Global Echoes Of Atlantic Enlightenment And Revolution

     Since both France and America had the same philosophers to influence them, they were ?enlightened? with the same ideas, which are seen later in both constitutions. England also played a big part in influencing both nations but it was the famous philosophers like Montesquieu, Rousseau, John Lock and Voltaire who lead the revolution to be a fight for human rights. Voltaire, one of the most influential philosophers of his time, having been influenced himself by John Lock emphasized his ideas on reason and the natural rights of human beings and made the people in France and America realize the rights as human beings they should have. Montesquieu was a French jurist and political philosopher who advocated a ?free and balanced aristocratic government? to be established in France. One of his main ideas was his political thought on the separation of powers in where each branch of the government would limit the power of the other two branches as so no branch could become a threat to liberty and therefore no tyranny could occur. Rousseau, a French political philosopher influenced both nations with his preaches

Thomas Jefferson considers himself a contributor to the Age of Enlightenment. Through many of his writings he expands on the philosophies of the great European writers of that era - Rousseau, Locke, Hume, and Leibniz. In “The Declaration of Independence,” Jefferson directly adopts several themes found in the work of French writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau’s “The Origin of Civil Society,” provides a foundation for most of Jefferson’s ideas in “The Declaration of Independence.”

In the eighteenth century, Enlightenment ideas of universal human rights inspired the American and French Revolutions. Following Napoleon’s invasion of Spain, such ideas also ignited independence movements in Spanish America in the early nineteenth century. Simón Bolívar, the “Liberator” of much of Spanish South America, cited Enlightenment ideology to justify independence. In his “Cartagena Manifesto” and “Jamaica Letter,” Bolívar used Enlightenment political ideology to promote criollo¬-led centralized authority and to inspire criollos to support independence.

The Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen were both written to ensure the rights of the people. Before these documents were written, people were opposed to certain aspects of their government. For example, the British were too controlling of American citizens and were also unrightfully taxing American goods. This made the American colonists very unhappy. The anger of these people led to many protests and revolts against the British. Sooner or later, the founding fathers decided to send a declaration to the King of Britain, King George III, declaring their freedom and independence. This document is what led to the American Revolutionary War/American Revolution. In France, the people were treated very

In the late 1700’s, the main conflict throughout the Atlantic was freedom to all. This period showed many views from different people in ways in which they tried to express the word. People in the America’s and eastern nations such as France were trying to rebuild their nations with an idea that all men are created equal, that they are given the right not from authority, but by birth. From the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen” in France which was their laws to give men freedom, to a wealthy man in Venezuela named Simon Bolivar who helped free his country from Spanish rule only to struggle with making his country a federation after the destruction, you see that freedom is hard to concur. Independence cannot only be observed

Though term was yet to be coined, these rights give birth to the "American Dream." The bulk of The Declaration is specific in making complaints to and about King George the III. All the complaints are in violation of some basic right or another. The Declaration of Independence in essence says to England, "we are free men, and potentially a great nation, we will not be restricted and bound by your unjust and inhumane laws any longer."

The Enlightenment was the root of many of the ideas of the American Revolution. It was a movement that focused mostly on freedom of speech, equality, freedom of press, and religious tolerance. The American Revolution was the time period where America tried to gain its independence from England. They got influenced very much from many philosophers. That will be discussed throughout the essay. The Enlightenment ideas were the main influences for American Colonies to become their own nation.

Natural Rights (Locke) appear in the declaration of Independence as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Jean Rousseau developed the idea of the social contract and the notion of replacing a government that fails to maintain consent is cited as justification for the American Revolution against the English.

One of the most important documents to emerge from the French Revolution was the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” written by the Marquis de Lafayette in 1789. This document was based on the United States Constitution, which had just been drafted and stood as a model for the French republic. There are many similarities between these two documents, but there are also ways in which they are distinct. Break up into groups of four or five. At the library or using the Internet, locate these two documents.

Enlightenment thinkers, also known as philosophers had a major impact on the American and French Revolution. Philosophers from the 1700s influenced the making of two documents known as United States’ Declaration of Independence and France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens. The Declaration of Independence is a document that was written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson. It reflects the beliefs of enlightenment philosopher, John Locke. Written in 1793 by Marquis de Lafayette, the Declaration of the rights of man and of the citizen was influenced by the beliefs of Voltaire, another Enlightenment thinker. John Locke didn’t like the idea of absolute monarchy. He favored the idea of self- government and equal rights. Locke believed that the

Chapter Thesis: Between 1750 and 1914, Atlantic revolutions inspired efforts to eradicate slavery, to give women more rights, and extend the franchise in many countries.

France’s, The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, played an integral role in the development of democracy and the pursuit of liberty throughout Europe. This document was written and introduced by General Lafayette as a result of the French Revolution. The French Constituent Assembly passed it in August of 1789. Influenced by Thomas Jefferson, the American Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, and the ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers, the document reiterates the values of the French Revolution. Declaring that the rights of man should be universal and remain valid no matter the time or place. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was a very purposeful document expressing many of the ideas of the French Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.

The Atlantic Revolutions and its revolutionaries took pride in ideals that they didn’t actually come up with nevertheless these ideas shaped the Americas that we live in today. Even though America as a continent still has a lot to work on to achieve social equality and tolerance it has come a long way. Today, the ideals of these men shape our systems of government , our laws and how we live life hopefully it will continue to evolve and progress through the

The Atlantic revolutions provided the framework for democratic societies and the advancement of republican values. Influenced by the Glorious revolution in England, the revolutions of France and especially the American revolutions created a system where the citizen’s wellbeing is promoted just as much as those of their elected rulers. In contrast a king’s rule was that which benefited his power and wealth. The Atlantic revolutions established systems like the American government where the elected representatives have a duty to the American public to provide certain services to the masses.

During the enlightenment period, after the French revolution in 1789 (Schwab & Pollis 2000 pg.10) the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was written (Hunt & Censer 2001). Enlightenment writers such as Voltaire, Montesquieu and Rousseau spread their ideas by communicating to political leaders and heads of state (Hunt & Censer 2001). This 18th century movement eventually leads to the universal declaration of human rights.