COURSECODE: INS 313X

COURSE TITLE: HISTORICAL FOUNDATION OF THE MODERN WORLD

ASSIGNMENT 4: EMERGENCE OF THE USA AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

STEPHEN AWINO 18-0582

SUBMITTED TO MR. DANIEL KAUNGA

Introduction

Renaissance and Reformation had a profound social, economic, religious, and political impact on

Europe. The political and economic situation in Europe was just starting to improve after the war

as Europeans moved in large numbers to other continents in the sixteenth century in pursuit of

more room for a variety of reasons. Countries such as Spain developed into a superpower in this

century because it started colonizing other countries and kept its control for a very long time.

Spain in particular occupied parts of Latin America while the English went forth and colonized

most parts of North America.

EMERGENCE OF THE USA

The USA would later emerge from these British settlers that had displaced the original

inhabitants of the land. The expedition by the British saw the would be colonist arrive in North

America and establish the political liberty of electing a representative government, which was

founded in Jamestown in 1619. They settled, cultivated the area, and made significant economic

and political development. . Colonies were obligated to pay taxes, revenues, and customs duties

to the motherland which was the main reasonss they were established in the first place. The

governments of Europe developed legislation to enforce the payment of taxes in order to achieve

this and this brought about conflict of interest.

After the seven-year war 1756- 1763 which Britain won, they went on to pass laws in parliament

and this where conflicts of interest as arose as the colonies in North America had the chance to

self govern themselves and liked how things progressed. They had hoped that once the French

influence was removed, they would be left alone to take care of their own affairs. There should
be no tax imposed by Britain on the American colonies’ colonists without their consent. As a

result, they opposed paying taxes, tariffs, and other levies since they saw them as oppressive and

this led to the American Independence War that gave rise to America as a state and no longer a

colony.

The colonist had gained war experience especially in the seven years war. Due to the conflict

between the colonists and Britain, the colonists had organized themselves and were therefore

able to put a united front. They had developed a bond and an identity as Americans. They

expressed desire for independence during the first Continental Congress in 1774. Members who

favoured military approach to the crisis urged for American colonists taking up arms. With the ill

feelings growing on both sides, Britain prepared some their troops and fought the colonists in

Lexington and concord but lost miserably.

After this war on 4th July 1776 the second Continental Congress approved American declaration

of independence in 1776. The declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson and in October 1777

Britain was defeated at Saratoga. Other European nations joined the war against Britain between

1779-1780 and finally the British forces were forced to surrender to a combined force of

American and French forces in peninsula. Two years later, in 1783, the treaty of Paris was signed

and the American colonists (13 colonies) were recognized as independent and thats how the USA

was born.

The American Civil war

In 1860, 77 years down the line since being recognised as an independent state, the USA had

made a lot of progress economically and politically. A flourishing state was now however on the

brink of another war. The southern states such as South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama,
Georgia, Louisiana, Texas were still behind in industrialisation and employed the use of human

labour to cultivate their plantations that grew cotton. These human labour was provided by

slaves, a scenario which put the Northerners and the Southerners in tension since the Northerners

had made advancements in machinery and had somewhat stopped the use of human labour from

slaves.

Northerners, driven through a sense of morality or an pastime in defending free labour, got here

to believe, in the 1850s, that bondage wished to be eradicated the conflict finally blew to great

proportions when Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election on Republican party

ticket. The Republican party advocated for the eradication of slavery as they were anti slavery

and so did Abraham Lincoln who fronted the fight. The election of Abraham Lincoln as head of

state saw several southern states such as Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Florida,

Alabama and Louisiana declare themselves the confederate states of America and the violence

peaked.

The Confederate rebels opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 12,

1861. The attack marked the beginning of the American Civil War. With the country at war,

President Lincoln summoned 75,000 militiamen to serve for three months. He declared a naval

blockade on the Confederate states, despite the fact that he argued they were not legally a

sovereign country, but rather states in revolt. He also directed the secretary of the Treasury to

advance $2 million to help with troop mobilization, and he suspended the writ of habeas corpus,

first along the East Coast and then throughout the country. The Confederate administration had

already issued a call for 100,000 soldiers to serve for at least six months, which was quickly

increased to 400,000.
However, the Confederacy was not doomed to failure. The Southern forces had the advantage of

fighting on interior lines, and their military tradition had loomed large in American history prior

to 1860. Furthermore, the Confederacy’s large coastline of 3,500 miles (5,600 km) appeared to

defy blockade, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis hoped for significant international aid

and intervention. Confederate soldiers fought for a separate and independent country founded on

what they dubbed “Southern institutions,” the most important of which was slavery. So the

Southern cause was not defeated.

The Role of Abraham Lincoln in the war

Lincoln, who had previously served in the Illinois state legislature and as an unremarkable one-

term member of the United States House of Representatives, could only brag of a brief spell of

military service in the Black Hawk War, during which he saw no action. Lincoln’s prestige grew

with time and experience, and by 1864, he had established himself as a brilliant politician and

war director. Because of his outstanding brilliance, communication skills, humility, sense of

purpose, sense of humour, inherently moderate disposition, and ability to stay focused on the

larger picture, Lincoln evolved into a very effective president. However, he had much to learn at

first, particularly in strategic and tactical considerations, as well as in his selection of army

commanders. With an inept first secretary of war, Simon Cameron, Lincoln unapologetically

inserted himself personally into military strategy. Edwin M. Stanton, a well-known lawyer

assigned to the secretaryship on January 20, 1862, was similarly untrained in military affairs, yet

he was just as aggressive as his boss.

