-
The time span at which the Enlightenment Thinkers were revolutionizing our concept and grasp on the world, the universe, and society.
-
A book called the Leviathan was published by enlightenment thinker Thomas Hobbes. This book contained his thoughts of English civil war, saying people were naturally greedy, cruel and selfish. Furthermore, he said if these people were not controlled by the government, life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." The Leviathan is referred to as a masterpiece, and a primary example of Hobbes' political philosophy.
https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/hobbess-leviathan# -
The 'Two Treaties of Government' was the work of enlightenment thinker John Locke, and a primary example of his philosophy. This work shows John Locke's optimism of mankind; he thought humans were reasonable and moral. He believed people were given natural rights at birth; these rights including life, liberty, and property. He also argues that if the government take away these rights, the people have the right to overthrow them.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Two-Treatises-of-Government -
After a 72-year span as King of France, King Louis XIV passed away in Versailles. After returning from a hiking trip, he felt sharp pain in his leg before spotting black marks, a sign of senile gangrene. Soon, the gangrene moved to his bone. Before passing on some advice to his five-year-old grandson, the heir to his thrown, King Louis passed away.
http://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/key-dates/death-louis-xiv-1715 -
As King Louis XVI and the first & second estates were believed to be stripping the third estate of their rights and violating enlightenment principles, they met in town hall and locked the third estate out in attempt to slow the process down and considering their options, without endangering themselves by facing the enraged third estate, who was represented by 98% of the population. This date, May 5th, marks the beginning of the French Revolution.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Estates-General -
The time span at which the French Revolution took place.
-
After growing tired of being neglected by the first and second estates, the third estate, making up 98% of the population, decided to act. After being locked out of the town hall, they broke into a nearby tennis court and refused to leave until a new constitution was developed.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Tennis-Court-Oath -
A state prison in Paris known as the Bastille was stormed by an angry mass of people in a violent act. The prison was a symbol the monarchy's dictatorial rule, which the people were fighting against. They were looking to steal ammunition, and when denied entry they rebelled and stormed the prison. The governor was killed and beheaded in the storming.
http://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item106472.html#:~:text=On%2014%20July%201789%2C%20a,in%20the%20Revolution%20that%20followed. -
Still enraged due to the 1st and 2nd estate's power domination, French peasants began to kill 2nd estate members. This took place amid the chaos of Louis XVI's implementation of the Swiss Guard, and the people of Paris stealing supplies out of fear for their lives. They had feared the government had plans to overthrow the 3rd estate.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Fear -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was modeled after the U.S. Declaration of Independence. It included many of the ideas of the enlightenment thinkers; that the government exists to protect peoples rights. It concluded with a long lasting slogan; Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite. Louis XVI did not have any part of this. The nobles approved of this by throwing parties, while the French peasants suffered and starved.
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/rightsof.asp -
The time span at which the Haitian Revolution took place.
-
There were 500,000 runaway slaves when the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was published, but they didn't know how to take advantage of this. On the other hand, the slaves knew. In 1791, Dutty Boukman started a rebellion. Out of fear for their lives, whites killed hundreds of slaves.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zpsc9j6/revision/2 -
Both England and Spain wanted to get in on St. Domingue's wealth. They originally held an alliance with Toussaint L’Ouverture, but they lost that alliance after France outlawed slavery, and L'Ouverture decided that's what he wanted to fight for. Spain was out by treaty for control of St. Domingue by 1795.
http://abolition.e2bn.org/resistance_46.html -
King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette tried to disguise and escape with their kids as townspeople began to wonder whether it was necessary to have a king who kept vetoing laws. He was recognized for being on money, then was deemed not capable of running a monarchy, and of being a traitor, so he was beheaded. Antoinette faced the same fate later.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/king-louis-xvi-executed#:~:text=One%20day%20after%20being%20convicted,de%20la%20Revolution%20in%20Paris. -
Sep 1793 commenced the Reign of Terror in France. Thousands of people were determined to be "Enemies of the Revolution" and executed, often with little to back it up. Robespierre supported this, claiming it was necessary to achieve revolution goals. He failed, and was executed by people who grew tired of the violence.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Reign-of-Terror -
While countries fought for the riches of St. Domingue, the French had outlawed slavery. This action won over L’Ouverture, who joined them looking to protect the island from English or Spanish protection.
