not every person should receive the same privilege, not every person is the same and therefore, not every person should be created equal. America is viewed as a liberal state. Thomas Jefferson once said, “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny, when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” This was the strongest reason for the people to bear arms, so that they can be protected from tyranny in the government. People wanted their independence.
I do believe that the French took the Declaration of Independence and used it for inspiration for their own. Essentially, the Declaration of Independence is a document that states all of the injustices that are being conducted by the King and it lists the reasons why the people of the New World have decided to operate independently from the English. Many of the injustices the King of Britain was being accused of included quartering large bodies of armed troops among the people, for depriving them, for imposing unnecessary laws, and many more. The French Declaration, much like the American Declaration, was a statement to their political leaders telling them that they, as citizens, should be granted these basic rights and that these rights cannot be obstructed. The Declaration of the Rights of Man goes on the describe these basic liberties that should be granted to all, such as the freedom to communicate ideas, the freedom of religion, and more. Specific examples of similarities between the two include the topic of taxes. The Americans chided the British King for imposing taxes on them without their consent. The French state in Article 14 that all citizens have the right to assess and re-proportion the taxes being imposed on them. The French article describes that the people have the right to fix the taxes being placed on them to better suit their population, so no unnecessary taxes are being distributed amongst the people and without the people’s consent, which is exactly what the Americans wanted. Another example would be in the Declaration of Independence, it argues that the King was holding armies around them for his own personal gain. Article 12 of the French Declaration explains that whereas public military forces are necessary for their security, they should not be placed for personal
The Iriquois Constitution, The Declaration of Sentiments, and The Declaration of Independence, are few of many ways the American Colony has been affected. The Iriquois Constitution was designed to further peace with the native Americans. The Declaration of Sentiments was made to entitle the rights to women for equality of all citizens. The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson which states the right to life, liberty, and happiness for all. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men.."
This Declaration was a groundbreaker in the start of the French Revolution. Many events occurred during the time leading to the formation and issuance of this declaration. During this time of the French Revolution, France was undergoing a recession from the war. There were food shortages and financial crises among the working class along with the nation adding to the revolt of the French people. France was under the rule of the absolute monarchy of the time, King Louis XVI. The National Assembly was formed with the intent to hopefully change the economical system the occurred during the time to stop the occurring crises. The “Declaration of Man and Citizen” and the “United States Declaration of Independence” share many of the basis points including human rights to basic freedoms and liberties as well as the pursuit of a just tax system.
The primary sources provided were the American Declaration of Independence, the French National Constituent Assembly regarding the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Olympe de Gouges’ response to the French National Assembly adoption to the Rights of Man, the Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen. The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776 while the Rights of Man were collaborated on together by the French National Constituent Assembly in 1789 and lastly, Olympe de Gouges wrote her own Declaration regarding the rights of women in the September of 1791. Each of the three documents were written at different places in time but each of them provide the views and beliefs that every person has
In 1789, the representatives of the French people organized together as a National Assembly to adopt a way to guarantee and protect the rights of individuals in their new nation. They put together the Declaration of The Rights of Man, which contained the ideas and principles from the French revolution and Enlightenment. The Declaration of the Rights of Man was in many ways similar to the recently adopted Bill of Rights in the United Sates and other documents expressing the rights of individuals. The Declaration of The Rights of Man served as the basis for future constitutions, movements, and governments. However, during the violent phases of the French revolution, the basis of the declaration were ignored and replaced during Napoleons reign.
King Louis XVI of France once said, ”I have no intention of sharing my authority.” This was the reason that the Robespierre party decided to revolt against the corrupt and absolute French monarchy. Though not fulfilled directly after the French Revolution, the goals of Robespierre would be achieved with greatness in time. Napoleon became emperor after the revolution, but this was because the country was in ruins and needed to be brought back into stability before making an unstable constitutional monarchy. This revolution achieved Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity through the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The French Revolution also led to French
The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine is about how he believes in a religion or a god. Throughout the book, Thomas Paine talks about how religion is such as Christianity’s bible, doesn’t make sense. He argues that in the bible, the stories that is accounted for and written down are somewhat false. He doesn’t believe in some of the stories in the bible that everyone is deciding to believe. He doesn’t believe that the bible is credited to the word of god, but it is by someone who has just created their own stories and accounts the one and only Jesus Christ. Thomas Paine’s argues is that there is a god, but it is his own mind and not what a book of stories that have been written with no accountability. Thomas Paine states that he believes in the good of man instead of an organized religion. We make our own choices based on our own being rather than what someone who is supernatural tells us.