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The Age of Revolutions in the Atlantic World, 1776–1848
Purpose of Course showclose
This course will introduce you to the history of the Age of Revolutions in the Atlantic World from 1776 to 1848. You will learn about the revolutionary upheavals that took place in the Americas and Europe during this period. Each unit will include representative primary-source documents that illustrate important overarching political, economic, and social themes, such as the secession of the American colonies from the British Empire, the outbreak of the French Revolution, the dissolution of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires in the Americas, and the spread of revolutionary ideals throughout the Atlantic World. Running alongside and extending beyond these political revolutions is the First Industrial Revolution. By the end of the course, you will understand how an Atlantic World, dominated by European empires in 1776, was transformed through revolution into a series of independent states by 1848 and of the profound changes that Europe would experience, and continue to experience, through the development and consolidation of capitalism.
Course Information showclose
Course Designer: Mark Hoolihan and Concepcion Saenz-Cambra, PhD
Primary Resources: The study material for this course includes a range of free online content. However, the course makes primary use of the following resource:
- YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution Lecture Series
Requirements for Completion: In order to successfully complete this course, you will need to work through each unit and its assigned resources in order. You will also need to complete:
- Unit 1 Assessment
- Unit 2 Assessment
- Unit 3 Assessment
- Unit 4 Assessment
- Unit 5 Assessment
- The Final Exam
In order to pass the course, you will have to attain a minimum of 70% on the Final Exam. Your score on the final exam will be tabulated as soon as you complete it. You will have the opportunity to retake the exam if you do not pass it.
Time Commitment: This course should take you approximately 66 hours. A time advisory is presented under each subunit to guide you on the amount of time that you are expected to spend in going through the lectures. Please do not rush through the material to adhere to the time advisory. You can look at the time suggested in order to plan out your week for study and make your schedule accordingly. For example, Unit 1 should take approximately 18 hours to complete. Perhaps you can sit down with your calendar and decide to complete subunit 1.1.1 (a total of 5 hours) on Monday and Tuesday nights; subunits 1.1.2 through 1.1.5 (a total of 6.5 hours) on Wednesday and Thursday nights; etc.
Tips/Suggestions: As you study the materials in this course, make sure to take comprehensive notes. Write down any historical events, dates, people, and concepts that stand out to you. These notes will serve as a useful review as you study for your final exam.
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This course features a number of Khan Academy™ videos. Khan Academy™ has a library of over 3,000 videos covering a range of topics (math, physics, chemistry, finance, history and more), plus over 300 practice exercises. All Khan Academy™ materials are available for free at www.khanacademy.org.
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Learning Outcomes showclose
- think analytically about the history of the revolutionary age between 1776 and 1848;
- define what a revolution means, and describe what made 1776–1848 an “age of revolution”;
- define the concept of the Atlantic world, and describe its importance in world history;
- explain the basic intellectual and technical movements associated with the enlightenment and their relations to the revolutionary movements that follow;
- identify and describe the causes of the American Revolution;
- identify and describe the many stages of the French Revolution: the end of absolutist monarchy, the implementation of constitutional monarchy, and the rise of the Jacobin Republic;
- compare and contrast the declaration of the rights of man and other major statements of the revolutionary period and enlightenment thinking;
- identify and describe the impact of the first successful slave rebellion in world history—the Haitian Revolution;
- compare and contrast the debate between Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine; and
- analyze and interpret primary source documents that elucidate the causes and effects of the age of revolutions.
Course Requirements showclose
√ have access to a computer;
√ have continuous broadband Internet access;
√ have the ability/permission to install plug-ins or software (e.g. Adobe Reader or Flash);
√ have the ability to download and save files and documents to a computer;
√ have the ability to open Microsoft files and documents (.doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.);
√ have competency in the English language;
√ have read the Saylor Student Handbook; and
√ have completed all of the courses listed in “The Core Program” of the History discipline: HIST101, HIST102, HIST103, and HIST104.
Unit Outline show close
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Unit 1: The Enlightenment and the Origins of the Revolutionary Age
In the mid-18th century, the Atlantic world was dominated by European empires and their colonies. Europe was ruled by monarchies, many of them absolute. Beginning in 1776, a series of revolutions shook Europe and the Atlantic World. European countries and colonies, formerly ruled by aristocratic regimes, embraced new and radical principles of self-governance and equality. Absolute monarchies were dismantled in Europe and independent republics emerged in the Americas. Although revolutionary fervor swept across Europe and the Americas between 1776 and 1840, each revolution—whether in British America, Haiti, France, or South America—had its own distinct character.
Unit 1 Time Advisory show close
In this unit, you will examine how the European Enlightenment and the crisis of monarchy paved the way for the revolutionary age. You will also consider how the idea of equality took on increasing importance in the Atlantic world during this time.
Unit 1 Learning Outcomes show close
- 1.1 Revolution
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1.1.1 What is a Revolution?
- Reading: Virginia Tech: Gustave Le Bon’s “The Psychology of Revolution”
Link: Virginia Tech: Gustave Le Bon’s “The Psychology of Revolution” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. The author of this text, Gustave Le Bon, was a renowned French social psychologist who specialized in the study of the psychology of crowd dynamics. This text is of great importance for the understanding of the social causes, development, and consequences of revolutions. Although, some of his theories are outdated, pay special attention to his description of the role played by national traits in revolutions. Remember that Le Bon wrote this text in 1913, just one year before the outbreak of WWI, a war which spawned European nationalisms.
Reading this text should take approximately 4 hours.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Virginia Tech: Karl Kautsky’s “Evolution and Revolution”
Link: Virginia Tech: Karl Kautsky’s “Evolution and Revolution” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. The author of this document, Karl Kautsky, was a famous 20th century German Marxist. In this text, Kautsky theorizes about the concept and legitimacy of social revolutions and upheavals. Pay special attention to how he describes the French Revolution as a legitimate social revolution in comparison with the Russian Bolshevik Revolution, which he did not believe to be a legitimate and historic social upheaval.
Reading this text should take approximately 1 hour.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Virginia Tech: Gustave Le Bon’s “The Psychology of Revolution”
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1.1.2 The Elightenment
- Reading: Washington State University: Professor Paul Brian’s “The Enlightenment”
Link: Washington State University: Professor Paul Brian’s “The Enlightenment” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text, paying special attention to the role of reason as an agent of social reform.
