American Revolution: Key Events and Figures

Revolución Americana

• Chronicles important events, key figures, causes, and consequences of the American Revolution.

Cronología y Eventos Importantes

• 1763: The Seven Years' War ended and Great Britain imposed taxes on the American colonies to cover war costs.
• 1765: The Stamp Act was implemented on legal documents, newspapers, and other items, leading to widespread protests.
• 1770: The Boston Massacre occurred where British soldiers killed five colonists during a protest.
• 1773: The Boston Tea Party happened with colonists disguised as Native Americans dumping tea into the sea to protest taxes.
• 1774: The First Continental Congress convened, uniting representatives from the colonies to coordinate resistance.
• 1775: Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the initial armed confrontations between colonists and British troops.
• 1776: The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, as the colonies declared independence from Great Britain.
• 1777: A crucial victory at the Battle of Saratoga secured French support for the colonists.
• 1781: The colonists achieved a decisive win at the Battle of Yorktown, aided by French assistance.
• 1783: Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States with the Treaty of Paris.

Personajes Importantes

• George Washington: Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and first U.S. president.
• Thomas Jefferson: Primary author of the Declaration of Independence and third president.
• Benjamin Franklin: Diplomat and scientist, instrumental in securing French support.
• John Adams: Lawyer and diplomat and second president.
• Marqués de Lafayette: French aristocrat who fought with the colonists and promoted revolutionary ideals in France.
• Enlightenment Thinkers influence: John Locke's ideas on natural rights and government by consent.
• Enlightenment Thinkers influence: Montesquieu's concept of separation of powers.
• Enlightenment Thinkers influence: Rousseau's idea of popular sovereignty.
• Enlightenment Thinkers influence: Voltaire's critique of authority and defense of individual liberties.

Causas

• Impuestos y Control Británico: The colonies were subjected to taxation without representation in the British Parliament.
• Restricciones Comerciales: Laws like the Navigation Acts restricted colonial trade.
• Influencia de las Ideas de la Ilustración: Philosophers like Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau inspired colonists to seek liberty and self-government.

Consecuencias

• Independencia de los Estados Unidos: Marked the establishment of a democratic republic.
• Influencia en Otras Revoluciones: Inspired independence movements in Latin America, led by figures like Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín, and the French Revolution.
• Fin del Antiguo Régimen: Transition from absolute monarchies to democratic and constitutional systems.
• Constitución de los Estados Unidos (1787): The U.S. Constitution was the first written constitution, establishing a federal system and separation of powers.

Revolución Francesa

• It goes over the timeline, key people, what caused it and what the consequences were.

Cronología y Eventos Importantes

• 1789: Convening of the Estates-General and the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th.
• 1789: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
• 1791: France became a constitutional monarchy with the Constitution of 1791.
• 1792: Proclamation of the Republic and execution of Louis XVI.
• 1793-1794: The Reign of Terror led by Robespierre.
• 1799: Napoleon Bonaparte's coup d'état marked the end of the Revolution.

Personajes Importantes

• Maximilien Robespierre: Jacobin leader during the Reign of Terror.
• Napoleón Bonaparte: Military leader who rose to power and became emperor.
• Luis XVI: King of France executed during the Revolution.
• María Antonieta: Queen of France, also executed.
• Georges Danton: Revolutionary and political leader.
• Jean-Paul Marat: Journalist and radical revolutionary.
• Enlightenment Thinkers Influence: Rousseau's ideas on popular sovereignty and the social contract.
• Enlightenment Thinkers Influence: Voltaire's criticism of the Church and defense of civil liberties.
• Enlightenment Thinkers Influence: Montesquieu's concept of the separation of powers.

Causas

• Crisis Financiera: France was bankrupt due to wars and excessive spending by the court.
• Desigualdad Social: The feudal system favored the nobility and clergy.
• Influencia de las Ideas de la Ilustración: Thinkers like Rousseau and Voltaire criticized absolutism and promoted equality and liberty.

Consecuencias

• Fin del Antiguo Régimen: Abolition of feudal privileges and establishment of a republican government.
• Declaración de los Derechos del Hombre: Served as the basis for modern human rights.
• Guerras Napoleónicas: Spread revolutionary ideals throughout Europe.
• Influencia en Otras Revoluciones: Revolution inspired independence and revolutionary movements in Latin America and other parts of the world.
• Ascenso de Napoleón: Establishment of the Napoleonic Empire and expansion of revolutionary ideas across Europe.

Comparación Final

• Revolución Americana: A fight for independence by the British colonies in America that led to the creation of the United States and the first written constitution.
• Revolución Francesa: An internal conflict in France that overthrew the absolute monarchy, established a republic, and spread the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity throughout Europe.
• Both revolutions marked the end of absolutism and the start of the era of modern democracies, deeply impacting the political and social development of the Western world.