Radicalism and Revolutions Essay - 1112 Words

Throughout history, revolutions have started because of new ideas that change thinking and disrupt what has come to be considered normal. During 1700s, the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions were no exception. The Enlightenment ideas that were spreading around this time lead people of these three nations to question their ruling elites, and to begin considering breaking free. Of these three, though, no one revolt can be seen as more radical when compared to the other two. Each was faced with the challenging task of successfully separating from the oppression that had been brought upon them by to powerful empires and monarchies who had lost sight of what the American, French, and Haitian people alike considered important, as well as†¦show more content†¦Each of the three uprisings state in their constitutions varying ways by which those who rule over them have taken these fundamental rights. In the American Revolution it states, â€Å"that all men are created equal, t hat they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† While, the French Revolution voiced that the French people would â€Å"set forth in solemn declaration the natural, inalienable, and sacred rights of man.† And even the Haitian Declaration claims â€Å"It has become necessary, by a last act of national authority to ensure for ever the empire of liberty.† Every single one of the revolutions incorporated this idea of natural rights within in the Enlightenment era, those rights were seen as very radical, and then to act upon in them was even more so. If these ideas, along with the rebellions they inspired were successful they would forever change the empires and monarchies that had control. In America and Haiti the success of their revolutions would bring a new nations free of oppressive rulers, and in France it would potentially lead to the monarchy losing it’s power and creating a whole new legislative assembly. The three revolutions all drew the Enlightenment ideas that wereShow MoreRelatedRadicalism of the American Revolution990 Words   |  4 PagesIn the book Radicalism of the American Revolution, written by Gordon S. Wood, the author states, The Revolution was the most radical and far reaching event in American history.† What about the American Revolution made it so â€Å"radical?† Wood believes it to be so radical because it not only brought change politically from British monarch to American rule which is what we are used to, but it also brought about changes in the basic structure of American society. 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