Ap European History Dbq

Throughout history, Europe stood out as a great power, and is responsible for the majority of the greatest revolutions in history. Despite the countless changes that were planned, and had succeeded or failed, they each had a similar motivator behind them. Europe began to thrive from the 15th century onwards, and motivations become clear as change is sought. Over the course of European history, changes were resisted when financial growth would be threatened, evident during the French Revolution and in both sides of Revolutionary era of the United States.
In the early 1600s, America had begun importing their first slaves from Africa, selling them as property to the upper class of the United States. Abraham Lincoln, the US president who is accredited to the abolition of slavery, had spoken

out in favour of slavery in one of his electoral speeches.

“I will say, then, that I am not, nor have ever been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races [...] I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race,” contradicting previous speeches promising the abolition of slavery. Not only did Lincoln understand the economic benefits of slavery, but also how the promise of its abolition, then speaking out for slavery, would gain him the most votes. In addition, when slavery had been abolished in America, black men did not receive the equal-to-white-man treatment as promised. Although black men were allowed to join the army and fight for the North, they were still not treated as equals, given a lower pay and jobs that endangered them, such as digging wells and trenches. In order to salvage the economic blows of the abolition of slavery, the US government, although promising blacks the title of a “man”, did not receive equal treatment during the Civil War. It would not be until

the mid 1900’s that discrimination would end. Furthermore, blacks remained slaves in the eyes of the South, who did not want to lose profits. The Fugitive Slave Act passed in 1850 permitted the South to legally re-capture slaves that had escaped into Northern States. This act allowed for the South to reclaim the property they had lost from runaway slaves, re-gaining free labour and the money they paid for the slave. It was laws and legislations such as these put forth by the US government that favoured profits over the change abolishing slavery would bring.
The protests against the abolition of slavery in the South were supported by the upper class that feared losing their wealth accumulated upon free labour. In the mid 1850’s, a white terrorist group by the name of Klu Klux Klan was created in order to overthrow the Republican government who supported the abolition of slavery. The Ku Klux Klan had swayed some politicians decisions surrounding black rights, since these white extremists supported the government and would finance campaigns against blacks. In order to not lose their wealth, the South began violent crimes in order to threaten the US government against abolishing slavery. It was acts such as these, particularly the law illegalizing slavery in the early 1800s that pushed the South to desperate measures. The slaves in the South made those states extremely wealthy, mainly through agriculture and cotton production, so even after slave importation was outlawed, about 250 000 slaves were brought over to the South illegally. Slavery had benefitted the wealth of the South, and the abolition compromised this, so the South used illegal importations to continue flourishing their economies. The abolition of slavery and the rights given to blacks also impacted the economy elsewhere: the education system. “It was true that that public debt of South Carolina, $7 million in 1865, went up to $29 million in 1873, but the new legislature introduced free public schools into the state. Not only were seventy thousand Negro children going to school by 1876...” explains the financial impacts of a surplus of enrolled students. Although the amount of white children in schools in southern states had almost doubled, the same amount of black children had also been enrolled. Had the latter not pushed the government to provide quadruple the amount of funding for public schooling, the financial impacts would not have been so great. All of these factors combined had pushed the people of the South to fight against the abolition of slavery with personal finances in mind.
In Europe, the French Revolution was focused on ideals for freedom, liberty and equality. Although these ideologies were respected, significant change did not occur because it didn’t benefit the country. A French lawyer from the Revolution wrote in his report that the only Frenchmen who should be eligible for office are those who are able to pay high taxes each month, which excludes the majority of the non-wealthy. Despite ideas to lower the taxes imposed on the people, this lawyer’s report became the base of who had political rights. Only the wealthy were able to run for office, much like before the Revolution. The law applied only to French men, therefore also discriminating against the minority of Jews in France at the time. Politician Abbé Maury, influential among the Catholic Church, speaks out against the Jews. “In Alsace they hold 12 million mortgages on a land. In a month they would become owners of half the land, and in ten years they would've entirely conquered it, and it would be nothing but a Jewish colony.” Blatantly, Maury expresses a fear against the Jews and their ability to handle money. In providing Jews with equal rights, all of France’s wealth would become concentrated amongst them. The end of the Revolution was marked by the rise of Napoleon, who quickly became a threat to the power of all European countries. Czar Alexander of Russia realized the strength of Napoleon, and sought to destroy him immediately, knowing he could not be contained without defeat. Napoleon sought change for France, and believed that the best way to strengthen his country was to be the greatest economic power in Europe. This proved problematic for the rest of Europe, who then eliminated him as quickly as possible to avoid economic downfall and militaristic turmoil.
In summary, change was avoided throughout European history, best seen after the 15th century, if it would have resulted in economic setbacks. During the American Revolution, the US government delayed the abolition of slavery because of the impact it would have on the economy. Secondly, the people of the South broke out into protest because abolishing slavery and recognizing blacks as equals proved to affect the wealth of southern states. Finally, during the French Revolution, although ideals surrounding change were sought, most did not occur in order to preserve wealth. European history has shown that the greatest motivator for any change is economic benefits, and it was for these reasons that Europe was such a thriving continent.