Political Revolutions

Common events between American and English revolution:

When we discussed:

• Taxations
• Bill of rights
• Democracy ?
• John Locke - influenced what you thought about in both revolutions

When we went through it on the board with Martin:

England	America
Tax ------> Civil war  ------>	Tax ------> Civil war  ------>
Parliament vs. Nobility Bourgeoisie vs. Nobility	Parliament vs. Nobility Bourgeoisie vs. Nobility
Military leader (Cromwell)	Military leader (Washington)
Bill of Rights	Bill of Rights
Intellectual influence -----> Hobbes + Locke	Intellectual influence -----> Paine
Limited democracy - Parliament  dominates	Limited democracy - Parliament  dominates

Tax --->

Parliament  dispute  --->

Civil disorder --->

Civil war --->

Limited democracy

MVG question in the final exam will be something about the three revolutions

• England
• America
• France

Something to do with compare and contrast. Similarities and differences.

Analyse them. Draw conclusions. Which is the most revolutionary one? Why is it so? How revolutionary were the revolutions?

The final exam

MVG question will probably be something about political revolutions!

List of thing that you are supposed to know for the exam:

• Medieval to Modern
• Great migration
• Castles
• Monasteries
• Carolingians
• Feudalism
• Papacy
• Rise of cities
• Centralizing power
• Colonisation
• Political revolutions
• England
• America
• France

American Revolution

Colonial America

• British colony
• 13 colonies which are part of the British empire which makes the people living there British citizens
• 1776
• In each colony is an elected assembly

• Two distinct economic systems
• North - industrial and heavily involved in trade. Harbours and rivers. Only traded with Brittan.
• South - plantation and agriculture. Large scale farms and worked on by slave traders. Number one thing that is produced is cotton and then tobacco. They sell the products to Brittan with rather stabile prizes.

• Coming crises:
• Seven years war (1756-1763)
• The first world war
• After this Brittan heavily in debt. So they raised new taxes --->
• Stamp Act 1765
• Taxed paper. Anything that was made of paper, then you had to pay a tax on that. Even legal contracts.
• This created a lot of resistance and especially in the north were there are industries and more business then in the south.
• Moderate Northern resistance
• "No taxation without representation"

• Radicalisation
• Thomas Paine
• The most influential  person to have spoken about splitting up from Brittan and becoming independent with an own government.
• Common sense (his book) sold 120.000
• Says you do not need monarchy
• He is calling for what you have today in America (government and so on)
• Declaration of Independence 1776
• Removes monarch
• Bill of Rights 1791

• Revolutionary War
• Imperial Army vs. Militia
• George Washington
• Success of Northern Merchants

• Revolution or not?
• Replace British elite with American
• Same assemblies
• Stricter property requirements
• Native Americans
• African slaves
• Radical new system
• Republicanism
• Bill of Rights
• Separation of executive, legislative and judicial

America is anti-imperial empire but it then builds its own empire.

• President Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
• First president of humble origins
• Battle of New Orleans - after he won this battle he ran for president
• Defender of common man
• Evicted Cherokee
• Trail of tears
• He invaded Florida and arrested the slaves
• Florida was part of Spain

Key events:

• French and Indian war
• Taxation (on every paper and so on) for war (7 years)
• Boston tea party in 1773
• Declaration of independence 1776

French Revolution

Causes:

• Political
• Rise of assemblies
• Economic
• Taxation
• Social
• Class conflict
• Poverty
• Unemployment
• Intellectual
• Hobbes
• Paine
• Locke

French population in 1789

• Farmers and peasants
• Artisans
• Bourgeoisie
• Nobility - own 25% of land in France
• Church - own 10% of land in France

The nobility and the church are protected from paying taxes, they do not have to pay them.

Taxation was a major crisis.

Old system of National assemblies last met in 1614.

The king called on the estates general - to discuss the coming crisis.

Nobles plan:

• Nobles
• Church
• Everyone else (aka the third estate)

This system was totally bias towards the nobility. One vote each. The church and nobles got to start to vote and if they both voted the same the third estate did not even get to vote.

