UNIT 8 TEST REVIEW

1. UNIT 8 TEST REVIEW

2. CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION • Enlightenment ideas • Personal freedoms and equality • Britain’s policy of mercantilism and lack of understanding of its colonies • Debt incurred during the Seven Years War caused Britain to increase taxes in the colonies • Taxation without representation

3. KEY PLAYERS: • King George III – King of Great Britain • Thomas Jefferson – penned the Declaration of Independence • George Washington – Commander-in-chief of the American army • General Cornwallis – leader of the British forces during the revolution

4. RESULTS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION • Creation of a new democratic nation with a constitution based on enlightened principles • Freedom from British oppression • Inspiration to other nations seeking enlightened ideals and freedom from absolutism

5. 1781 - Articles of Confederation • FIRST CONSTITUTION OF THE U.S. • Because the states feared concentrated power, the Articles did little to provide for a strong central government • Weaknesses – it did not provide for the ability to • collect taxes • Raise an army • Regulate trade • Create a national currency

6. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION • Summer of 1787 • 55 delegates met to revise the Articles of Confederation • Ended up creating a new constitution which provided for: • 3 branches of government • Power to levy taxes, raise an army, regulate trade, and create a currency • Had to be ratified by 2/3 of the states to go into effect

7. 1789 – Constitution adopted • Ratified by 9 states • Based on the idea of federalism. Government in which power is shared between the central government and the states. • Provided for a Bill of Rights with the 1st 10 amendments

8. CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION • Enlightenment ideals – personal freedoms, equality • Financial crisis – national debt, food shortages • Poor leadership – an indecisive and unpopular king who was not ready to rule a country

9. SOME KEY EVENTS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION • The Tennis Court Oath – the Third Estate resolved to write a constitution in which they would be represented • The Storming of the Bastille – the first violent act of the revolution • The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – provided for rights for all citizens, based on the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, excluded women

10. Events continued… • The trial of Louis XVI for treason and his subsequent beheading • The Reign of Terror – tried to rid France of all opposition to the Committee of Public Safety

11. CAUSES OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION • Political – involvement in WWI and a lack of confidence in the czar • Economic – financial problems brought on by the war, food shortages, inflation • Social – inequality of social classes, workers strikes

12. IMPORTANT LEADERS AND THEIR INFLUENCE • Czar Nicholas – a weak autocratic leader who used the military for control. Stumbled through a series of military and economic disasters. Allowed his wife (influenced by Rasputin) to make decisions while he was fighting the war • Alexander Kerensky – head of the Duma. Decided to remain in the war which was a costly mistake.

13. Cont. • V.I. Lenin – leader of the Bolsheviks. Led the political take over of Russia from the provisional government by the Red Forces • Leon Trotsky – Commissioner of War for the Red Forces. Reinstated the draft and rigid discipline. Largely responsible for the success of the Red Forces

14. HOW MUCH DID RUSSIA CHANGE AFTER THE REVOLUTION? • A LOT! Russia was transformed into a communist state The people of Russia were oppressed by the government. Lenin executed thousands of people Russia became hostile toward Allies and a threat to democracy