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Delve into the revolutionary era in the American colonies, exploring the American, Haitian, and Spanish revolutions, their impact on political independence, economic freedom, and the dissolution of empires. Discover the origins, causes, and outcomes of these revolutions in an international context, examining the links between democratic ideals and the Atlantic Revolution. This comprehensive exploration covers the American Revolution's origins, the Haitian Revolution's repercussions, and the Spanish American Revolutions' contexts, ideologies, and outcomes. Uncover the circulation of ideas and people that shaped these transformative events, from Thomas Paine to Francisco de Miranda, shedding light on the nationalist and social revolutions that shaped America's history.
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The revolutionary era in America, 1776-1826. • British North America: The American Revolution,1776-83. • French St. Domingue: The Haitian Revolution, 1790-1804: the end of slavery and the first black republic. • Spanish America: Rebellions, War and Independence in Mexico and South America, 1810-1825.
Meanings • Linkages and associations? The concepts of ‘Democratic’ and ‘Atlantic Revolution’: Palmer and Godechot. • Repercussions? Turning point in Americas’ history • Dissolution of empires from California to Cape Horn by separation from European rule: few remnants left. • Political independence and economic freedom • Americas as the new political and economic frontier
International Contexts • Origins of Revolutions in Americas: crisis in colonial relations with European wars, related to international wars. • Decline of Spain and growth of French and British empires in America: trade and population expansion in the West. • Character of international wars in 18th century: coupled with competition for overseas empire, esp. France, Spain and Britain. • Atlantic expansion and tendency of European Wars to ‘globalise’. Americas became major theatre. • Impact of inter-imperialist competition in Americas: economic growth; more communication and exchange; increase in political tensions.
The American Revolution • Origins of conflict: the Seven Years’ War and expulsion of France, • ‘no taxation without representation’ and Parliamentary despotism • Source of ideas: defence of traditional British ‘liberties’ + Tom Paine. • Comitees of correspondence • Nationalism? Provincial identities. • Unity? from Continental Congress to United States of America. • Democracy? From republican monarchy to monarchical republic.
New rights for everybody? • The laboratory of republicanism • Native Americans • Women • Slaves • The federal constitution of 1787
The French Colony of Saint-Domingue France in America post-1763: the Caribbean minus Canada War of American Revolution and Crisis in Paris in 1789: onset of French Revolution Slave colony: Saint Domingue The wealthiest in the world
The Haitian Revolution • Repercussions of French Revolution: escalation of crisis from divisions in elite to slave insurgency • French abolitionism • 1789: the revolt of white elites • 1790: the revolt of free people of colour • 1791: the slave insurrection • Foreign intervention exacerbates crisis • Slave revolution? Toussaint’s compromise and Napoleon’s Response. • From social rebellion to revolution for independence • Political transformation and social revolution: the end of slavery • Reception in the United States
Spanish American Revolutions: Contexts • Spain’s revival under the Bourbons • Reform and rebellion: Quito (1765), Comuneros (1781), Túpac Amaru (1780-2) • American critiques of Spain: ‘Creole patriotism’ and the Enlightenment. • Impact of American French, and Haitian Revolutions: 1790s conspiracies and their significance • The French Revolution and Spain: ‘decapitation’ of the state 1808-1810 and political revolution in Spain: towards constitutional monarchy.
Spanish America: revolutions and independence • Imitating Spain:1810 • Restive elites and delegated sovereignty: the juntas, autonomy and independence. • Cadiz Constitution and the defeat of insurgency • Revolution from above, 1821. • Defining the patria: Regional conflicts and confederations • Revolution defeated: Spanish restoration and re-conquest 1814-1825 • Militarization of the revolution: Wars of liberation under Bolívar and San Martin. • Simon Bolivar
Comparisons • International Contexts: revolutions all related to international wars. • Ideological Contexts and Linkages: Democratic revolutions? Influence of Enlightenment attack on privilege, and growth of anti-monarchical and republican sentiments? • Ambiguities of pre-revolutionary Enlightenment; enlightened ideas for revolutionary legitimation. • Importance of distinctive political cultures: American Revolution ‘born democratic’ in British political culture; Haitian Revolution drew on French Revolution; Spanish American revolutions combine modern doctrines of rights of man from both, but also draw on Spanish traditions of political thought.
Circulations and connections Circulation of ideas : sovereignty, republicanism, citizenship
Circulations and connections Circulation of people: diplomats, refugees, merchants, privateers, runaway slaves Thomas Paine (1737-1809) Francisco de Miranda (1750-1816)
Outcomes • Nationalist Revolutions? Expressions of nascent national identities? First nationalist revolutions or ‘imagined communities’? (role of print in North American and Spanish America). • Social revolutions driven by class and ethnic conflicts? – popular grievances drawn in and drove revolutions forward. • Revolutions share origins in erosion of political legitimacy of old regimes: in British America, driven by metropolitan aggression; in French and Spanish America based on collapse at the centre. • Outcomes: US Republic; Haitian ‘republic of bayonets’; Spanish American tendency towards oligarchies and limited participation in politics.