Reading this text should take approximately 1 hour.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Immanuel Kant’s “What Is Enlightenment?”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Immanuel Kant’s “What Is Enlightenment?” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this essay. In this famous essay, Kant re-defines the role of metaphysics by stating that reason is the path to understanding the natural world; in other words, for Kant moral law can be derived from reason. Remember, for Kant only humans can have rationality and morality.
As you read, consider the following study questions: How does Kant describe rationality? How does Kant describe morality?
Reading this essay and answering the questions above should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: The article above is in the public domain.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Washington State University: Professor Paul Brian’s “The Enlightenment”
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1.1.3 The Social Contract
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “The Social Contract, 1763”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “The Social Contract, 1763” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. In his philosophic masterpiece, Of the Social Contract, or Principles of Political Right, Jean Jacques Rousseau theorizes about the foundations of society. Pay particular attention to his definition of property. Remember that this book had immense historical influence, particularly in the writing of modern constitutions, including the United States Constitution.
Reading this text should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “The Social Contract, 1763”
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1.1.4 Absolute Monarchy and the Divine Right of Kings
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Domat’s “On Social Order and Absolute Monarchy”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Domat’s “On Social Order and Absolute Monarchy” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. ” In this text, French scholar, Jean Domat, stresses the idea of absolutism as the basis of social order.
As you read, consider the following study question: According to Domat, can social equality exist? Why, or why not?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s European Civilization, 1648–1945: “Lecture 2: Absolutism and the State”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s European Civilization, 1648–1945: “Lecture 2: Absolutism and the State” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash and Quicktime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this session, Professor Merriman explores the roots and characteristics of absolutism.
As you watch the lecture, consider the following study question: Was royal absolutism compatible with the Enlightenment?
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 2 hours.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: University of Hanover: Jacques Benigne Bossuet’s “Political Treatise”
Link: University of Hanover: Jacques Benigne Bossuet’s “Political Treatise” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. As you can see, Bossuet was a great supporter of political absolutism as the basis of social order.
As you read, consider the following study question: How do Bossuet’s theories of government and social order differentiate from those of Jean Domat?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Jean Domat’s “On Social Order and Absolute Monarchy”
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1.1.5 World Trade and Its Discontents
- Reading: Virginia Tech: Karl Kautsky’s “The Social Revolution”
Link: Virginia Tech: Karl Kautsky’s “The Social Revolution” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. In this document, Karl Kautsky, a Marxist, theorizes about the concept and legitimacy of social revolutions and upheavals. Pay special attention to his description of the differences between revolution and reform.
Reading this text should take approximately 1 hour.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Virginia Tech: Karl Kautsky’s “The Social Revolution”
- 1.2 Revolutionary Ideas
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1.2.1 Monarchy
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: John Evelyn’s “On Restoration and Revolution”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: John Evelyn’s “On Restoration and Revolution” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. These excerpts from Evelyn’s diary document his experiences and views of some of the most important events of the Revolution of 1688 and 1689, the Glorious Revolution, which led to the deposition of James II as king.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: John Evelyn’s “On Restoration and Revolution”
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1.2.2 Aristocracy
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Customs of Louis XIV” and “The Courtiers”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Customs of Louis XIV” (PDF) and “The Courtiers” (PDF)
Instructions: Read these texts. Pay special attention to his centralization policy.
As you read, consider the following study question: How did Louis XIV manage to have such a long reign?
Reading these texts and answering the question above should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Customs of Louis XIV” and “The Courtiers”
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1.2.3 Democracy
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Democracy in the Age of Revolutions”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Democracy in the Age of Revolutions” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. This reading offers an in-depth review of the historical considerations that are indispensable for the understanding of the concept of democracy in the long 19th century.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Democracy in the Age of Revolutions”
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1.2.4 Slavery
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “European and Colonial Resistance” (PDF) and “The Abolition of the Slave Trade”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “European and Colonial Resistance” (PDF) and “The Abolition of the Slave Trade” (PDF)
Instructions: Read these texts. These texts provide a well-balance account of the geographic dimensions of the eventual abolition of the slave trade. Remember that some scholars, including Professor Jenny S. Martinez from Stanford Law School, believe that abolitionism – the movement to ban the international slave trade – is at the root of the creation of human rights law.
Reading these texts should take approximately 45 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “European and Colonial Resistance” (PDF) and “The Abolition of the Slave Trade”
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1.2.5 Jews and the Emancipation
- Reading: The Museum of Family History’s “Jewish Emancipation”
Link: The Museum of Family History’s “Jewish Emancipation” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. This text offers a review of the political-economic dimensions of the Jewish emancipation.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Museum of Family History’s “Jewish Emancipation”
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1.2.6 Equality
- Reading: Anne Robert Jacques Turgot’s Reflections on the Formation and Distribution of Wealth
Link: Anne Robert Jacques Turgot’s Reflections on the Formation and Distribution of Wealth (HTML)
Instructions: Read this essay. In this essay, Turgot describes the development of society from its beginning to modern commercial society. Pay special attention to his thoughts on state control.
As you read, consider the following study questions: Why is Turgot described as “an early advocate for economic liberalism”? How would you summarize Turgot’s position on state control?
Reading this essay and answering the questions above should take approximately 3.5 hours.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Anne Robert Jacques Turgot’s Reflections on the Formation and Distribution of Wealth
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Unit 1 Assessment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Assessment”Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Assessment” (PDF)
Instructions: Please complete the assessment. You can check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Answer Key” (PDF).
Completing this assessment should take no more than 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Assessment”
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Unit 2: The American Revolution
The American Revolution was the first of the Atlantic Revolutions. The roots of the American Revolution can be traced back to both the Enlightenment and British concepts of Law and Representation. The tensions between Britain and her American colonies were exacerbated by the French and Indian War, the subsequent taxes imposed on the colonies, and British mercantile policies. These tensions led to violence in 1775. Unable to get their grievances addressed, the colonists ultimately declared themselves independent in 1776.
Unit 2 Time Advisory show close
In this unit, you will study why the revolutionaries went to war and what they hoped to achieve through independence. You will also consider the impact of the revolution on Europe and the Caribbean.
Unit 2 Learning Outcomes show close
- 2.1 Origins of the Crisis
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2.1.1 Taxation and Mercantilist Policies
- Reading: Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations (1776): “Of Colonies” (HTML) and “The Cost of Empire”
Link: Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations (1776): “Of Colonies” (HTML) and “The Cost of Empire” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these texts. These two readings provide the framework for what scholars call the story of the commercial revolution.
