As the Age of Enlightenment ended, the fruits of its teachings began to spread across the globe. Beginning with the American Revolution and followed shortly after by the French Revolution, both peoples implemented ideas from the Enlightenment into their respective declarations, the American Declaration of Independence (1776) and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789). Although these documents were written with different purposes, they both share the core principles of natural rights, popular sovereignty, and limited involvement of government while also laying foundational groundwork for democratic development around the world. The Declaration of Independence was written to justify the American colonists’ separation from …show more content…
The Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen were both composed based on the core principle that all humans have certain rights, that should not be imposed upon or hindered by any governing body. These natural rights in the American Declaration are “that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” while the French Declaration identifies these natural rights as “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”. While these rights are similar in that they are not to be altered by the government, the French view on natural rights places greater emphasis on security and policy while the American view prioritizes self-determination, found through life and the personal pursuit of happiness. Another similarity found between the declarations is the promotion of popular sovereignty, the idea that the government should be based on the consent of its people. In the American Declaration of Independence, popular sovereignty is alluded to in the following line, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the …show more content…
Before the publication of the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, the monarchy was governed by the unwritten laws and policies known as the Fundamental laws of the Kingdom of France. These rules were often subject to the king, stripping the people of their input. While the American Declaration and the French Declaration both discuss the inability of any governing body to restrict people access to natural rights, the source of these rights in each document is inconsistent. In the American Declaration of Independence, these rights are given to each human from the Creator, God. This highlights that one of the primary reasons for the American Revolution was fear of religious persecution, and for the rights to religious freedom. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen adopts a more secular approach in regard to the source of natural rights, which more accurately reflects the influence of the Enlightenment movement on European society, as the Enlightenment focused heavily on reason rather than
The American & French Revolutions The American Revolution and French Revolution were unique in world history because they used the ideas of freedom and equality from the Enlightenment, but understood them differently at the same time. Both revolutions occurred around the same time- the 18th Century, the American Revolution began on the 4th of July when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence (Dr. Taylor). The French Revolution then follows in 1789, provoked by “...a greater demand
philosophical, and political upheaval spread throughout both Europe and the Americas during over the course of the eighteenth century. In prominent Western nations such as England, France, and Spain, religious tensions persisted from power struggles between Catholicism and Protestantism throughout the 1600s. However, while governments remained entrenched in organized religion at a state level, Enlightenment ideas emphasizing human reason brought about a new epistemological ideology, called deism (Duiker
At the center of both the American and French revolution were equality and liberty. The French and Americans both wanted freedom from the monarchy. America wanted freedom from the excessive taxes and laws that Great Britain had forced on them. The French wanted to overthrow the monarchy and create a government where the people had more say in what happened. The American Revolution began after parliament passed the Stamp act of 1765 which taxed objects such as newspapers and pamphlets. Colonists hated
The French Revolution produced many changes both in France and in Europe as a whole. The most evident change brought by the French Revolution was the move from absolutism to republicanism that represents a shift towards democracy. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was announced in 1789, was arguably the foundations of the human rights and many constitutions in democratic countries like the Britain and America. The concept is based on the “natural rights” that were established
eighteenth century. Actual revolutions were not just the product of angry founding fathers or bourgeoisie; rather centuries of progressive writers had set the stage for a radical transformation of the western political landscape by chipping away at the ideas that formed the foundation of the “despotism” being rebelled against. The difference between the writings of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, and the writings of the American and French revolutions is action: the revolutions finally gave hands to the
Question A: On July 4, 1776, fifty-six men gathered in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence. A few years later, on August 26, 1789, a similar gathering occurred in France. This resulted in the signing of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. As discussed in the text, these two documents were the embodiment of Enlightenment thinking. (Sayre 845). The Enlightenment was a time where one took a rational, scientific, and logical approach to everything in life. In addition
The many revolutions of this earth have shaped the world we have today. But for those revolutions to even happen, the brave revolutionists needed motivation, they needed causes to fight for. The American Revolution finally separated the thirteen American colonies from their tyrannical British government. They fought unfair treatment, unfair taxation, and for representation in their government. The colonists were also inspired by Enlightenment thinkers, but their revolution also helped to inspire
The American Revolution and the French Revolution The American and French Revolutions were both major events in the history of the world. Both of these revolutions have left a huge impact on the world that will never be forgotten. They were both results of Enlightenment ideas that expressed equality and the natural rights of man. Although the American and French Revolutions were similar in cause, each had a different significance and impact on the subjects of the country. The American Revolution had
American and French Revolutions The American Revolution was a wide-open conflict between Great Britain and the 13 colonies. The war began as a disagreement over the way Britain treated the colonies against the way colonies felt they should be treated. The conflict embodied in one of the reassembling cries of America, no taxation without representation. On the other hand, the French revolution was determined by the status that one held. The wealthy enjoyed life at ease and comfort, while the poor
Essay 2/26/13 CC Essay French and American Revolution Both the American and French revolutions were focused on liberty and equality. America was trying to gain freedom from the rules, unfair taxation, War debt, and lack of representation from the British. The French Revolution on the other hand wanted to abolish the French monarchy and create a better government in which people could have more of a say in society, and also had similar causes as the American Revolution. They were similar in
In three documents associated with historical revolutions, Thomas Jefferson’s The Declaration of Independence, the French National Assembly’s The Declaration of the Rights of Man, and Olympe de Gouges’ The Declaration of the Rights of Women, readers are presented with the markedly different perspectives on revolution and reform that their authors held, painting a picture of ideals in revolutions separated by both an ocean and an inherent difference in perceptible motivation. Though each document
Why the French Revolution was more revolutionary than its American counterpart Both the American and French Revolutions were the products of Enlightenment ideals, ideas of natural rights and equality. With such a basis, it becomes clear in both revolutions that people felt the need to be free from oppressive or tyrannical rule of monarchs and have the ability to live independent from such forces. Both suffered social and economic hardships that led to the realization that something must be done to
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
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
The French Revolution emerged and culminated under the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Many different influences impacted the formation of one of the bloodiest and horrific revolutions to date. The colonists over in America served as an example to the people of France, most prominently the Third Estate. National debt, as a result of/to Louis XIV’s luxurious living and executive spending, was higher than ever and out of control. As a result, high taxes were pushed on the Third Estate