http://slaveryandremembrance.org/articles/article/?id=A0065 -
Robespierre was an activist during the Reign of Terror in 1793. He was openly supportive of the execution of thousands of French people. He argued that these rash actions backed by little evidence was necessary to achieve revolution goals. He failed in trying to spread this mindset, and eventually was executed by people tired of the violence he had caused.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robespierre-overthrown-in-france -
Following the Reign of Terror in France, a new constitution was developed. It created the 'Directory', a five-man group. They were significant in helping create elite French schools, restoring the collapsed French economy, made peace with some countries but kept at warfare with others. They withheld this steady control for some time, before turning to Napoleon Bonaparte to achieve goals led to it's downfall.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Directory-French-history -
As L’Ouverture and Rigaud fought for control of St. Domingue, the War of Knives developed. L’Ouverture led his poor, former slaves into battle with Rigaud's wealthier, well-educated slaves and blacks. It lasted over a year, before L’Ouverture and help from the English forced Rigaud to flee.
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-war-of-knives/ -
L’Ouverture developed a new constitution. It declared no slavery (equal rights), no 'voodoo' which was the most popular religion on the island, and it made L’Ouverture the leader for life. This enraged the French people, and they rebelled. It also angered Napoleon Bonaparte, who had taken over France. Napoleon Bonaparte sent troops in to take St. Domingue back.
https://www.history.com/topics/france/french-revolution#section_8 -
L’Ouverture developed a new constitution. It declared no slavery (equal rights), no 'voodoo' which was the most popular religion on the island, and it made L’Ouverture the leader for life. This enraged the French people, and they rebelled. It also angered Napoleon Bonaparte, who had taken over France. Napoleon Bonaparte sent troops in to take St. Domingue back.
https://www.history.com/topics/france/french-revolution#section_8 -
Jean-Jacques Dessalines, one of L’Ouverture's top generals, developed a plan to capture L’Ouverture and put him in prison. He was one of the members of L’Ouverture's army who sided with the French as they tried to take over St. Domingue in rebellion to L’Ouverture's new constitution.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Jacques-Dessalines -
Jean-Jacques Dessalines wanted to make a first flag for his new nation. He did so by taking bits and pieces of the French flag and sewed the blue and red bits together. It is said that the blue bits represent African residents and the red bits represent European/African mix decent. https://restavekfreedom.org/2019/04/04/the-history-of-the-haitian-flag/#:~:text=Haiti's%20very%20first%20flag%20as,make%20the%20first%20Haitian%20flag.
-
Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed St. Domingue as the first independent nation made up of former slaves. He abolished slavery and gave people natural rights. He then returned to Taino and named his newly-controlled island Haiti. On this island, whites could not own land, and they were not involved in European trade.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Jacques-Dessalines -
The time span at which the Latin & South Revolutions took place.
-
Mexico began it's push for independence in 1810. Poor mestizos and Native Americans began the rally for independence. They initially had the support of other creoles, but that ended once they realized they were calling to end slavery. Josh Morelos was one fighting for Mexicans, wanting an end to slavery, improve Mexican lives, and allow Mexican men to vote.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/09/mexico-independence-day-confusion-cinco-de-mayo/ -
Simon Bolivar led the revolutions in South America. It started in 1810, in his home country of Venezuela. However, he saw no success; he had to flee Haiti twice in exile.
https://stampaday.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/simon-bolivar-el-libertador-de-venezuela/#:~:text=On%20May%2024%2C%201813%2C%20South,(%E2%80%9CThe%20Liberator%E2%80%9D). -
After Bolivar had joined forces with creole Jose de Martin and freed his home country Venezuela of Spanish control, he moved on to two countries; one was Chile, and the other was Peru. Bolivar assumed power in Peru, and eventually was able to break Spanish control.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Peru/Achievement-of-independence -
South of the USA lay Gran Columbia, a region constructed of troubled nations. Simon Bolivar had fought to unite what is present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, and some of Peru and Brazil.
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/civilization-west-and-rest/killer-apps/property/map-american-expansion-u-s-a-and-gran-colombia/