Reading these texts should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Soame Jenyns’ “The Objections to the Taxation Consider’d, 1765”
Link: Soame Jenyns’ “The Objections to the Taxation Consider’d, 1765” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. In this pamphlet, Jenyns, a member of the board of trade in England, discusses Britain’s rights to impose taxes over its colonies. Pay special attention to his comments on the colonies’ objections.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations (1776): “Of Colonies” (HTML) and “The Cost of Empire”
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2.1.2 The French and Indian War
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Seven Years’ War”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Seven Years’ War” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. This reading offers a review of one of the most important episodes in American history. This conflict destroyed the French Empire in North America and overturned the balance of power on two continents.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Seven Years’ War”
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2.1.3 The Estrangement of the Colonies
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The American Revolution”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “The American Revolution” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. In this reading, you will learn about the Revolutionary War that made America independent of Britain. This reading also covers the topic outlined in subunit 2.1.4.
As you read, consider the following study question: How did America survive in a dangerous world dominated by European empires?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 45 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 3: Being a British American”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 3: Being a British American” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this video lecture. In this video, Professor Joanne B. Freeman tries to answer one of the many unresolved questions that the American Revolutionary War brought to the forefront: What constituted the American people? What could bind the American people together? Take some time to write a summary about how Freeman responds to and reconciles these questions about what constitutes and unites the American people.
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and completing the writing activity above should take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The American Revolution”
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2.1.4 Taxation and Representation
Note: The reading assigned below subunit 2.1.3 covers this topic. Focus on the sections titled “Political and Economic Factors Leading to the American Revolution” and “Boston Tea Party.” Take approximately 15 minutes to review these sections.
- 2.2 The Coming of Revolution
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2.2.1 Protest and Solidarity
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 5: Outraged Colonials: The Stamp Act Crisis” and “Lecture 6: Resistance or Rebellion? (Or, What the Heck Is Happening in Boston?)”
Links: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 5: Outraged Colonials: The Stamp Act Crisis” and “Lecture 6: Resistance or Rebellion? (Or, What the Heck Is Happening in Boston?)” (YouTube)
Also available in:
Lecture 5: HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Lecture 6: HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch both lectures. In these lectures, Professor Freeman discusses the questions that dominated the contemporary debates about the American Revolution: How would America survive in a dangerous world dominated by European empires? What would the American union look like, and how would it be bound together? Take some time to write a summary about Freeman’s responses to these questions. These lectures cover the topics outlined in subunits 2.2.1 and 2.2.2.
Watching these lectures, pausing to take notes, and completing the writing activity above should take approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 5: Outraged Colonials: The Stamp Act Crisis” and “Lecture 6: Resistance or Rebellion? (Or, What the Heck Is Happening in Boston?)”
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2.2.2 Violence and Organization
Note: The lectures assigned below subunit 2.2.1 cover this topic.
- 2.3 Revolution
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2.3.1 The Declaration of Independence
- Reading: Archives.gov: “The Declaration of Independence”
Link: Archives.gov: “The Declaration of Independence” (HTML)
Also available in:
JPG
Instructions: Read this text. The Declaration of Independence of the United States justifies its independence of Britain by asserting several natural and legal rights.
As you study the declaration, consider the following questions: Which sentence of the Declaration of Independence is considered to be a major statement on human rights? What are the intentions of the authors of the declaration?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 11: Independence”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 11: Independence” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture Professor Freeman discusses the Declaration of Independence and its unique role in history.
As you watch this lecture, consider the following study question: Why do you think the Declaration was initially ignored after the Revolution?
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Archives.gov: “The Declaration of Independence”
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2.3.2 War and Victory
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 18: Fighting the Revolution: The Big Picture”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 18: Fighting the Revolution: The Big Picture” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor Freeman offers a comprehensive narrative of the revolutionary fight for independence.
Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 18: Fighting the Revolution: The Big Picture”
- 2.4 Goals of the Revolution
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2.4.1 Independence
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 10: Common Sense”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 10: Common Sense” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch the video lecture. In this lecture, Professor Freeman offers a comprehensive analysis of Thomas Pain’s pamphlet, Common Sense, which helped ignite the American Revolution.
As you watch the lecture, consider the following study question: According to Paine, was reconciliation with England still possible?
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 10: Common Sense”
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2.4.2 Equal Rights
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Goals of the Revolution”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Goals of the Revolution” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. This reading also covers the topic outlined in subunit 2.4.3. This reading offers a fresh look at the thinking of the individuals who made the Revolution.
As you read, consider this study question: Based on your knowledge of each of the following and in consideration of this reading, how did each impact the goals of the revolutionaries: intellectual influences, Enlightenment ideology, traditional common law, and covenant theology?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 15 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Goals of the Revolution”
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2.4.3 Democracy
Note: The reading assigned below subunit 2.4.2 covers this topic. Consider how unity and the identity of the American people as well as what they wanted freedom from (i.e., tyranny) relates to democracy.
- 2.5 Challenges of the Revolution
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2.5.1 What Kind of Government?
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Challenges of the Revolution”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Challenges of the Revolution” (PDF)
Instructions: Read “Challenges of the Revolution.” This text analyzes the main challenges of the new nation, from foreign relations to the fact that there was no clear governing head.
As you read, consider the following study question: Why did the European powers believe that an American federal union would not succeed?
Reading this text and answering the question should take approximately 15 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Challenges of the Revolution”
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2.5.2 The Articles of the Confederation
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 20: Confederation”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 20: Confederation” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor Freeman offers new insights into the contemporary debates on how to integrate all the new American states.
As you watch the lecture, consider the following study question: What was the relationship between individual rights and popular sovereignty?
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 20: Confederation”
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2.5.3 Threats to the New Nation
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 21: A Union without Power”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 21: A Union without Power” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor Freeman analyzes the First Federal Constitution of the United States before the Constitution. Remember that American historian Professor Merrill Jensen describes these Articles of Confederation as the written expression of the political philosophy of the Declaration of Independence.
Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes .
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 21: A Union without Power”
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2.5.4 The Constitution
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 23: Creating a Constitution”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 23: Creating a Constitution” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor Freeman captures the dynamic of the debates by the men who labored the American Constitution.