After the first call for troops from Lincoln and Davis, and as the conflict dragged on indefinitely,

both sides turned to building up sizable volunteer armies. Local prominent and wealthy persons

would form uniformed and equipped regiments that were first governed by the states before
being mustered into the service of the Union and Confederate governments. The presidents

appointed “political generals” on both sides, guys with little to no military training or experience

but significant political ties. He transformed the Republican Party into a potent national force

while serving as president. Additionally, he convinced the majority of northern Democrats to

support the Union. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves in the

Confederacy free for all time, on January 1, 1863.

Lessons learnt

The abolition of slavery would have provided a compelling moral justification for war. Human

bondage was a deadly defect in Southern society, not just a minor flaw. Furthermore, no

government can be moral or constrained if it utilizes its authority to keep people in slavery. The

war asserted that no human being has the authority to to keep a fellow human being in chains

reaping from the fruits of their forced labour. It is inhumane to be racist to a group of people and

consider them inferior because of their skin colour. It is so that the Victors get to write history

for in doing so the Emancipation Proclamation gave hope to humanity that there could still be

something good to be achieved when human beings stand up against that which is not Morally

okay.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

As the 18th century came to an end, France was on the verge of going bankrupt due to its

expensive participation in the American Revolution and King Louis XVI’s lavish spending.

Furthermore, a number of years of poor harvests, drought, livestock sickness, and spiking bread

prices had stoked unrest among peasants and the urban underclass, leaving the royal coffers
empty. Many rioted, looted, and went on strike to vent their frustration and disgust at a

government that levied high taxes but offered no relief.

Causes of the French Revolution

The Estate System, food shortages, and the American Revolution can be boiled down to be the

key causes.

1. The French Estate System was essentially a caste system that classified and ranked

individuals according to their level of wealth and status. The 1st Estate was the top tier,

and they were the most influential. The 3rd Estate included the poorest people who also

had the fewest rights and paid half of their income in taxes. As the nobility and the

church were at the top of the Estate System, this led to hatred toward them.

2. King Louis XVI’s frailty and the sway of his wife. Marie Antoinette’s . He was the last to

exercise autocratic power, which he regrettably did not do. He was a man who genuinely

cared about his citizens, but he was outwitted by his wife Marie, who was quite

intransigent, and as a result, France’s future was at risk.

3. Having helped the colonists of North America gain independence from Britain, the

French realised that it was possible to achieve their goals if they were dedicated enough

to the task ahead. Motivated by the inspiration from the Americans to put up a spirited

fight against Britain they too decided to take up arms against their oppressive system and

government.

4. Sadly, by 1789, the French political system had totally outlived its purpose and had

turned into an abjectly unsatisfying institution, earning the moniker “old regime.” There

was no element of impartiality in the administration of justice because their laws were
 written in separate languages that the French could not understand. This fragile political

system inspired the French to take up arms.

Impacts of the French Revolution

1. A new system based on the “Declaration of the Rights of Man” was developed as a result

of the revolution. Along with other major writings from throughout the world like the

American Proclamation of Independence from the 18th century and the English Magna

Carta from the 13th century, this declaration holds a significant position in human

history.

2. The French Revolution launched a revolutionary era in Europe that completely altered the

continent. A liberal political agenda built on the foundation of popular sovereignty was

developed by its assertion of the rights of man and citizens, which supplied key ideals of

enlightenment. Many people in European countries were aware of the possibilities of

political power, and nationalists turned their attention, above all, to the ideas of liberty

and equality. People began to realize that the masses might overthrow unpopular regimes,

and this phenomena has persisted up to the present.

3. Several social and economic improvements resulted from this. Where debt-related

incarceration and negro slavery were outlawed. Similar to men, women were also given

protection in their property claims, and these rights were recognized throughout Europe.

4. A new system based on the “Declaration of the Rights of Man” was developed as a result

of the revolution. Along with other major writings from throughout the world like the

American Proclamation of Independence from the 18th century and the English Magna

Carta from the 13th century, this declaration holds a significant position in human

history.
5. As a result, democracy was made possible and the monarchy’s demise was cemented.

Because it can be shown that even after the Bourbons reclaimed the throne and Napoleon

Bonaparte rose to power, they were expected to act as restricted or constitutional kings.

Lessons learnt

Visitors to Paris, the capital of France, frequently inquire as to why they are unable to locate

any evidence of the Bastille, the medieval fortress whose storming on July 14, 1789, was the

revolution’s most dramatic moment. The French Revolution of 1789 was such a significant

event. The “victors of the Bastille” started tearing down the building right away, determined

to remove what they viewed as a representation of oppression. Even the prominent column in

the center of the bustling Place de la Bastille is unrelated to the revolt of 1789; rather, it

honors the victims of the ‘July Revolution’ of 1830, which occurred a century later.

The French Revolution left behind more than just architectural landmarks; it also left behind

the principles of liberty, equality, and justice that continue to guide contemporary

democracies. Greater ambition. They inspired civilization that uprooting oppressive regimes

was not only possible but could be achieved as they did themselves as the French liberated

themselves.