The First Revolution in the World
From the late 18th to the mid-19th century, the Age of Revolution saw a number of significant revolutionary movements across most of Europe and the Americas. The shift from absolutist monarchies to representative governments with constitutions and the formation of nation-states occurred during this time.
The 1848 French Revolution, now the country's fourth revolution in less than 60 years, saw a violent resurgence of French pride as the "People" fought for their rights. Let us learn about the 1750 to 1900 enlightenment and revolution around the world and the concepts associated with it in this article.
Revolutions in History on Nationalism & Revolution
The revolutions in history are likely one of the most important events that have happened across the world. It is also called the first revolution in the world. Let us look at them in detail here.
Enlightenment Sparks Revolutions
Enlightenment ideals such as natural rights, separation of powers in government, tabula rasa, and the social compact motivated oppressed people to fight for equality. These people created alliances based on a number of common interests, including language, religion, social status, and territory. People from all over the world challenged established government institutions between 1750 and 1900, resulting in significant political, economic, and social change. Many of the following Revolutions were directly influenced by Enlightenment ideas.
American Revolution
The British North American colonies revolted against the British Empire during the American Revolution. Great Britain had been increasing its influence in North America, including battling France for dominance in North America during the Seven Years' War. Wars are expensive, and the British debt increased as a result of the Seven Years' War. As a result, the United Kingdom imposed taxes on its North American colonies.
The colonies were used to the home country letting them alone, but the increased taxes upset the colonists. The colonists initially desired representation in Parliament in order to influence tax decisions. In the colonies, phrases like "No Taxation without Representation" were commonplace.
Colonial officials issued the Declaration of Independence after failing to come to an agreement on representation and taxation. The colonists' concerns with the British monarchy were listed in this document, which was inspired by Enlightenment principles. The colonists won the war and gained their freedom with the help of the French. The United States established a constitutional government, rejecting the absolute monarchy concept.
New Zealand Wars
Great Britain controlled over large parts of the globe in the mid-19th century, but this did not sit well with many New Zealanders. Since roughly 1200 C.E., Maori tribes have lived in New Zealand as part of greater Polynesia migration patterns. The Maori tribes ruled over New Zealand for hundreds of years.
As part of their drive for worldwide dominance, Britain annexed New Zealand in 1840. Because industrialised nations were continually looking for more territory to harvest for resources as well as potential clients for their factory-finished products, this is linked to Imperialism and Industrialization. Britain gradually gains more control over New Zealand.
Maori tribes rebelled sporadically during a 40-year period in response to rising British control. As a result, the many tribes were forced to see a shared identity amongst themselves, resulting in an increase in nationalism. Maori tribes banded together against Britain because they shared many common features, such as a territory. However, the industrialisation’s powers were too great, and Britain won by 1872.
French Revolution
The debt from the Seven Years' War (as well as participation in the American Revolution) forced the French monarchy to assemble the Estates-General for the first time in a long time, similar to the American Revolution. Three Estates make up the Estates General: clergy, nobility, and commoners. The commoners (97% of the population) were outvoted and got taken in terms of taxation because each estate had equal voting power.
In defiance of the Estates-General, the commoners founded the National Assembly, sometimes known as the Third Estate. The National Assembly attempted to undo many of the Estates General's actions, such as changing the tax code. Members of the Third Estate stormed the Bastille in order to get weapons and undermine the king's power as tensions with the French monarchy grew. As a result, the King was forced to recognise the National Assembly as the real government.
The French Revolutionary leaders released a guiding document with clear Enlightenment principles, similar to the American Revolution. The Declaration of Man's and Citizen's Rights aimed to lead the French people toward natural rights, equality, and a representative government that derived power from the people.
This new government, on the other hand, had its own set of issues.
There are numerous issues to be resolved, as with any new government. The Reign of Terror happened as a result of radical revolutionaries' instability, and many people were accused of treason and killed by guillotine. Science and reason, which were supposed to promote human flourishing, were instead utilised to mass kill people, leading to the invention of the guillotine.
