Lasting RevolutionsA Comparison of the French and American Revolutions

ByBrady Swift

• The purpose of this project is to show the similarities between two of the largest and most well known revolutions. • After viewing this slide show, you viewer will have a better understanding of each revolution and what makes them similar and different all at the same time.

Simple Differences• French

RevolutionThe people wanted a change in government, social structure, religion, and economy.

• American Revolution

Wanted a change in government control, but wanted to keep the same social structure.

French Revolution• The French

Revolution took place in France from 1789-1799, in which the monarchy of France was overthrown and reform was forced upon the Roman Catholic Church.

American Revolution• Took place about 10-15

years before the French revolution, and was between the 13 American colonies and Great Britain, After years of taxation without representation, the colonists refused to be controlled by a king who was an entire ocean away.

Similarities• What makes the two revolutions so similar is that they

both were started on the premise of independence from their respective “kings”. They both also wanted to escape unfair taxation under their respective kings.

King Louis XVI of France King George III of Great Britain

Differences • The American Revolution was caused by a majority of the America

population becoming unhappy of how the British were ruling them. They believed they deserved more freedom from the British.• The French Revolution was started by French’s lower class because

they were unhappy with how they were being treated.• Also, the people you had fighting in the American Revolution was

essentially the entire population of able bodied men. With the French Revolution, mainly the lower class members of society rebelled.

American Patriots• Aside from the obvious George Washington, the Continental Congress

commissioned many different generals to lead the Continental Army. Nathaniel Greene

Was one of Washington’s most important subordinates. With his critical work as quartermaster general, Greene was the commander-in-chief’s most trusted lieutenant.

Benedict ArnoldWas a very solid leader, but is most well known for being a traitor and joining the Crown in 1780.

Horatio GatesEarly efforts as adjutant general to organize the army played to his strengths. He deserves praise for the victory at Saratoga where he was, after all, in command. He also served as president of the Board of War.

British Leaders• Under the Crown, Britain’s army saw many different leaders

throughout the war. These were to major leaders in command.

General Sir Guy Carleton Was the commander of British troops during the American Revolution, specifically leading the defense during the Battle of Quebec. Carleton was also responsible for the safe removal of the Tories and freed slaves who joined the British.

Lord General Charles Cornwallis

Was blamed by General Henry Clinton for the loss of the colonies, but he proved to be a capable general and politician in Ireland and India after the Revolutionary War.

General Thomas Gage Fought in the Siege of Boston, The Battles at Lexington and Concord, and many others before being replaced by Howe.

French LeadersNapoleon Bonaparte

A general in the French army and leader of the 1799 coup that overthrew the directory. Napoleon’s accession marked the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of Napoleonic France and Europe.

Jacques-Pierre BrissotA member of the Legislative Assembly and National Convention who held a moderate stance and believed in the idea of a constitutional monarchy.

Marquis de LafayetteThe common people of France revered Lafayette as an idealistic man who was dedicated to liberty and the principles of the Revolution. Although Lafayette organized the National Guard of armed citizens to protect the Revolution from attack by the king, he balked as the Revolution became more radical.

Major Battles of the American Revolution• Battle of Lexington and Concord• Battle of Bunker Hill• Capture of Fort Ticonderoga • Battle of Long Island• Battle of White Plains

Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay.

Battle of Bunker Hill

• On June 17, 1775, early in the Revolutionary War, the British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts.

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga• The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga occurred during the American Revolutionary

War on May 10, 1775, when a small force of Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold overcame a small British garrison at the fort and looted the personal belongings of the garrison.

Battle of Long Island

• The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was a defeat for the Continental Army under General George Washington and the beginning of a successful campaign that gave the British control of the strategically important city of New York

Battle of White Plains

• The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, near White Plains, New York.

Major Battle of the French Revolution

• The storming of the Bastille• There were small conflicts and military battles

throughout the war.

Storming of the Bastille

• On July 14th, 1789, a French rebellion attacked a prison, which was a symbol of the French monarchies rule.

Outcome of the American Revolution

• The Americans gained their liberty and freedom from Great Britain with a victory at the end of the American revolution. • This war changed the entire outlook of the United States, and led to

this country becoming much larger as well. • This war was a first of many things and also prompted the

Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, two major aspects of the U.S. government.

Outcome of the French Revolution

• The French Revolution led to the dissolution of the French monarchy. It also led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and the expansion of French colonialism. The revolution led to a new calendar and other small changes.

• The French Revolution had a profound effect on England. Many intellectuals, and even people in the aristocratic class, viewed the revolution as rationalism defeating old traditions. However, many also looked down on the French people and the revolution itself because of the horrors of the Reign of Terror, which claimed the lives of thousands of people who were put to death at the guillotine.

How did your topic fit into the daily life of world inhabitants or the inhabitants of the specific countries that you examined from the era that you are covering?

• With all of the political differences that all the countries involved deal with, you can see some similarities. However, the U.S., France, and England all have become much better countries and have moved on from monarchial reign towards democracy. • You’ll always have people who are not happy with their existing

government, but the great thing about democracy is that you can vote for who you want and those constituents are not lifetime servers.

What was it about your topic that was unique to our study of world history from 1500 on?

• The reoccurring theme this semester was war, power, and freedom. Both of these revolutions covered all three of those aspects.• The time period of 1500 to even now, has seen war after war and still

has war. Unfortunately, war is one of those things that will never go away. As long has someone has resources, another person will want to exploit them.

How would you have felt about your topic if you had been living during the era you are covering

• That would all depend on where I was from. Being that I am an American, I would have felt strongly about rebellion to the Crown. If I were a British citizen, I would have despised the colonists and looked down on them.• Same goes for the French, if I were a lower class member of French

society, I would have been fighting for my freedom and rights, but if I were a member of the elites, I would have looked down to them and wonder what they were even fighting for.

How has your topic changed over the years (describe its’ role in society today) or, how has the world viewed it differently since its’ occurrence?

• I don’t feel as if anyone views these two revolutions in differently now than they did even 100 years ago. • Although, I have a feeling the Brits may feel a little differently than we

do ;).• I feel the world views the American revolution as two things. One, the

colonists invaded a land, took it from its original inhabitants and then was mad at their existing government fro being to harsh. Two, they see it has a people escaping unfair rule and fighting for what they believe in and their freedom. • Same goes for the French, just without the first detail.

What new information did you learn about your topic that you didn’t already know?

• I didn’t have a whole lot of prior knowledge of the French Revolution before this project, but now I have much more of an understanding of its conception and overall outcome. • I learned more about what other reasons the lower class wanted to

rebel and I can say that I would probably have sympathized with them, if I were alive back then.

Conclusion• In conclusion, these two revolutions as you can see had

many similarities and some slight differences as well. Their outcomes were the same, in the respect that the underdog won their freedom and what they were fighting for. It takes a serious problem for an entire people to want to fight against their existing governments and without the American and French Revolutions, you would have two different countries that would be completely different. It’s crazy to think about what our country would be like had we lost the war, but luckily, we do not have to worry about that.

Citations• Wallace, Willard M. "American Revolution | United States

History."Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.• McKay, John P. A History of World Societies. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins,

2012. Print.• Encyclopedia Brittanica. "French Revolution | Causes, Facts, &

Summary."Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.• About Education. "Rebels and Redcoats: People of the American

Revolution." About.com Education. About.com, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.• Pictures all from google.