As you view the lecture, consider the following study question: Why do you think the American Constitution is the world’s most enduring constitution?
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 23: Creating a Constitution”
- 2.6 Outcomes
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2.6.1 Revolutionary Change
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “How Revolutionary Was the American Revolution?”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “How Revolutionary Was the American Revolution?” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. As you read, consider the following study questions: Do you think the American Revolution produced a social transformation? Why, or why not? What principles were espoused during the Revolution?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 15 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “How Revolutionary Was the American Revolution?”
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2.6.2 Impact of the American Revolution
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 25: Being an American: The Legacy of the Revolution”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 25: Being an American: The Legacy of the Revolution” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor Freeman delves into the many facets of the aftermath of the American Revolution. Pay special attention to Professor Freeman’s conclusions on the lessons of the Revolution.
Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor Joanne B. Freeman’s The American Revolution: “Lecture 25: Being an American: The Legacy of the Revolution”
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Unit 2 Assessment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Assessment”Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Assessment” (PDF)
Instructions: Please complete this assessment. You can check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Completing this assessment should take no more than 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Assessment”
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Unit 3: The French Revolution
The French Revolution was the primary catalyst for spreading revolutionary ideas throughout Europe. The Ancient Regime had divided the society into three estates: the clergy (first estate), the nobility (second estate), and the townspeople and peasantry (third estate). The Revolution broke out when the third estate rebelled against the king as well as the first two estates and proclaimed themselves the true representative of the French people. The French Revolution overthrew the monarchy as well as the estate system and introduced new radical ideas of government and what the nation meant.
Unit 3 Time Advisory show close
In this unit, you will examine the causes of the French Revolution: famine, poverty, the Enlightenment, and the outdated and oppressive nature of the Ancient Regime. You will also study the different phases of the Revolution and the spread of revolutionary ideas.
Unit 3 Learning Outcomes show close
- 3.1 The Old Regime
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3.1.1 Society and Government
- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “The People before the Revolution”
Link: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “The People before the Revolution” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this text. The author, Peter Kropotkin, was an early 20th century Russian philosopher, renowned for his anarcho-communist ideas. In his text, Kropotkin, an authority in French history, describes the conditions of the French peasantry before the revolution. Pay special attention to how his anarcho-communist beliefs are reflected in this very subjective document.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 1”
Link: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 1” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch this video lecture. The French Revolution began in May 1789 with the meeting of the Estates-General – a general assembly representing the three French estates of the realm: the nobility, the church, and the common people. Summoned by King Louis XVI to propose solutions to his government’s financial problems, the Estates-General sat for several weeks in May and June 1789 but came to an impasse as the three estates clashed over their respective powers. It was brought to an end when many members of the Third Estate formed themselves into a National Assembly, signaling the outbreak of the Revolution. On July 14th of that same year, the Bastille – a medieval fortress and prison which represented royal authority in the center of Paris – was stormed by a mob that demanded the arms and ammunition stored there.
Note that this video will also cover the topics outlined in subunits 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.2.1, 3.2.2, and 3.2.3.
Watching this video and pausing to take notes should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “The People before the Revolution”
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3.1.2 Breakdown of the Old Regime
Note: The reading and video lecture assigned under subunit 3.1.1 cover this topic.
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3.1.3 The Estates General
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.1.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: Ashland University: Professor J. Moser’s “The Opening of the Estates General (1789)”
Link: Ashland University: Professor J. Moser’s “The Opening of the Estates General (1789)” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Remember that the Estates-General was a legislative assembly that represented three social classes: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: ThinkQuest: “The Estates”
Link: ThinkQuest: “The Estates” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. This reading provides an overview of the composition and powers of the Estates-General.
As you read, consider the following study question: Would you describe the social structure of 18th century France as closed or open? Explain your reasoning.
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Ashland University: Professor J. Moser’s “The Opening of the Estates General (1789)”
- 3.2 The Revolution
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3.2.1 The National Assembly
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.1.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: Ashland University: Professor J. Moser’s “Excerpts from an Address of the National Assembly to the French People (1790)”
Link: Ashland University: Professor J. Moser’s “Excerpts from an Address of the National Assembly to the French People (1790)” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these excerpts from the National Assembly’s address to the French People in 1790. This reading also covers the topics outlined in subunits 3.2.2 and 3.2.4.
As you read, consider the following study question: Did the Assembly still recognize royal authority?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “The French Revolution – Part 2”
Link: Khan Academy’s “The French Revolution – Part 2” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. This lecture discusses the second stage of the French Revolution. After Louis XV and his wife tried to escape Paris in 1791, the French revolutionary wars began soon thereafter; however, fighting soon went badly and prices rose sky-high. In August 1792, a mob assaulted the Royal Palace in Paris and arrested the King. In September, the Assembly abolished the monarchy and declared a republic. This lecture also covers the topic outlined in subunit 3.2.4.
Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Ashland University: Professor J. Moser’s “Excerpts from an Address of the National Assembly to the French People (1790)”
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3.2.2 The Storming of the Bastille
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.1.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Chapter XII: The Taking of the Bastille”
Link: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Chapter XII: The Taking of the Bastille” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Anarcho-communist author, Peter Kropotkin, uses this text to reflect his ideas on the State as undesirable and harmful. In this document, the Bastille represents the State, while the garrison represents those who work for it. Although, most anarchists oppose all forms of aggression, Kropotkin justifies the use of violence, in this case, as a form of self-defense by the masses against an oppressive force.
Reading this text should take approximately 1 hour.
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- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Chapter XII: The Taking of the Bastille”
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3.2.3 Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.1.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Chapter XIX: The Declaration of the Rights of Man”
Link: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Chapter XIX: The Declaration of the Rights of Man”(HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Kropotkin uses this text on the French Revolution to demonstrate the benefits of using liberal methods instead of authoritarian (as per the Russian Bolsheviks). Pay special attention to his references to the United States’ Declaration of Independence.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Yale Law School, Lillian Goldman Law Library’s The Avalon Project: “Declaration of the Rights of Man – 1789”
Link: Yale Law School, Lillian Goldman Law Library’s The Avalon Project: “Declaration of the Rights of Man – 1789” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Remember that this document was greatly influenced by the philosophy of the Enlightenment and is based on natural law.