Kings plan:

• Nobles
• Church
• Third estate

Twice as many seats in the third estate since they are so many more in reality. This was a more fair way of voting. This was done so that it would be equal.

The king turns to the highest court in France, called the Paris Parliament (which consist of nobles), and let them decide which "plan" the country should follow. Since the court were made up of nobles the went for the nobles plan.

Estates General Meets

• The third estate boycotts proceedings for six weeks
• After a while they meet in an indoor tennis court
• Oath of the Tennis Court
• Declares themselves the French Government
• The swear to be good to France

• This is not good for the king since he needs the third estate to be able to get the church and nobility to pay taxes
• The kings calls upon 18,000 troops to watch over the tennis court

The mob

• Failed harvest led to record high price of bread
• Desperate peasants roam the country and congregate in Paris
• Bastille stormed
• A roomer is spread that the bastille contains a lot of grain
• When people get there and ask about it a guard fires his weapon
• Then the people storms the bastille 

• "March of the women" 20,000 march on Versailles forcing the royal family to return to Paris .
• The women wanted the royal family to see how the people suffered
• The king eventually goes back to Paris

• "Great Fear" violence erupts between Landlords and peasants  tenants: burning houses and debts
• The king Louis XVI recognizes National Assembly - ha accepts them in hope of a more stabile country.

New Constitution 1791

• Nobility and Church lose privilege
• All equal before the law
• Church property confiscated
• Half male population permitted to vote
• Protestant, Jews and agnostics become full citizens
• Citizenship based on residence in the country and allegiance to its government

This is the first sign of Nationalism. This proves to be a more efficient system then the last (feudalism). Here it is not loyal to the King or the Price but loyal to the country and loyal to France.

Europe´s Reaction

• Austria
• The queen Marie Antoinette is an Austrian princess

• Europe horrified from all of these events
• Austria want the royal family to flee and helps them with trying to do this
• Louis attempts to escape

• War with Austria begins and it lasts for 23 years
• The revolutionary army against the National Army

What happened to National Assembly? (this happens simultaneously as the war with Austria)

• The king put together the National Assembly and then he is arrested (he is then a traitor)
• National Assembly terminated as it was appointed by discredited King
• National Convention elected by universal male suffrage (1792)

National Convention

• Jacobins a nationwide network of political clubs dominate election (often men from the bourgeoisie).
• The Jacobins were divided into two main groups
• Girondins -moderates mainly from the provinces - in majority (more people)
• Montagnards – mostly from Paris - more radical - vote for executing the king (wins)

• Vote 361 to 359 to execute Louis
• Paris Commune the city government of Paris
• Sansculottes – workers, merchants and artisans
• They went out on the streets and tried to control the people with e.g. roadblocks
• They try to protect their part of Paris

• The Sansculottes invade National Convention and force the arrest of 31 Girondins on charges of treason.
• Montagnards gain majority because of the arrest of the 31 Girondins

Revolutionary	Vs.	Anti-revolutionary
		Foreign invasion
		Nobility and church
		Girondins vs Montagnards

Committee of Public Safety

• Threat of international and domestic counter revolutionary forces and economic crisis
• Executive power required to take action
• “Reign of Terror” 40,000 executed
• Raise unprecedented 800,000 man army
• Reforms - refused to compensate nobility, educated farmers in new techniques, attempted universal elementary education, abolished slavery, new calendar, worship of supreme being.

Napoleon Bonaparte

• New elections of 1795 threatened by mob
• Napoleon asked to step in to restore order
• Elections a success but elected executive committee “Directory” weak
• Directory disputed each year until 1799
• Napoleon coup d’etat 1799
• Consul for life 1802
• Emperor 1804

The French Revolution ends with Napoleon and dictatorship. No democracy anymore.