Haitian Revolution
If overthrowing governments is the criteria of revolution success, then Haitians saw revolutions in America and France succeed in overthrowing the incumbent governments. In 1791, enslaves in the French colony of Haiti rose up against their white masters with this inspiration. Toussaint L'Ouverture led a revolt against the French authority by maroon villages (many of which were distributed across the island).
All former slaves were given equality and citizenship in Haiti. Leaders redistributed land to formerly enslaved and free black people in a once-in-a-lifetime event. Most places that experienced abolition did not give the newly freed person the same economic freedom. France saw it as a violation of L'Ouverture's leadership and wanted to reunite Haiti with the French empire by whatever means necessary.
Latin American Creole Revolutions
Latin America is associated with Spanish colonies, in general, in the Americas, as well as a strong Catholic influence (since Latin is the official language of the Roman Catholic Church).Thereere is a racial and ethnic hierarchy within this civilisation, primarily between Creoles (whites born in the Americas) and Peninsulares (whites born in Spain). To the dissatisfaction of Creoles, the Spanish monarchy preferred Peninsulares, and Creoles desired more political and economic freedom (no more mercantilism).
Other members of the Spanish colonial social order, in addition to Peninsulares and Creoles, were unhappy with their share. Mestizos (those of mixed descent) aspire to political influence as well. In this context, Simon Bolivar led a diverse independence movement through Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru, including a war. The Latin American revolutions, unlike the American, French, and Haitian revolutions, did not result in the formation of a single country.
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Bolivar, the revolution's leader, wrote the Jamaica Letter (1815), which advocated for Latin American independence. He began to recognise "Spanish Americans" as a distinct group from Spaniards in Europe. After the dust settled, Creoles in former Latin America formed plenty of new constitutional governments. They abolished slavery in their new governments, but Indigenous peoples and women were still oppressed.
Puerto Rico & Cuba
Spain has been gradually losing its dominion since its peak in the 16th century. Two of Spain's final colonies in the Americas are Puerto Rico and Cuba. Throughout the late 1800s, Lola Rodriguez de Tio, a poet with overt Enlightenment influences, urged the people of Puerto Rico and Cuba to overthrow the Spanish masters. "Come, Puerto Ricans, come now, for freedom awaits us, anxiously, freedom, freedom!" penned Lola Rodriguez de Tio in a poem about the beginning of the revolution.
Puerto Rico and Cuba were both free of Spain by 1900. Unfortunately, they are replaced by another empire that seeks to exert its own power on them. The US defeats Spain and gains control of Puerto Rico as a territory, but Cuba is not totally free. The United States maintains a military base in Cuba, specifically in Guantanamo Bay, until this day.
This is clear and detailed information on the 1750 to 1900 enlightenment and revolution around the world.
French Revolution 1848 Timeline
The french revolution 1848 timeline can be tabulated as follows:
Did You know?
During the Reign of Terror, about 17,000 people were officially tried and executed, with an unknown number of others dying in prison or without a trial.
So, the unit 1750 1900 enlightenment and revolution can be understood much easier for the students, by going through this whole article.
FAQs on Unit : 1750 1900 Enlightenment and Revolution
1. What was the Enlightenment, and what were its core ideas that influenced the revolutions of 1750-1900?
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasised reason, individualism, and scepticism over traditional authority. Its core ideas, which became the foundation for revolutionary change, included:
- Reason: The belief that logic and reason, not superstition, should guide human affairs.
- Individual Rights: Philosophers like John Locke argued for natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
- Social Contract: The idea, promoted by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, that a government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed.
- Separation of Powers: Montesquieu's concept of dividing government into executive, legislative, and judicial branches to prevent tyranny.
2. How did Enlightenment thinking directly cause the major Atlantic Revolutions?
Enlightenment ideals provided the intellectual justification for overthrowing existing political structures. The belief that citizens had natural rights and that government should be by consent directly challenged the authority of absolute monarchies and colonial powers. This led to:
- The American Revolution: Colonists used John Locke's ideas to argue against British rule, claiming a right to self-government when their rights were violated ('no taxation without representation').