Reading this text should take you approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Chapter XIX: The Declaration of the Rights of Man”
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3.2.4 The Flight to Varennes
Note: The video lecture assigned below subunit 3.2.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: Madame Royale, Duchess of Angouleme’s “Narrative of the Journey to Varennes”
Link: Madame Royale, Duchess of Angouleme’s “Narrative of the Journey to Varennes” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this narrative. This text narrates the failed attempt by Louis XVI of France and his family to escape from Paris in the hope of starting a counter-revolution with foreign aid.
Reading this text should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: This text is in the public domain.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Madame Royale, Duchess of Angouleme’s “Narrative of the Journey to Varennes”
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3.2.5 The Constitution
- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Financial Difficulties – Sale of Church Property”
Link: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Financial Difficulties – Sale of Church Property” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this text. Anarcho-communist author, Peter Kropotkin, uses this text to support the destruction of what he believes to be the two main authoritarian institutions, the State and Church. Kropotkin believed the Church in particular to be an impediment for the intellectual development of humankind.
Reading this text should take approximately 45 minutes.
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- Reading: Peter Kropotkin’s The Great French Revolution: “Financial Difficulties – Sale of Church Property”
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3.2.6 Jewish Emancipation
- Reading: Virginia Tech: Mitchell Abidor’s Translation of “Address on the Granting of Civil Rights to Jews”
Link: Virginia Tech: Mitchell Abidor’s Translation of “Address on the Granting of Civil Rights to Jews” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this address from the French Revolution in 1790. This Declaration was a response to a petition of the French Jews presented to the National Assembly in January 28, 1790. In their petition, the Jews asked to be granted the same rights as the other citizens of France. Remember that the National Assembly would not grant them full political rights until nearly two years later in September 1791.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Virginia Tech: Mitchell Abidor’s Translation of “Address on the Granting of Civil Rights to Jews”
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3.2.7 Declaration of Rights of Women
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Olympia de Gouge’s “Declaration of the Rights of Women, 1791”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Olympia de Gouge’s “Declaration of the Rights of Women, 1791” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read the this text. In this document, political activist Olympe de Gouges exposes the failure of the French Revolution to address the issue of women’s rights. Remember that the first article of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789 read: “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.”
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Olympia de Gouge’s “Declaration of the Rights of Women, 1791”
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3.3 The Jacobin Republic and the Terror
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 3: Reign of Terror”
Link: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 3: Reign of Terror” (YouTube)
Instructions: Watch this video on the Reign of Terror, a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions and marked by mass executions of enemies of the revolution. The death toll ranged in the tens of thousands, with 16,594 executed by guillotine and another 25,000 in summary executions across France. Note that this video lecture also covers subunits 3.3.2 and 3.3.3.
Watching this video and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour.
Terms of Use: This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 3: Reign of Terror”
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3.3.1 The Execution of the King and Queen
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Edmund Burke’s “The Death of Marie Antoinette”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Edmund Burke’s “The Death of Marie Antoinette” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this text. In this excerpt, Irish intellectual Edmund Burke describes the death of the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. Keep in mind that Burke was one of the first political figures to attack the principles of the French Revolution. Note that this topic is covered in greater detail in subunits 3.3.2 and 3.3.3.
As you read, consider the following study question: How does Burke describe this event? What is the tone of the reading?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 15 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Edmund Burke’s “The Death of Marie Antoinette”
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3.3.2 The Terror
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.3.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: Fordham University: Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Maximilien Robespierre’s “Justification of the Use of Terror”
Link: Fordham University: Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Maximilien Robespierre’s “Justification of the Use of Terror” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this text. In this reading, Robespierre argues that terror was necessary and inevitable to defend France from internal upheavals and foreign intervention.
As you read, consider the following study questions: In this text, Robespierre mentions virtue several times. From his point of view could terror be pure and virtuous if used to defend France and the Revolution? Why, or why not?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University: Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Maximilien Robespierre’s “Justification of the Use of Terror”
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3.3.3 Thermidorian Reaction
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.3.1 covers this topic.
- Lecture: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Lecture 6: Maximillian Robespierre and the French Revolution”
Link: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Lecture 6: Maximillian Robespierre and the French Revolution”
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash, and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor John Merriman provides an exploration on the life of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre.
As you view the lecture, consider the following study question: Was Robespierre a revolutionary martyr or the first modern dictator? Explain your reasoning.
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 2 hours.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Lecture 6: Maximillian Robespierre and the French Revolution”
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3.3.4 The Directory
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 4: The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte”
Link: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 4: The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please watch this video lecture, which discusses the last stages of the French Revolution and how Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the French Directory, replacing it with the French Consulate. Napoleon rose to power under the French First Republic, which formed at the end of the French Revolution. He proclaimed himself dictator and, eventually, emperor under the First French Empire in 1804. Note that this lecture will also cover the topics outlined in subunits 3.4.1–3.4.3.
Watching this video and pausing to take notes should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “French Revolution – Part 4: The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte”
- 3.4 Impact
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3.4.1 The Radical Phase
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.3.4 covers this topic.
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Abolition of Existing Institutions”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Abolition of Existing Institutions” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this article. Historians calculate that at the time of the Revolution, the first state, the Church, was the largest landowner in France, owning about 10% of all the land. The second state, the nobility, owned about 5% of the land.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Abolition of Existing Institutions”
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3.4.2 European War and the Levee en Masse
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.3.4 covers this topic.
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “The Levee en Masse”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “The Levee en Masse” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Remember that the Committee of Public Safety raised this army not only to defend France but also to suppress any internal uprisings.
As you read, consider the following study question: Was this mass conscription the first step toward the Reign of Terror?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “The Levee en Masse”
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3.4.3 The Rise of Napolean
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 3.3.4 covers this topic.
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Lecture 7: Napoleon”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Lecture 7: Napoleon” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch this lecture. In this lecture, Professor John Merriman offers a remarkable analysis of the life and actions of one of modern history’s most famous general and statesman.
