Chapter 17

Since I'm catching up on my blog entries, I'll write my reaction to the whole Chapter of our assigned readings.
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The revolutions of North America, Europe, Haiti, and Latin America shared common ideas, grew from the Enlightenment, and the need of popular sovereignty (except in Haiti).

"Many Americans thought they were creating a new world order." The root of American exceptionalism! I think in this situation, it's rightfully deserved. I didn't know that the U.S. Constitution directly came from the Enlightenment. Actually, I think I knew but I didn't remember until now.

I haven't studied the French Revolution so much, so whenever I think about it, I always picture the movie Marie Antoinette, which starred Kristen Dunst. I hated that movie, but the visuals were stunning. The Palace of Versailles is amazing (at least from pictures).. no wonder why the government was going bankrupt. I know they also spent the state's money on soldiers in America and colonial efforts. The monarch raised taxes to help the deficit, but the people violently revolted. I wonder if the French government thought about the French Revolution when trying to figure out today's economic troubles. .

THe Haitian Revolution was successful; the only slave revolt successful in history. I didn't know that the purchase of the Louisiana territory directly correlates with this revolution. Originally, it was $15 million dollars, but with today's inflation, the Louisiana Purchase was worth $233 million. Although $233 million is an incredible amount of money, it sounds like a normal day on the finance page in a newspaper nowadays. I think the latest business merger I can think of is Office Max and Office Depot. Office Depot bought Office Max for $1 billion within the last few weeks.

Since Latin American societies were torn by class, race, and regional divisions, I could see why a revolution would begin. This revolution was longer than the American one since its people were different. The independent leaders were on the side of the natives.

"Echoes of Revolution" refer to events that happened because of the revolutions like smaller European revolutions, abolition of slavery, slave rebellions in the West Indies, resistance to abolition of slavery, nationalism, and feminism.