- The French Revolution: Citizens, inspired by ideals of 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,' dismantled the absolute monarchy and feudal system in favour of a republic based on popular sovereignty.
- Latin American Revolutions: Leaders like Simón Bolívar were inspired by the American and French examples to lead independence movements against Spanish colonial rule.
3. What were the key revolutions that defined the era from 1750 to 1900?
The period from 1750 to 1900 was marked by profound political, social, and economic upheavals. The most significant of these were:
- The Industrial Revolution (c. 1760-1900): A fundamental shift from agrarian, handmade production to machine-based manufacturing in factories.
- The American Revolution (1775-1783): Established the United States as an independent republic, setting a precedent for constitutional government.
- The French Revolution (1789-1799): Radically altered France's political landscape and spread ideas of nationalism and liberalism across Europe.
- The Haitian Revolution (1791-1804): The only successful slave revolt in history, leading to the establishment of the independent nation of Haiti.
- Latin American Wars of Independence (c. 1808-1833): A series of conflicts that resulted in the creation of numerous independent countries in Latin America.
4. How did the Industrial Revolution transform societies during this period?
The Industrial Revolution fundamentally reshaped society by moving economies from an agricultural to an industrial base. Key transformations included:
- Urbanisation: A massive migration of people from rural areas to cities in search of factory work, leading to rapid, often unplanned urban growth.
- New Social Classes: The emergence of an industrial bourgeoisie (factory owners, bankers) and an urban working class, the proletariat.
- Technological Change: Innovations like the steam engine, power loom, and railways revolutionised production and transportation.
- Economic Systems: The rise of industrial capitalism, based on private ownership, free markets, and the pursuit of profit.
5. How was German unification achieved in the 19th century?
The unification of Germany was primarily engineered by Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia. He used a political strategy known as Realpolitik, which prioritises practical considerations over ideology. Unification was achieved through a series of three decisive wars:
- War with Denmark (1864): Prussia and Austria defeated Denmark to gain control of the territories of Schleswig and Holstein.
- Austro-Prussian War (1866): Bismarck provoked a war with Austria to eliminate its influence over the German states, establishing Prussian dominance.
- Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871): A conflict with France was used to rally the southern German states behind Prussia, leading to their victory and the proclamation of the German Empire in 1871.
6. What is Balkan Nationalism, and why was it a significant force in the 19th century?
Balkan Nationalism refers to the desire of ethnic groups in the Balkan Peninsula—such as Greeks, Serbs, Romanians, and Bulgarians—to break free from foreign rule and establish their own independent nation-states. It became a significant force in the 19th century primarily due to the gradual decline of the Ottoman Empire, which had controlled the region for centuries. As the empire weakened, these groups, inspired by nationalist ideas from Western Europe, asserted their distinct ethnic and cultural identities and fought for self-determination.
7. What is the main difference between the First and Second Industrial Revolutions?
While both were phases of industrialisation, they differed in their core technologies, scale, and leading powers.
- The First Industrial Revolution (c. 1760–1840) was centred in Great Britain and was defined by innovations in textiles, iron, and steam power.
- The Second Industrial Revolution (c. 1870–1914) was more widespread, with the USA and Germany as leaders. It was driven by advancements in steel, electricity, chemicals, and the internal combustion engine, which enabled mass production and new industries.
8. What were the long-term consequences of the new ideologies like nationalism and liberalism that arose from this era?
The ideologies that emerged between 1750 and 1900 had lasting global impacts and are a central theme in modern history.
- Nationalism was a powerful unifying force, leading to the creation of countries like Germany and Italy. However, it also fueled intense competition and imperialism, which were major contributing factors to World War I.
- Liberalism championed the principles of constitutional government, individual rights, and free markets, which became the bedrock of many modern democracies.
- Socialism and Communism developed as critiques of industrial capitalism's inequalities, proposing alternative systems that would shape political conflicts for the next century.