Watching this lecture and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Lecture 7: Napoleon”
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3.4.4 The Spread of the Revolution
- Reading: he Saylor Foundation’s “Radicalism and Danger”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Radicalism and Danger” (PDF)
Instructions: Read “Radicalism and Danger.” Remember that during 1679 to 1832 a whig was a member of a British political party who held liberal principles. The Whig Party was later called the Liberal Party. During the French Revolution, the Whig Party divided in two factions: those who were sympathetic to the French Revolution, led by Charles Grey, and those who opposed it, led by Edmund Burke.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: he Saylor Foundation’s “Radicalism and Danger”
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3.4.5 France after Napoleon
- Reading: Sir Augustus Oakes’ The Great European Treaties of the 19th Century: “Chapter II: The Restoration of Europe”
Link: Sir Augustus Oakes’ The Great European Treaties of the 19th Century: “Chapter II: The Restoration of Europe” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. As you read, consider the following study question: How did the Congress of Vienna achieve the unachievable with widespread peace in Europe for nearly 100 years?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 1 hour.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Sir Augustus Oakes’ The Great European Treaties of the 19th Century: “Chapter II: The Restoration of Europe”
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Unit 3 Assessment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Assessment”Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Assessment” (PDF)
Instructions: Please complete this assessment. You can check your answers against The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Answer Key” (PDF).
Completing this assessment should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 3 Assessment”
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Unit 4: Latin America and Caribbean Revolutions
Beginning in the early 19th century, a spate of revolutions swept through the European territories in the Americas. The independence movements that proliferated in Americas in the early 19th century were a direct result of the American and French Revolutions, as well as the Peninsular War, a conflict over the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The slave revolt in Haiti was the only truly successful slave revolt, as well as the first of the new Independence movements. Napoleon Bonaparte dismantled the Spanish Bourbon monarchy, allowing for the establishment of several junta governments in Spanish America that advocated independence from Spain. While Napoleon’s forces occupied Portugal, the monarchy fled to Brazil, its South American colony. When the Portuguese king returned to Portugal in 1821, his brother, the prince regent, declared Brazil independent of Portugal. The wars for independence that ensued in Central and South America during this time resulted in protracted and bloody conflicts, the adoption of free trade policies, the rise of many unstable regimes, and the expansion of representative government.
Unit 4 Time Advisory show close
In this unit, you will consider the many causes of the Latin American and Caribbean Revolutions of the early 1800s as well the particular character of each revolution. You will also study how the revolutionary movements helped better integrate Central and South America into the world economy and forge alliances with America and Great Britain.
Unit 4 Learning Outcomes show close
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4.1 The Haitian Revolution
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Haitian Revolution”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Haitian Revolution” (PDF)
Instructions: Please read this text. This reading will give you an excellent introduction to the main causes, events, and consequences of the Haitian Revolution. Pay special attention to the permanent effect of colonial rule in Haitian society, politics, and economy. This reading covers the topics outlined in subunits 4.1.1 through 4.1.4.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The Haitian Revolution”
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4.1.1 Slave Society in Haiti
Note: The reading assigned below subunit 4.1 covers this topic.
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “Haitian Revolution – Part 1”
Link: Khan Academy’s “Haitian Revolution – Part 1” (YouTube)
Instructions: Watch this video lecture, which provides an overview of the slave rebellion in Saint-Domingue, which sparked the Haitian Revolution and the rise of the commander and revolutionary leader Toussaint L’Ouverture. The Haitian Revolution is considered to be the most successful slave rebellion ever to have occurred in the Americas and a defining moment in the history of Africans in the New World. Note that this lecture will also cover subunit 4.1.2.
Watching this video and pausing to take notes should take approximately 1 hour.
Terms of Use: This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “Haitian Revolution – Part 1”
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4.1.2 The Revolt of 1791
Note: The video lecture assigned under subunit 4.1.1 covers this topic.
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Civil Rights for Les Gens de Couleur”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Civil Rights for Les Gens de Couleur” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. As you read, consider the following study question: How important was the Universal Emancipation decree to the abolition of slavery?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 15 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Civil Rights for Les Gens de Couleur”
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4.1.3 The French Response
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “Haitian Revolution – Part 2”
Link: Khan Academy’s “Haitian Revolution – Part 2” (YouTube)
Instructions: Watch this video lecture on the second phase of the Haitian Revolution under Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who became leader after the capture of L’Ouverture in 1802. Note that this video lecture will also cover the topic outlined in subunit 4.1.4.
Watching this video and pausing to take notes should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License. It is attributed to the Khan Academy.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: Khan Academy’s “Haitian Revolution – Part 2”
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4.1.4 Independence
Note: The reading assigned below subunit 4.1 and the video lecture assigned below subunit 4.1.3 cover this topic.
- 4.2 Causes and Independent Movements
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4.2.1 Discontent in Colonial Society
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Period of Imperial Crisis” (PDF) and “Causation of Spanish American Independence”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Period of Imperial Crisis” (PDF) and “Causation of Spanish American Independence” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. As you read, consider the following study question: Why was it so important for so many of the Spanish colonies not to fall under French control during the Napoleonic invasion of Spain?
Studying these readings and answering the question above should take approximately 45 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Period of Imperial Crisis” (PDF) and “Causation of Spanish American Independence”
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4.2.2 The American and French Revolutions
- Reading: Florida International University: Robert A. Peterson’s “A Tale of Two Revolutions”
Link: Florida International University: Robert A. Peterson’s “A Tale of Two Revolutions” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. This comparative study of the French Revolution and American Revolution reveals interesting issues relating to their substantive common features and dynamics, as well as their cultural, political and ideological differences, which provided two contrasting models of revolutionary change. Write a summary about how these revolutionary models compare and contrast.
Reading this text and completing the writing activity should take approximately 1 hour.
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- Reading: Florida International University: Robert A. Peterson’s “A Tale of Two Revolutions”
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4.2.3 The Napoleonic Wars
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Spain: The Napoleonic Era”
Link: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Spain: The Napoleonic Era” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Remember that the Spanish American Wars of Independence are a direct result of the French invasion of Spain.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Spain: The Napoleonic Era”
- 4.3 The Spanish Empire
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4.3.1 Mexico
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “The Road to Independence”, “Wars of Independence, 1810–21” and “Empire and Early Republic, 1821–55”
Link: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “The Road to Independence” (HTML), “Wars of Independence, 1810–21” (HTML) and “Empire and Early Republic, 1821–55” (HTML)
Instructions: Read these studies. As you read, consider the following study question: What is the historical importance of the military coup that took place in Spain against Ferdinand VII in October 1807?
Reading these texts and answering the question above should take approximately 45 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpages above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “The Road to Independence”, “Wars of Independence, 1810–21” and “Empire and Early Republic, 1821–55”
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4.3.2 Simón Bolívar and South America
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Simón Bolívar and José de San Martin”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Simón Bolívar and José de San Martin” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. General Simón Bolívar was hailed as El Libertador (the Liberator) by his compatriots. Historians have sometimes called him the George Washington of Latin America. José de San Martin was an Argentinian general who fought for independence.