English Revolution

Two patterns of change:

• Trade
• Cities
• Genoa, Amsterdam, Venice, Lübeck, London
• Natural harbours
• Bourgeoise
• Want more power, at least share it (kind of) with the king)

• Centralizing power
• Larger kingdoms
• Spain, Portugal, France
• More powerful kings
• Louis XIV (known as an absolute monarch)

England

Its like a bourgeoise place, a new form of upper middle class, some even in the parliament.

Three parts to it:

• Civil war
• Charles 1 versus Parliament (tax). He wants to get involved in the 30 year war in Europe. But the parliament refuses to raise the taxes to finance this idea of joining the war. The led into a civil war.
• Cavaliers vs. Round Heads (normal people)
• Charles was executed since the parliament won.

• Dictatorship
• Parliamentarians can´t find consensus (they can´t make up their minds of who to be in charge)
• Oliver Cromwell seizes power
• Wealthy landowner
• The general of the New Model Army (the only army in the country)
• Strong protestant faith
• He rules successfully for about 5 years (1653-1658)

• Restoration
• When Cromwell is gone his son tries to take over but that did not work out so the country turned to the old royal family and Charles 1´s son, Charles II.
• Charles II did a good job and then his brother James II took over.
• James II had a catholic wife and he was a absolutist (did not share the power with the parliament as Charles did).
• James II had a son that was baptised catholic which means there is a chance for a catholic to take the throne. So the parliament started to look for a replacement.

• Glorious Revolution
• William and Mary. Stadtholders Dutch Republic which they do ceremonial appearances for. They were not king and queen, were like the Swedish royal family today, more like post stamps. 
• Mary is the oldest daughter to James II and she is protestant.
• William  is actually Mary´s first cousin since he is the son of Ann who was Charles I child as well, which makes James II and Charles II her siblings.
• William is as well protestant.
• They share power with the parliament.
• They become king and queen and this era is called the Glorious revolution due to:
• It was bloodless
• Parliament more powerful than king (tax)
• Bill of rights
• Subjects equal before the law
• No law suspended by King
• Taxes for military must be approved by Parliament

Two important philosophers that will appear on the test:

• Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
• He is a political philosopher
• Writes the Leviathan (1651)
• He said that political power is coming from the people and not from God.
• "state of nature" . It was a hard life.
• Social contract between king and subjects.
• He thought the leader should give peace and stability.
• He is not a democrat.
• He´s big idea and main thesis is people gives a leader power and give up their independence and so on if the leader provides the people with peace and stability.

• John Locke
• Continued on Hobbes thoughts a bit
• Majority rule basis of government
• Purpose to protect property
• Voters must own property
• Until 1820 only approximately 500 voters (from 8 millions)
• He says that leader and government are there to protect properties
• A very limited democracy

  

Key events:

 1. Hobbes - power from people, not God. 1588-1679

 2. John Locke. 1632-1704

 3. Charles I - executed since parliament won, 1600-1649 (1625 leader)

 4. Civil war - parliament wanted taxes, Charles the first did not. 1642-1651

 5. Dictatorship - who should be in power? Oliver Cromwell, protestant. Rules 5 years successfully. 1599-1658

 6. Restoration - Cromwell son take over? No, he could not. So country turned to the old royal family - Charles I son, Charles II.

 7. James II - catholic family, son baptized take over throne? No says parliament, look for protestant.

Glorious revolution - William and Mary. Parliament chose her because being protestant? Share power. Bloodless, parliament more powerful than king (taxes), Bill of rights.

