THE ATLANTIC REVOLUTION

• What first sparked the American Revolution?

  • British was in debt after winning the Seven Years War, so they kept taxing the citizens to pay off their loans. 
• What was the Third Estate?

  • people who weren’t nobility or clergy. they are the people who hd to pay unnecessary taxes so france was able to pay off their loans from the loss of the seven years war
• What did the American Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man have in common?

  Both Declarations emphasized principles of liberty, equality, and natural rights
• How did America and France differ?

  The American Declaration focused on breaking away from British rule and asserting self-governance, while French Declaration aimed at challenging the monarchy and establishing a more egalitarian society amidst the French Revolution
• Ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity

  Led to social unrest and ultimately the Haitian Revolution
• The Haitian Revolution was one of the most successful slave rebellions in history
• Other Sources of Haiti Revolt

  • Harsh Conditions: The brutal conditions of slavery, including forced labor, violence, and discrimination, fueled resentment and a desire for freedom among enslaved Africans
  • Inspiration from Enlightenment Ideas: Enlightenment ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity influenced educated individuals in Saint Domingue, motivating them to seek independence from colonial rule
  • Leadership: Charismatic leaders such as Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and Henri Christophe played crucial roles in organizing and leading the revolt against French colonial authority
  • International Influences: The Haitian Revolution was also influenced by external factors, including the French Revolution, which inspired ideas of liberation, and the involvement of other nations, such as Britain and Spain, which sought to exploit the unrest in Saint Domingue for their own strategic interests
• • The French Revolution sparked ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity among the population, including enslaved Africans and free people of color. This led to social unrest and ultimately the Haitian Revolution, one of the most successful slave rebellions in history.
• To what extent does the Atlantic Revolution explain the causes and effects of the various revolutions in the period from 1750 to 1900?

  1. These revolutions were interconnected through their shared ideals of liberty, equality, and self-determination, as well as through the spread of revolutionary ideas and movements across the Atlantic world. However, while the Atlantic Revolution provided inspiration and set a precedent for subsequent revolutions, such as those in Latin America, each revolution had its own unique causes, dynamics, and outcomes influenced by local contexts and conditions
• In South America

  Power was largely seized by the Creole elites, who were of European descent but born in the Americas
• In Saint Domingue during the Haitian Revolution

  Leadership emerged from formerly enslaved Africans and free people of color
• Haitian Revolution

  • Resulted in the abolition of slavery
  • Establishment of Haiti as an independent nation led by individuals who had been oppressed under colonial rule
• Revolutions in South America

  Primarily aimed at gaining political independence from European colonial powers while maintaining social hierarchies and the institution of slavery in many cases
• American and French Revolutions

  • Significant political, social, and economic transformations occurred, including the overthrow of monarchies, the establishment of republics, and the abolition of feudal privileges
  • Revolutions also had limitations and contradictions, as they often failed to fully realize the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity for all members of society, particularly marginalized groups such as women and enslaved Africans
  • In the case of the American Revolution, the institution of slavery persisted, and indigenous peoples continued to face displacement and oppression
• Haitian Revolution


  • Abolition of slavery and the establishment of Haiti as an independent black republic represented a truly revolutionary departure from the colonial order, challenging the prevailing racial hierarchies and imperial domination in the Atlantic world
  • Revolution also faced challenges in consolidating its gains and rebuilding the economy in the aftermath of conflict
• Overall, while each revolution in the Atlantic Revolution brought about significant changes, they also demonstrated the complexities and contradictions inherent in the pursuit of revolutionary ideals within specific historical contexts
• • Enlightenment ideas and ideals inspired all the Atlantic Revolutions
• • Each revolution rejected rule without representation
• • The Atlantic Revolution was connected by economic and political networks.
• • revolutions were inspired by the ideals of Enlightenment including the individual freedom
• • revolutions rejected aristocracy 
• • The Haitian Revolution was the most radical. The others resulted in political change—rather than social or economic change