X-Post Wanna help me compare American and French Revolutions?

[KathyBC]

For our first try at a compare/contrast essay (we use IEW methods), I want to help gr. 9 ds ask himself questions about the American and French Revolutions. I can think of a few things:

 

* taxation frustration

* ideals of liberty and equality

 

* contrast leaders - Robespierre vs. Washington

* contrast levels of violence - personal vs. impersonal

 

Anyone have any other ideas I can add?

 

Thank you so much!

Kathy

[Sebastian (a lady)]

For our first try at a compare/contrast essay (we use IEW methods), I want to help gr. 9 ds ask himself questions about the American and French Revolutions. I can think of a few things:

 

* taxation frustration

* ideals of liberty and equality

 

* contrast leaders - Robespierre vs. Washington

* contrast levels of violence - personal vs. impersonal

 

Anyone have any other ideas I can add?

 

Thank you so much!

Kathy

 

Distance of the monarch they were revolting against. England was having a war to maintain colonies that were valuable resources, but that were quite distant geographically. France was having bread riots in the streets of Paris and mobs marching on the palace at Versailles. You also get a different Us vs Them feeling in England vs the ungrateful colonies and French nobility vs the masses. And the reaction to a massacre in Paris is different to a battle fought in Concord or Boston.

 

With the American revolution, there was first a movement to have the same consideration as regions in England (thus No Taxation without Representation. They at first were asking for representation rather than a taxed but no voice in Parliament status). Then they were seeking independence.

 

The French Revolution was not just seeking independence from a distant ruler, but a complete overthrow of the system. And I think that it was about more than governmental voice and more about rejecting a system where nobles and the church had power.

 

And then I think you would have to look at the relative power of the English vs French kings and the English Parliament vs the French Assembly. My understanding is that political developments in England after the Magna Carta generally favored the slow development of a representational system that tempered the power of the king. On the other hand, the French system had been consolidating more power in the hands of the king (especially under Louis IVX, who had a really long reign).

[KathyBC]

And then I think you would have to look at the relative power of the English vs French kings and the English Parliament vs the French Assembly. My understanding is that political developments in England after the Magna Carta generally favored the slow development of a representational system that tempered the power of the king. On the other hand, the French system had been consolidating more power in the hands of the king (especially under Louis IVX, who had a really long reign).

 

Excellent point. Thank you!

[newlifemom]

You probably also want to think about the classes of people in France vs the Colonies. Their relative education/reading level.

[pqr]

I would look at the results of both revolutions.

 

We achieved a democracy and a nation that attempted to live under the rule of law.

The French received Napoleon!!!

 

In the US loyalists were treated pretty badly

In France monarchists were beheaded as were their wives as were their sons as were their daughters and even their mistresses!

 

Then there is this: Human rights did not begin with the French Revolution...[they] really stem from a mixture of Judaism and Christianity...[we English] had 1688, our quiet revolution, where Parliament exerted its will over the King...it was not the sort of Revolution that France's was...'Liberty, equality, fraternity' — they forgot obligations and duties I think. And then of course the fraternity went missing for a long time. -Margaret Thatcher