How did the enlightenment influence the age of revolutions?

 

From the American colonists in the west to the viceroyalties across the Americas, even France. The effects of the age of enlightenment and its thinkers could be seen across the world. Inspiring the likes of Simon Bolivar, Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte to rise up against each of their oppressive governments. The majority of these revolutions occurred around the same time. In France during the late seventeen hundreds, the French population on the lower end of the social spectrum were not able to continue to live under the conditions in which they were, facing famine and unlawful punishments due to unjust “Noble” rulers.  A revolt was called for and through the philosophies of men such as Jean Jacque Rousseau who showed the people of France that despite everything else that defined them according to Rousseau and his theory of a general will each person had a right to freely voice their views; something that many were being persecuted for at the time. Far to the west is another revolution impacted by the enlightenment, the American Revolution unlike the French revolution, the American revolution was sparked by harsh trade restrictions and extreme taxation. Philosophies like those of John Locke were a part of nearly every aspect of this revolution. One major example of this is the Declaration of Independence itself written by Thomas Jefferson where he frequently referenced Locke’s theories of base rights and ideas of a social contract. Long after both of these revolutions had ended the impact of the enlightenment continued. Men like Simon Bolivar of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. Who was at many different points in his life was immersed in European politics, as well as the real life outcomes of the philosophies of the enlightenment and revolution. He returned to his home of New Granada with his newly acquired knowledge and gathered men to strike against Spain who favored the rich European born whites (Which accounted for a very minimal amount of the population) Bolivar was soon after able together thousands of men that all shared his feelings that “the rule of law is more powerful than the rule of tyrants”.  The actions of Bolivar and many others was the New Granada Revolution, which like many other revolutions was motivated by the ideas that came out of the enlightenment. If it were not for the Age of Enlightenment and its thinkers, the Age of Revolution may have never occurred the way it did.

 

How did the French revolution cause other revolutions?

 

 

Although every revolution that occurred during the age of revolution did in some way contribute to other revolutions to come later. One revolution did this more then any other, the French revolution had an unintentional role in leading to the independence of colonies like Brazil, Haiti and the Spanish viceroyalty of New Granada and many others. Even from the very beginning of the French revolution other countries took notice of the changes taking place. French colonies such as Haiti were directly effected by these changes, which were unanticipated by nearly everyone on the island. From the slave laborers in the colony to the “Grand Blancs” (Wealthy White Europeans), each member of the Haitian society under France during the revolution detested some part of the changes taking place. Haiti having been a colony predominantly populated by overworked African slave laborers; even the slightest hint at having been freed by France was great news but these rights that they were supposedly granted according to the “declaration of rights” were being taken from each of them by political officials on the island after this a revolt was inevitable which would lead to the independence of Haiti from France.  Another colony whose independence is in part owed to France is Brazil. After Bonaparte took control of France after the revolution, he set out to conquer neighboring nations in particular to Portugal and Spain, two major colonial powers at the time. As Bonaparte and his forces entered Portugal the king at the time fled to Brazil, Portugal’s most prosperous colony. Were in short he would avoid French persecution and rule as king briefly but would later pass the crown to his son Prince Pedro I, but then instead of continuing to rule the colony under an iron fist as his father had. Prince Pedro had rather democratically declared independence for Brazil from Portugal. On Bonaparte’s continued conquest through Europe he took control of Spain and with it came its colonies. By the point that Spain had fallen to France, Simon Bolivar who was actually acquainted with Napoleon himself saw this as a call to action to lead several revolts that would later be known as the New Granada Revolution. The French revolution and its conquest afterwards caused an unintentional call around the world for other areas to begin to seek their own independence.

 

What role did inequality play in the revolutions?

 

Inequality played a major role in triggering most if not every revolution that took place during this period. Although inequality was a factor in nearly each and every revolution of the Age of Revolution, these revolutions amongst many others were almost entirely triggered by unfair and unjust systems that set imitations on people due to their physical attributes including The French, Haitian and New Granada revolutions. New Granada at its peak was a very racially diverse area; despite this one ethnicity always reigned supreme. That having been Spanish born whites who were the only group to be allowed to hold political power under any circumstances, which angered many colonial born Spaniards or creoles like Simon Bolivar. Who desired the political power and equality that they could not obtain under the current system. Which was initially one of the lead causes of the New Granada Revolution. Another revolt initiated due to an extreme social bias was the Haitian revolution. Prior to ever being Haiti, the island was a French colony populated almost entirely by African slave laborers. This revolution was solely brought on by the unequal treatment of African slave laborers of the area, which had continued to worsen as the state of the colonial power did the same during the French revolution. Which was also caused by inequality in it’s society unlike many of the other revolutions which were caused by racial discrimination, the French revolution was caused almost entirely by the unlawful treatment of upper society nobles on the more impoverished population in the country who were at the time facing famine and disease while the nobles lived a life of leisure and luxury. Inequality and discrimination were and still are very predominant factors of daily life for many. Inequality and discrimination were two of the factors of daily life in many places during the age of revolution that drove the people of the colony or colonial power to take arms against their governments, that were not serving for them, the people.

 

Overall what caused these populations to risk life and future by rebelling against the government? Why did these revolutions take place and why did so many of them take place during this period?

 

Each revolution had its respective causes, however it was not a coincidence that so many revolutions took place during the same time (the Age of Revolutions). One cause of nearly every revolution was the increasingly harsh and unjust actions of the colonial powers regarding the colonies, which only caused more hardship in the colonies. Another cause that affected most revolutions were global events that also had an effect on the age of revolutions being what it was and striking the desire for freedom across the world. This world event was the enlightenment and all of the political philosophies to come out of it, the enlightenment was something, unlike any thing else that inspired those living under colonial tyrannies. Through many thinkers and their writing on subjects ranging from freedom, rights to ideal form of governments. The enlightenment inspired many living under oppressive regimes to seek the freedom and independence that many desired. Many saw this time of increasingly brutal rule by colonial powers and the information each person acquired through the enlightenment as a time to take action towards independence.