SOVEREIGNTY

• What is a citizen, and how is the idea of popular sovereignty important to creating citizens?

  • a citizen is a person who, by place of birth, nationality of one or both parents, or naturalization is granted full rights and responsibilities as a member of a nation or political community
  • popular sovereignty was important to creating citizens because the state’s power came from the consent of the people 
  • popular sovereignty encouraged the recognition of the individual and individual rights 
• Some argue that sovereignty left people out. What are examples of this?

  • Typically, in Europe and European colonies, only white land-owning males were truly independent. The conquered people of the colonies didn't become citizens. Similarly, enslaved people, working-class people, and women weren't given the same kinds of rights.
• Beyond just being left out, some argue that sovereignty for others meant that people could lose rights. What are the the arguments that support this?

  • in several sovereign democracies like the United States, slavery was still legal, thriving, and important to the economy
  • the American Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787. in this agreement, each enslaved person was counted as three-fifths of a full citizen for the purposes of the right to vote and taxation. In this case, the inclusion of enslaved people was seen as compatible with popular sovereignty for other people, but only three-fifths
• Sovereignty

  The full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference from outside sources or bodies
• American Revolution (1775-1783)

  1. Colonists sought sovereignty from British rule

  2. Establishment of the United States
• Colonists sought sovereignty from British rule

  Challenged traditional monarchical sovereignty and inspired global independence movements
• French Revolution (1789-1799)

  1. People revolted against absolute monarchy

  2. Rise of Napoleon

  3. Spread of revolutionary ideals
• Revolt against absolute monarchy

  Overthrew monarchy, spread nationalism, and weakened traditional monarchies
• Latin American Independence Movements (early 19th century)

  1. Colonies sought sovereignty from Spanish and Portuguese rule

  2. Inspired by American and French revolutions
• Colonies sought sovereignty

  Emergence of independent nations, reshaping political landscapes
• Revolutions of 1848 (Europe)

  Social discontent and demand for political reforms led to uprisings
• Social discontent and demand for political reforms

  Spread liberal and nationalist ideas, laying groundwork for future changes
• Meiji Restoration (Japan, 1868)

  Leaders sought modernization and strengthened sovereignty under the Emperor
• Strengthened sovereignty under the Emperor

  Modernized Japan, positioning it as a major world power
• Decolonization Movements (mid-20th century)

  1. Colonized peoples sought sovereignty and self-determination

  2. End of colonial rule
• Colonized peoples sought sovereignty and self-determination

  Emergence of independent nations, reshaping global geopolitics
• How do you think the idea of sovereignty might be used to support "revolutionary" causes in this period?

  • Sovereignty was leveraged to rally support for revolutionary movements by emphasizing peoples' right to self-governance and resistance against oppression. Revolutionaries framed their struggles as fights for sovereignty, seeking independence, self-determination, and liberty. By appealing to sovereignty, they garnered domestic and international support, legitimizing their actions and challenging existing power structures
• • sovereignty is the right and power of a person or nation to govern themselves 
• • a person’s ability to participate in the government was often dependent on their class, race, and gender
• • Social and Economic Disparities in Childhood
  • Middle- and upper-class families in Europe and the Americas enjoyed new values of familial love and innocence, prioritizing education over child labor
  • In Japan, government programs were established to protect vulnerable children
  • However, under slavery and colonialism, children faced harsh realities, being forcibly separated from their parents
  • Enslaved children were sold, indigenous children were sent away, and mixed-race children were often marginalized due to colonial hierarchies
• Child Labor in Colonial Settings

  • Children in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, India, and China were subjected to labor in plantations, factories, mines, and as household servants
  • Working conditions could be severe, and children's lives were shaped by classical values like obedience and hard work
• Gender Inequality and Women's Roles

  • Enlightenment thinkers held differing views on women's equality, with working-class women, women of color, and colonial subjects often excluded from social and educational opportunities
  • Many women took on new roles out of economic necessity, particularly single mothers who had to work to support their families
• Changes in State Control

  • Peoples' relationships with the state were altered, with some experiencing increased freedom while others had less control
  • Women's roles in raising the next generation were increasingly valued, but this also meant their decisions, including whether to have children, were often influenced by political considerations
  • Schools became instruments of control, promoting health and protection but also regulating children's daily activities and promoting European values in colonial settings like Canada, Australia, the United States, and British India