Revolutions : Did the English/American revolutions really pave the way for the French Revolution?

 INTRODUCTION :

At the turn of the 17th century, European countries were ruled by absolute monarchs. Their powers had few limits and was justified by Divine rights. But growing opposition to absolutism resulted in three main revolutions, which gave rise to new political entities.

A) Revolutions in 17th-century England

How did the 17th-century Revolutions lay down the basic principles of the British constitutional monarchy ?

 1) The Civil War and Cromwell’s Republic

You can download the document to follow the lesson:

TASK N°1:

Listen the video and answer questions :

QUESTIONS :

1) What rights does the king have (according to Charles I)?

2) Which power is above him?

3) What relationship does he have with  the military power and the Church?

4) What does he expect from his people ?...

5) … And more particularly from the Scottish and the Irish people?

Since the 12th century, monarchs had been required to address parliament before imposing any new taxes.  During the 17th century the Stuarts tried to become absolute monarch and to reduce Parliament’s tax prerogatives.

But, when Charles I (1625-1649) decided to govern England alone, a civil war broke out between the supporters of parliament and those of the king. Charles I was defeated and beheaded in 1649.

O. Cromwell abolished the monarchy and set up a Republic ( called the Commonwealth) which soon turned into a militari dictatorship

TASK n° 2: Read texts and answer questions ( don't forget to write quotes)

Source 1: The reading of the charges against Charles by the man leading the trail, John Bradshaw. He was not a well-know judge. He had been chosen after many others refused to judge over the King.

Charles Stuart, King of England … Traitorously waged a war against Parliament and the people.  He renewed the War against the Parliament in 1648. He is responsible for all the treasons, murders, raping’s, burnings and damage causes during these wars. He is therefore a tyrant, traitor and murderer and an enemy to England”.

Source 2: From Oliver Cromwell’s speaking in January 1649 before Charles was executed. In February 1648 the monarchy was abolished and a council of State was set up to run the country, led by O. Cromwell.

“ I tell you we will cut off his head with the crown upon it… The office of the King in the Nation is unnecessary, and dangerous to the liberty and interest of the people.

Source 3: Witnesses for Parliament

Witness 1: “I saw Charles stick his banner in the ground in Nottingham in 1642. This officially started the war. The war was thus Charles’ Fault.”

Witness 2: “Here is a letter from King Charles to his son asking him to get a foreign army together to invade England to help him. Charles wants foreigners to kill Englishmen. He cannot be trusted”.

Witness 3: King Charles allowed his troops to mistreat the Parliamentarian captured soldiers. He said’ I do not care if they cut them 3 times more, for they are mine enemies’

Nottingham in 1642: the beginning of the civil war.

Source 4: From Charles I himself at the trial

“I would know by what power I ma called here. I want to know by what authority … Remember I am your king, your lawful King. I have trust committed to me by God. I will not betray it to answer a new unlawful authority”.

Source 5: From a school textbook:

“Before the execution was agreed Parliament arranged to discuss what to do with Charles now he had been captured. Out of 286 members of parliament, 240 thought Charles should be given another chance. However, when they met again for discussion these 240 MPs were stopped from entering by Crowell’s troops. This left 46 MPs to vote about what to do with the King – They voted to put him on trial for treason. This could result in execution. “

Questions:

1° How did Source 1 and 2 differ about Charles was executed?

2° According to these testimonies (Source 3), what are reproaches addressed to the King?

3° Why did Charles think the trial was unlawful? (Source 4)

4° Why do you think Cromwell stopped the MPs to entering Parliament?

Tuesday, 1rst December 2020

Source 6: The Royal Oak of Britain, engraving, British Library, London.

1°Look at the tree and its fruits and explain what they represent? ( Try to find the meaning of fruits).

2° According to the illustration, what was Cromwell doing to the laws, religion and people of Britain?

3° What overall image of Cromwell is conveyed by the document?

2) The Glorious Revolution towards  a Constitutional Monarchy.

The next document:

In 1660, the monarchy was restored and the king Charles II ( 1660-1685), the executed king’s son, was made to accept the Habeas Corpus Act. In 1685 James II succeeded his brother as king but, unlike him, he refused to govern with Parliament and was determined to become an absolute monarch. Parliament then offered William of Orange, the Protestant Dutch leader, the English throne. In 1689 William and his wife Mary become joint monarchs on condition they sign the Bill of Rights.

B) The American Revolution

Introduction : The Battle of Lexington and the beginning of The American Revolution War

Correction du travail, il faut bien visionner la vidéo :

In 1770’s tensions between colonists and British continued to escalate. By 1774, the colonist had begun to organize and train militia. The Battle of Lexington, on April 19, 1775, is considered as the first battle of the American Revolution.

How the thirteen colonies became the United-States of America?

1° AMERICA BEFORE THE UNITED-STATES

RAPPEL / PRESENTATION DU DOCUMENT :

How to introduce a history/ geography document in English?

To introduce a document in English you have to ask yourself these questions:

1/ What is it?

Text: biography, novel, thesis, article, law...
Other kinds of documents: advertisement, graph, list, caricature, cartoon, picture...

2/ Who did it and where was it extract from?

Author, painter, cartoonist, writer, novelist, scientist, journalist...

To extract from a book: extraire d’un livre
An extract/an excerpt: extrait

 Is it a primary or secondary source ? 

3/ When was it done and what was the historical background at the time?

Date, century, year...

In which context the source takes place ?

4/ What is it about?

Subject, point of view (propaganda, critical opinion, a satire), thesis...

1- Introduce both documents

You have to introduce them and give me your work until wednesday 20th january  or Thursday 21 th january

2- Pick up the words related to colonization in document 2.

3-Copy the table below and fill it up with information from both documents ( quotes).

2° From resistance to revolution (1763-1775)

Document 1: The Stamp Act Crisis (1765-1766).

George Grenville, first lord of the treasury, announced plans to impose a stamp tax in America, (a tax on any printed material such as newspapers, books, playing cards, and all legal documents). The colonial assemblies argued that since Americans were not represented in Parliament, that body could not tax them (« no taxation without representation»). However Parliament passed the legislation. The reaction in America, partially coordinated by resistance groups calling themselves the Sons of Liberty, was immediate and violent. Rioting crowds forced distributors to resign. Governors could not compel the distribution of stamps, and thus the tax did not enforce itself. The repeal of the Stamp Act in March 1766 was a major defeat for Britain. Without question the Stamp Act crisis weakened royal authority in the colonies, heightened American suspicions about British policy, and encouraged further resistance.

Adapted from John L. Bullion, "Stamp Act", in The Oxford Companion to United States History, Oxford University Press, 2001.

Compel: to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary.

Enforce: to make sure that people obey a particular law or rule.

Repeal: if a government or other group or person with authority repeals a law, that law no longer has any legal force.

Document 3. The Boston tea party, December 16, 1773.

Watch the video:

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/video/boston-tea-party/

Document 4. Some of the Founding Fathers'famous quotes.

“The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more. I Am Not A Virginian, But An American!”

            Patrick Henry, Speech in the First Continental Congress, 1774.

"It is a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own".

           Benjamin Franklin, Letter to Samuel Cooper, May 1, 1777

Who were the Founding Fathers? You need to know them … No choice…

Watch the video:

https://www.britannica.com/video/172150/overview-Founding-Fathers

TASKS :

1. Introduce all documents, separating first-hand sources from second-hand sources.

2. Name the reasons WHY the American colonists rebelled against Britain (doc 1, 2&3 ).

3. Explain HOW they conducted their rebellion (all documents).

4. WHO were the people who rebelled against Britain? (All documents).