Struggle for primacy

Struggle for primacy

France and Britain  

France

• Religious
• Protestant vs. Catholic

• Political
• Bourbon vs. Guise

• Economic
• King vs. Nobles vs. Bourgeosie

• Henry IV
• Henry converts from protestants to Catholic
• Famous words spoken by him - "Paris is worth a Mass"

• Francois Ravaillac
• He assassinates Henry IV
• Henry survived the attack itself but died a few days later of the injuries
• He got arrested and is tried for treason (the worst thing to be put on trial for)
• He is sentenced to death

• Louis XIII (r.1610-43)
• Son of Henry IV
• King at the age of nine
• Mother acted as Regent (because of his young age)
• Louis and the people around him wanted to take control and become king with power
• They assassinated Concino Concini (the queens chief minister) so that Louis became king and got the power
• He took control in 1614 by the age of 13

• Cardinal Richelieu
• He is Louis chief minister
• He is both respected and hated
• Respected
• He is a moderniser
• He is encouraging the nobility  to invest in trade
• Enlarged the army
• He is bringing in more political power with nobility into the hands of the king
• Hated
• Secret service
• Tries to remove any sorts of criticism of the king
• Censored the press

• Anne of Austria
• The wife of Louis XIII
• Queen of France

•  Charles de Luynes 
• Really good friends with Louis
• This relationship made Anne very angry
• To produce an heir is really important for the future of the country and that is up to the king and queen to produce a child

• Louis XIV (1638-1716)
• Was the child of king Louis XIII and queen Anne
• King in 1643 (5 years old)
• Most famous king in the French history
• 72 year reign
• His chief minister (first minister) is Cardinal Mazarin
• Continued centralizing power like Richelieu
• Thirty year war
• Fronde
• Battle - a civil disturbance
• Mazarin Incident 1648
• Life long distrust of nobility
• Paris not safe anymore to live in
• Goes to Versaille

• Palace of Versaille
• Huge palace
• Large gardens
• He is so great of a king that he can claim all of the power
• He was then the government himself
• Due to this Versaille became the government as well and not only Louis XIV´s home
• Hundreds of servants
• Aristocratic members
• It was honourable and a privilege to poor the kings tea or put out his clothes - this meant they had the allowance to speak to the king about certain things

• Colbert
• Louis XIV chief of finance (economy)
• Mercantilism/Colberism
• According to him the economy should maximise the export and minimise the import
• Protective tariffs
• Infrastructure 
• Incentives for Wine produces
• Wanted to bring in gold and silver
• Internal economy
• The production of grapes (for the wine) increased by very much
• The production of grain decreased (not good)
• Abolished tax on trade
• No taxes put pressure on France and eventually it lead to the revolution

Rise of Europe

Rise of Europe: Colonialism and Capitalism

• Spain
• Portugal
• Reformation
• Counter reformation

Spain´s Empire

• One of the first empires
• In South America and Caribbean

• Cortes (1485-1547)
• Ordinary family with a military father and later Hernan Cortes joins the army as well.
• Cortes landed in Cuba (after joining the army) fighting the indigenous people. He is killing them and taking their land.
• He builds a reputation and gets a bit of land in Cuba.
• Around 1519 the army and Cortes is exploring the Yucatán area. In 1511 a ship went out to map the coast there but got stuck in a storm and only 20 people survived and got to land. The indigenous people caught them and then they were held in small wooden cages and were given a "fine" diet because then some of them were sacrificed and eaten… two men escaped and their names are: Geronimo Aguillar and Gonzalo Guerre. They got to a second tribe of indigenous people and there they were welcomed and were each offered a young girl to be their wives. Guerra took the wife and they even got children together, the first Metzito people in the world. Aguillar did not want the wife and were offered a boy instead but did not want him either.
• So in 1519 Cortes meats up with Aguillar (who has been living with the indigenous people for 8 years) and understood that Aguillar could speak both Spanish and the local language, Nahautal.
• They went with the ship to Tobasco. There Cortes meats La Malinche who can speak Nahautal and Aztec.
• They get to Flaxcala and there they make an alliance with the purpose to destroy and conquer the city of Tenochtitlan and the Aztec Empire.

• Pizarro (1478-1541)
• From a Spanish military family
• When he went down the South American west coast he discovered the Empire of the Incas. He comes to the city of Lima and discovers that the empire just have died and his two sons are fighting about who would become the new empire, a small civil war. He conquers the Inca Empire for the Spanish.