As you read about Bolívar, consider the following study questions: Do you think that comparing Bolívar to George Washington is fair? Why, or why not?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Simón Bolívar and José de San Martin”
- 4.4 The Portuguese Empire
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4.4.1 Colonial Brazil
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: The Transformation to Kingdom Status”
Link: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: The Transformation to Kingdom Status” (HTML)
Instructions: Read the text. You will read the remainder of the article in subunit 4.4.3. Remember that at this point Brazil was not independent and instead was part of a transatlantic kingdom, or pluri-continental monarchy. In other words, the Kingdom of Portugal and the Kingdom of Brazil shared the same king and formed part of a single united state.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: The Transformation to Kingdom Status”
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4.4.2 Impact of European Wars
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: Emperor Dom Pedro I”
Link: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: Emperor Dom Pedro I” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read this study on Brazil. This reading offers an overview of the life and accomplishments of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: Emperor Dom Pedro I”
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4.4.3 Brazilian Independence
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: The Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil, 1815–21”
Link: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: The Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil, 1815–21” (HTML)
Instructions: Scroll down and read the text below the heading "The Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil, 1815-21". As you read, consider the following study question: Was Brazil an equal member in this political union?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 15 minutes.
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- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Brazil: The Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil, 1815–21”
- 4.5 Impact of American Revolutions
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4.5.1 The New Nations
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Francisco Bilbao’s “Excerpts from America in Danger”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Francisco Bilbao’s “Excerpts from America in Danger” (HTML)
Instructions: Read the introductory material and the excerpts from Bilbao’s America in Danger for an overview of the post-independence era in Latin America as well as Bilbao’s criticism of military dictatorships.
Reading this text should take approximately 15 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Francisco Bilbao’s “Excerpts from America in Danger”
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4.5.2 Monroe Doctrines and the Americas
- Reading: Yale Law School, Lillian Goldman Law Library’s The Avalon Project: “The Monroe Doctrine”
Link: Yale Law School, Lillian Goldman Law Library’s The Avalon Project: “The Monroe Doctrine” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. The Monroe Doctrine was a presidential proclamation by which the United States declared that any intervention by European nations in North or South America would be seen as a threat to the US and would be treated as such.
As you read, consider the following study questions: Was the Monroe Doctrine an effort to stop European colonialism in the Americas? Why, or why not?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Yale Law School, Lillian Goldman Law Library’s The Avalon Project: “The Monroe Doctrine”
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Unit 4 Assessment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Assessment”Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Assessment” (PDF)
Instructions: Please complete this assessment. You can check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Answer Key” (PDF).
Completing this assessment should take no more than 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 4 Assessment”
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Unit 5: The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution is not a revolution in the same sense as the previous units, but a series of long-term changes that reshaped first Europe and then the world. The Industrial Revolution does not have a start or end date, and there is much disagreement on what constitutes a ‘revolution’ when referring to these changes. The Industrial Revolution involved new technologies and ideas, as well as long-term changes in the social and economic relationships within Britain, Europe, and the wider world.
Unit 5 Time Advisory show close
The Industrial Revolution made countries that adapted to these changes much more powerful economically, both overall and per capita, than countries that did not. These changes came at a price for many people who saw their way of life and standard of living destroyed by the new modes of production. The revolutions of 1848 were in a large part brought about by the changes the Industrial Revolution brought to European society.
Unit 5 Learning Outcomes show close
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5.1 What is the Industrial Revolution?
- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Industrial Revolutions”
Link: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Industrial Revolutions” (YouTube)
Also available in:
HTML, MP3, Adobe Flash and QuickTime
Instructions: Please watch the video lecture. As you watch the lecture, consider the following study question: How did the Agrarian Revolution help the Industrial Revolution?
Watching this lecture, pausing to take notes, and answering the question above should take approximately 2 hours.
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- Lecture: YouTube: Yale University: Professor John Merriman’s “Industrial Revolutions”
- 5.2 England: The First Industrial Revolution
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5.2.1 Economic Preconditions and Incentives for Technological Development
- Reading: Arnold Toynbee’s “Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England”
Link: Arnold Toynbee’s “Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England” (HTML)
Instructions: Read these lectures for a thought-provoking survey of the factors that led to Britain’s Industrial Revolution. Write a summary of the conditions of workers and events that led to the revolution.
Reading this text and completing the writing activity should take approximately 2 hours.
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- Reading: Arnold Toynbee’s “Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England”
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5.2.2 The Steam Engine and Technology
- Reading: Dionysis Lardner’s The Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated
Link: Dionysis Lardner’s The Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated (HTML)
Instructions: Carefully view the illustrations and read Dyonysis Lardner’s The Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated, a study of engineering and scientific breakthroughs that drove the invention of the steam engine and the entire Industrial Revolution. Remember that this power source not only fueled factories, ships, and trains but also changed human history.
Reading this text and viewing the illustrations should take approximately 3 hours.
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- Reading: Dionysis Lardner’s The Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated
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5.2.3 The Factory System
- Reading: Laura Del Col’s “The Life of the Industrial Worker in 19th-Century England”
Link: Laura Del Col’s “The Life of the Industrial Worker in 19th-Century England” (HTML)
Instructions: Please read these excerpts from various blue-collar workers during and after the Industrial Revolution. This reading also covers the topic outlined in subunit 5.3.2.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Laura Del Col’s “The Life of the Industrial Worker in 19th-Century England”
- 5.3 Effects of the Industrial Revolution
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5.3.1 The Rise of Industrial Countries
- Reading: San Diego State University: World History for Us All Project’s “Big Era Seven”
Link: San Diego State University: World History for Us All Project’s “Big Era Seven” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. This reading offers a cogent analysis of the historical causes, developments, and consequences of the Industrial Revolution by integrating social, political, institutional, and cultural factors. Moreover, this reading helps to explain the political, economic, and social trends that dominated the century as well as their impact on the subsequent development of the world’s economy to the present day.
Reading this text should take approximately 1 hour.
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- Reading: San Diego State University: World History for Us All Project’s “Big Era Seven”
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5.3.2 The Consequence for Workers
Note: The reading assigned below subunit 5.2.3 covers this topic.
