EDWARD'S LECTURE NOTES:
More notes at http://tanguay.info/learntracker
C O U R S E
The French Revolution
Peter McPhee, The University of Melbourne
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C O U R S E L E C T U R E The Atlantic Democratic Revolution and the Republic of Letters Notes taken on September 3, 2014 by Edward Tanguay |
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how the world of the Atlantic contributed to the French Revolution
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the French Atlantic seaports
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Nantes
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La Rochelle
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Bordeaux
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part of triangular trade across the Atlantic
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1. Britain, France, Spain
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2. colonies
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3. slave trade from West Africa
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this triangular trade was essential to the dynamics of the world economy
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the importance of the Atlantic
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in the 20th century we think of the Pacific as where some of the most dynamic economic countries are situated
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in late 18th century, it was the Atlantic
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for France, the main trade was with
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Saint-Domingue (today Haiti)
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the most important
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30,000 white planters dominate half a million African slaves
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produce massive amounts of colonial produce
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Martinique
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Guadeloupe
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pre-1756: France occupied in theory much of North America
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Quebec down to Louisiana
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but the physical presence of French people was rather light
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compared to English and German settlers along the East coast
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1756-1763: French and Indian War
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France is expelled from North America
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this was a dramatic imperial crisis for France
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retains its colonial possession in the Caribbean
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sees these are more valuable
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1776-1783: American War of Independence
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British colonialists rebel against Britain
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dramatic consequences
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concept of "no taxation without representation"
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refused to pay taxes for the upkeep of the British empire when they have no representation in British parliament
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Declaration of Independence
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about more than no taxation without representation
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"...whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government."
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principles of the Enlightenment resonate through this declaration
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rights of the governed
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social contract between governed and government
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The Republic of Letters
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emerged in the 17th century as a self-proclaimed community of scholars and literary figures that stretched across national boundaries but respected differences in language and culture
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the age of the Atlantic Democratic Revolution
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similarities between what colonists were after
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principles of civil liberty that people in other parts of the world were articulating
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Benjamin Franklin
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the ambassador from the United States to France
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he was lionized by the people of France, extraordinarily popular
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Maximilien Robespierre
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French lawyer
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impressed by American revolution and Benjamin Franklin
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French people were not only involved in the War of Independence out of sympathy
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they saw in it a chance to drive their own goals forward
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French government supported the American colonists as an act of revenge against Britain for the loss of North America in 1763