History of the American Revolution

Britain's victory in the Seven Years' War forced France to cede its Canadian colonies to Britain to recover its lucrative Caribbean colonies.

After losing Canada to Britain, many Indigenous groups turned to the British government for protection against expanding colonial settlements.

British officials made promises to protect Indigenous lands but lacked the resources to enforce these promises due to the cost of the Seven Years' War.

By the mid-1760s, Britain held a dominant position in the Atlantic world, seemingly unchallenged.

The American Revolution, which began in 1775, was a surprising development for Britain, demonstrating the shifting power dynamics in the colonies.

King George III's policies to make American colonists contribute to the British Empire, particularly after the Seven Years' War, sparked resentment.

King George III's government imposed taxes on various goods to raise revenue from the colonies.

British efforts to suppress smuggling, which was used by colonists to evade trade restrictions, further fueled tensions.

The uprising of Andean Indians against the Spanish in Cuzco was a major turning point, causing Iberian American elites to strengthen their ties to the Spanish crown out of fear of their own populations.

The uprising of Andean Indians against the Spanish in Cuzco was a major turning point, causing Iberian American elites to strengthen their ties to the Spanish crown out of fear of their own populations.

The French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars weakened the European powers, particularly Spain and Portugal, leading to a shift in power dynamics and ultimately paving the way for independence movements in their American colonies.

Brazil, a Portuguese colony, experienced a relatively peaceful transition to independence, unlike many other colonies in South America.

The Portuguese royal family fleeing to Rio de Janeiro in 1807, becoming the center of their empire, marked a significant shift in power and governance.

The Portuguese royal family implemented reforms in administration, agriculture, manufacturing, and education, transforming Brazil's social and economic landscape.

This term refers to the transfer of power from the Spanish crown to the Portuguese imperial family in Brazil, symbolizing the shift in political control.

A constitutional monarchy is a form of government where the monarch's power is limited by a constitution.

People born in Spain who held positions of power in Spanish colonies.

People born in the Spanish colonies, often of Spanish descent, who resented the authority of the peninsulares.

The movement that sought to free Latin American colonies from Spanish rule, influenced by Enlightenment ideals.

The idea that creoles, despite their colonial birth, had a right to govern themselves and limit the power of peninsulares.

The influence of Enlightenment ideas, emphasizing reason, individual rights, and self-governance, on the Latin American independence movements.

A key figure in the South American independence movement, advocating for a united and independent Latin America.

The prolonged and violent struggle for independence in South America, contrasting with the more rapid and less bloody American Revolution.

Bolivar admired the model of France under Napoleon for its combination of military strength and constitutional reforms.

This document was an influential text during the French Revolution, declaring the fundamental rights of citizens and advocating for equality and sovereignty of the nation.

The concept of a 'nation' became more closely associated with the idea of a 'people' during the French Revolution, suggesting a stronger sense of shared identity and purpose among citizens.

This declaration, issued during the American Revolution, aimed to establish the rights of individual citizens in a newly independent nation.

The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, compared to its American counterpart, advocated for a more radical form of equality and sovereignty, specifically emphasizing national unity and citizens' rights.

The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, unlike the American Declaration of Independence, explicitly declared that the power of the nation rests entirely in the people. This emphasized a more direct form of citizen sovereignty.

The French Revolution challenged the existing power structures, particularly the dominance of dynasties and aristocratic privilege, leading to their potential downfall and the rise of more egalitarian principles.

Women, inspired by the revolutionary ideals of equality and freedom, began advocating for their own rights, particularly the right to bear arms, demonstrating a growing awareness of gender inequality.

While women during the French Revolution sought a greater role in society, they did not fully demand equal rights with men, suggesting a more limited vision of their rights, but still a significant step towards gender equality.

A military leader who played a crucial role in South America's independence movements, advocating for liberation from Spanish rule.

Wars fought across various regions of South America, aiming to establish independence from Spanish colonial authority.

The shift from Spanish colonial rule to self-governing nations in South America, leading to new political structures.

Social conflicts arising from independence struggles in South America, involving various social groups with opposing interests.

The armed forces that fought against Spanish colonial rule, eventually leading to their victory.

A distinct period after the initial victories against Spain where different factions within South America engaged in conflicts over power and control.

The practice of enslaving individuals, which existed under Spanish colonial rule and was challenged during the independence movements.

The ongoing degradation of the environment, despite the achievement of independence from colonial rule.

Haiti, previously known as Saint-Domingue, was the richest colony in the Americas under French rule, generating significant wealth for France through large sugar plantations.

Sugar plantations in Saint-Domingue relied heavily on enslaved African labor, who endured harsh working conditions and short lifespans.

The extremely harsh conditions on sugar plantations led to a constant need to replenish the slave workforce by bringing slaves from Africa. This created a cycle of exploitation.

The transition to independence in Haiti, after a long and violent struggle, did not solve the environmental problems caused by the colonial sugar plantations. This led to further environmental degradation.

Brazil, another important New World nation, faced similar environmental challenges after achieving independence. These challenges were rooted in the legacy of colonial exploitation.

The sugar industry, a major source of wealth in colonial times, has a history of causing environmental damage due to its intensive and demanding practices.

Colonial powers like France and their exploitative practices of sugar plantations in the Caribbean not only led to economic gains but also left a legacy of environmental degradation.

The legacy of colonial sugar plantations continues to affect the environment in Haiti and Brazil, demonstrating long-term consequences of resource-intensive industries.