- 5.4 Theories and Problems of the Industrial Economy
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5.4.1 Adam Smith and Laissez Faire
- Reading: Adam Smith’s Excerpt from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations
Link: Adam Smith’s Excerpt from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Remember that for most of history free-trade did not exist as such; taxes, levies, impositions, etc. are nearly as old as trade itself.
As you read, consider the following study questions: Would you say that free-trade is the same as fair-trade? Why, or why not?
Reading this text and answering the questions above should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Adam Smith’s Excerpt from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations
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5.4.2 Karl Marx and Socialism
- Reading: Frederick Engels’ “Karl Marx”
Link: Frederick Engels’ “Karl Marx” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this article on Karl Marx. This is a short biography of Karl Marx based on Friedrich Engels’ version (1868). Remember that together Marx and Engels wrote The Communist Manifest, the most influential manuscript in the history of Communist ideology.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Frederick Engels’ “Karl Marx”
- 5.5 1848
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5.5.1 Revolutions in France
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Percy B. St. John’s “The French Revolution of 1848”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Percy B. St. John’s “The French Revolution of 1848” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this primary source. This reading is a first-hand account of the French Revolution of 1848 by English journalist and traveler Percy Bolingbroke St. John.
Reading this text should take approximately 45 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Percy B. St. John’s “The French Revolution of 1848”
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5.5.2 Discontent in Cities
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Alphonse de Lamartine’s “History of the Revolution of 1848 in France”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Alphonse de Lamartine’s “History of the Revolution of 1848 in France” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this primary source text with Alphonse de Lamartine’s account of the French Revolution in 1848.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Alphonse de Lamartine’s “History of the Revolution of 1848 in France”
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5.5.3 Nationalism and Counter-Revolution
- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Hungary under the Habsburgs” (HTML) and “Dual Monarchy”
Link: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Hungary under the Habsburgs” (HTML) and “Dual Monarchy” (HTML)
Instructions: Read all of the sections below “Hungary under the Habsburgs” from “Reign of Leopold II” through “Aftermath of the Revolution.” Also, read all of the sections below “Dual Monarchy” from “Constitutional and Legal Framework” through “Counter-Revolution.” These studies analyze the events that took place in Hungary from the 18th century to World War I. Remember that Hungary was made up of a number of different ethnic groups, all speaking different languages, which often created tensions.
Reading these texts should take approximately 2 hours.
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- Reading: US Library of Congress’s Country Studies: “Hungary under the Habsburgs” (HTML) and “Dual Monarchy”
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Unit 5 Assessment
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 5 Assessment”Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 5 Assessment” (PDF)
Instructions: Please complete the entire assessment. You can check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 5 Answer Key” (PDF).
Completing this assessment should take no more than 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 5 Assessment”
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Unit 6: The Effects of Revolution
The Atlantic world of 1776 looked very different from the Atlantic world that emerged in 1848. France was no longer an absolutist monarchy. America was no longer a collection of British colonies, but an independent nation whose economy was becoming one of the largest in the world. Saint-Domingue had been transformed from a French colony in the Caribbean into the free republic of Haiti. New Spain had been dismantled, and new republics and federations in Central and South America had risen in its place. The Industrial Revolution had transformed Western Europe 1848 had seen an explosion of revolutionary discontent throughout Europe. But revolutions did not guarantee the implementation of democratic principles and the end of oppressive regimes. In fact, in many regions, tyranny either returned or persisted; freedom of the people was never assured.
Unit 6 Time Advisory show close
In this unit, you will consider the Atlantic world in the wake of the revolutionary age and compare and contrast the revolutions in Europe and the Americas. You will also consider how revolutionaries ended their respective revolutions as well as how they remembered them.
Unit 6 Learning Outcomes show close
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6.1 The World Economic System after Industrialization
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “Summary of Wallerstein on World System Theory”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “Summary of Wallerstein on World System Theory” (HTML)
Instructions: Read the this text. This text is a brief introduction to American sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein’s methodology, which is based on world-systems rather than nation-states. Remember that the world-system analysis method is key for the understanding the evolution of the modern world.
Reading this text should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Adam Smith’s “The Principle of the Mercantile System”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Adam Smith’s “The Principle of the Mercantile System” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. Remember that Smith argued that free trade would lead to the international specialization of labor, and subsequently to great well-being for all nations.
As you read, consider the following study question: Why did Adam Smith oppose Mercantilism?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 30 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “Pamphlet: In Defence of Laissez-Faire”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “Pamphlet: In Defence of Laissez-Faire” (HTML)
Instructions: Study this pamphlet. Remember that the French sentence laissez-faire translates in English to “let [them] do,” or in other words “let them do as they will.”
Reading this text should take approximately 45 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: “Summary of Wallerstein on World System Theory”
- 6.2 Comparing Revolutions
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6.2.1 The Americas in 1848
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The United States and the 1848 Revolutions”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “The United States and the 1848 Revolutions” (PDF)
Instructions: Read “The United States and the 1848 Revolutions.” Remember that the 1848 Revolutions had a deep impact on both sides of the Atlantic. Numerous reforms that took place in America, such as the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, were a direct result of the 1848 European upheavals.
As you read, consider the following study question: Was the Civil War America’s answer to the 1848 Revolutions? Explain your reasoning.
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “The United States and the 1848 Revolutions”
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6.2.2 Europe in 1848
- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Carl Schurz’s “A Look Back at 1848”
Link: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Carl Schurz’s “A Look Back at 1848” (HTML)
Instructions: Read this text. This reading by Carl Schurz is a first-hand account of the 1848 revolution in Germany.
As you read, consider the following study question: How does he describe democracy?
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 15 minutes.
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- Reading: Fordham University’s Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Carl Schurz’s “A Look Back at 1848”
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6.2.3 Revolution and the Modern World
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Revolutions and the Modern World”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Revolutions and the Modern World” (PDF)
Instructions: Read this text. In this document, you will learn about the most important theories regarding the causes and nature of revolutions. While reading this text, remember that scholars did not only formulate these theories to better explain past phenomena but to understand events in their own times and to predict future and possibly catastrophic upheavals.
As you read, consider the following study question: Are the basics of these theories still valid and relevant today? Explain your reasoning.
Reading this text and answering the question above should take approximately 30 minutes.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation’s “Revolutions and the Modern World”
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Final Exam
- Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation’s “HIST303 Final Exam”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “HIST303 Final Exam”
Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking on the link above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation’s “HIST303 Final Exam”