• Reasons for Spain´s success (important for the test)
• Military technology and organisation
• They had horses
• Advanced weapons - metal
• They had  guns and gunpowder
• The guns took long time to reload but the gun itself was very frightening itself so that people ran when they saw it.
• They also had canons
• Their system of defence
• Armours - iron for the rich and leather for the poor. This was the strongest asset they possessed.
• Divided and poorly led opponents
• European diseases (smallpox)
• Exploit local divisions

• What were the economic benefits of all this?
• Initial wealth from looting (stealing)
• Gold (70%) and silver (80%)
• Colonies
• Forced labour of encomienda
• Repartimiento governed plantations and mines
• Haciendas used paid and indentured labour

• Spain´s weakness
• Lacked commercial infrastructure
• Banking
• Having a ice standard currency. Same in Amsterdam as in Constantinople.
• Shipping
• The first stock market in ships was in Amsterdam
• Insurance
• Charles V (king of Spain) (1516-1556)
• Wars against Ottoman Empire
• Catholic versus (vs.) Protestant
• Supply of gold
• 1591-1600 - 135 million pesos
• 1651-1660 - 19 million pesos

Portuguese empire

• Their strategy is to go out and find trading posts around the world
• They found Brazil by accident

• Bartholomeu Dias
• Was the first man to map a route around Africa 

• Vasco de Gama
• He remaps the route around Africa
• He attacks ships and builds up to attack and in the end capture ships and the trading routes
• He captured and took over Mombasa and Mozambik
• He basically took control over the Indian Ocean

• Sugar and trade
• Vasco de Gama 1498, Indian Ocean
• Dominate by force Indian Ocean trade
• India bound ships blown off course
• Brazilian colonies
• Sugar (their most important long term product)
• Gold (3000 tons p/y)
• Diamonds

• Portugal Success?
• Aristocratic attitude to trade
• Most aristocrats went to war because it was honourable
• State monopoly and corruption
• Everything goes through the king and then he gives it to his nobility
• Religion cultural and linguistic
• Brazil is the largest country speaking Portuguese.
• Ships went from Portugal towards Africa but got stuck in the gulf stream and then the ships got stranded  in Brazil - that is the reason to why they speak Portuguese

Christian Disillusionment

• It is based on stories from the Old Testament

• The Bible

• Started to doubt the stories and the Bible

• Not all churches possessed a Bible

• You found the Bible in the homes of the kings and the really high nobility

• Churches monopoly of interpretation

• Catholic commercialism and corruption
• They made hard liquor and beer in some monasteries. Used the monasteries as distilleries.
• Nunneries run as brothels - not all (!) but some.
• People spoke about these when they complained on the Catholic church    

• Rising dissent and Spanish Inquisition
• People speaking out on the establishment of the church
• This led to executions and the most common Christian way of doing this is by burning. They wanted to purify the men and take away all the evil in them.

• Torquemada Investigates (not last name - the verb!)
• The head of the Inquisition
• Was allowed to torture people who had been rising dissent towards the church
• Was allowed to humiliate people who had been rising dissent towards the church

• Martin Luther of Wittenberg  (1483-1546)
• Priest in Wittenberg
• If you paid enough of money you could by a note called Indulgence which was a guaranty to heaven
• You could even by this for a sick relative if you wanted to
• Martin was very disgusted by this
• He was a man of principals 
• He wrote down his complains on a piece of paper and nailed it on a church and then he ran away
• He was put on trial for this  but survives because he is protected by independently minded local rulers 
• He is not questioning God but some decisions of the church

• Christian Schism
• The church can excommunicate you, which meant the church could throw you out from the church
• Many followers of the Catholic Church agrees with Martin and sticks to him

• How could the Catholic Church respond?
• St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
• Brought in education
• Spread Christianity internationally (in the new world)
• St Francis Xavier
• Founder of the Jesuits movement
• The Jesuits is an order of monks
• St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
• Return to the essence of Jesus
• Helped and lived with the Parisian poor
• He lived a very Christian life
• He became a saint

• Counter Reformation
• Council of Trent