OUR CHANGING OUR CHANGING WORLD THROUGH WORLD THROUGH

REVOLUTIONS REVOLUTIONS

Why do humans revolt?Why do humans revolt?

For most of history, people have been governed For most of history, people have been governed by other people without QUESTION. Most by other people without QUESTION. Most societies had rulers who were KINGS or PRIESTS societies had rulers who were KINGS or PRIESTS who could do as they pleased. How did that who could do as they pleased. How did that change?change?

In the 1600s and 1700s, people began to In the 1600s and 1700s, people began to question sources of authority in society, question sources of authority in society, particularly those of religion and government. particularly those of religion and government. They thought that using reason and logic would They thought that using reason and logic would lead to improvements in society. These ideas lead to improvements in society. These ideas then began to spread and this time period is then began to spread and this time period is called…..called…..

THE ENLIGHTENMENT THE ENLIGHTENMENT

In this time period, the use of In this time period, the use of reasonreason guided guided people’s thoughts about society and politics. people’s thoughts about society and politics. Discoveries in science and voyages to other Discoveries in science and voyages to other areas of the world led scholars to re-think the areas of the world led scholars to re-think the world and their place in it. The main ideas of world and their place in it. The main ideas of these scholars came from studying the ancient these scholars came from studying the ancient Greeks and Romans as well as the people of Greeks and Romans as well as the people of the Renaissance, Reformation and of course, the Renaissance, Reformation and of course, the Scientific Revolution. Remember grade the Scientific Revolution. Remember grade 7???7???

WHAT DID THE GREEKS AND ROMANS BELIEVE? WHAT DID THE GREEKS AND ROMANS BELIEVE? They believed in natural law, the idea that laws They believed in natural law, the idea that laws governed how the world operated.governed how the world operated.

RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION ----artists and RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION ----artists and scholars start to focus on human value and scholars start to focus on human value and achievement rather than only the glory of God. achievement rather than only the glory of God. The power of the Church was decreased. The power of the Church was decreased.

THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION---through THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION---through experiments scientists start to discover how the experiments scientists start to discover how the world works without the Church’s explanations. world works without the Church’s explanations. They started to question “God’s Law” which had They started to question “God’s Law” which had not been questioned before.not been questioned before.

PEOPLE STARTED TO DEVELOP PEOPLE STARTED TO DEVELOP NEW VIEWS ON GOVERNMENTNEW VIEWS ON GOVERNMENT

Prior to the 1700s, kings, queens and emperors Prior to the 1700s, kings, queens and emperors ruled most of the world through DIVINE RIGHT. ruled most of the world through DIVINE RIGHT. That is, they thought that God had given them That is, they thought that God had given them the right to rule. The way these societies ran was the right to rule. The way these societies ran was something like this:something like this:

----the monarchy had all the power and paid no ----the monarchy had all the power and paid no taxes. They could do as they pleased.taxes. They could do as they pleased.

----the clergy (Church leaders) also paid no taxes ----the clergy (Church leaders) also paid no taxes and had many privileges.and had many privileges.

----the majority of people were commoners were ----the majority of people were commoners were poor, paid high taxes, had few rights, and had no poor, paid high taxes, had few rights, and had no role in the government.role in the government.

This was happening all over the world!This was happening all over the world!

DEMOCRATIC IDEASDEMOCRATIC IDEAS Some Enlightenment thinkers challenged the divine right Some Enlightenment thinkers challenged the divine right

system of government. Three of these thinkers tried to design system of government. Three of these thinkers tried to design a new system of government we know today as democracies:a new system of government we know today as democracies:

JOHN LOCKE—he believed that a government’s power is JOHN LOCKE—he believed that a government’s power is limited and the all people have natural rights such as life, limited and the all people have natural rights such as life, liberty and property.liberty and property.

CHARLES-LOUIS MONTESQUIEU---he believed that the powers CHARLES-LOUIS MONTESQUIEU---he believed that the powers of government should be separated into branches to protect of government should be separated into branches to protect people’s freedoms. Each branch of government has only people’s freedoms. Each branch of government has only certain powers and is limited in what it can do by the other certain powers and is limited in what it can do by the other branches.branches.

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU----he believed governments should JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU----he believed governments should express the will of the people. The government must give up express the will of the people. The government must give up its power the moment it stops serving the people.its power the moment it stops serving the people.

These ideas started to spread, and in These ideas started to spread, and in particular they spread to the North particular they spread to the North American colonists…..the first group American colonists…..the first group of people to achieve a modern day of people to achieve a modern day democracy!!! But to get it they had democracy!!! But to get it they had to fight for it! This still has to happen to fight for it! This still has to happen today for some people to get today for some people to get freedom.freedom.

WHY ARE WE STUDYING WHY ARE WE STUDYING REVOLUTIONS?REVOLUTIONS?

Some of the greatest Some of the greatest

TRANSFORMATIOTRANSFORMATIONSNS in our world have been in our world have been

because of revolutions. We are still because of revolutions. We are still using revolutions to change our living using revolutions to change our living conditions so it is important to conditions so it is important to understand why WE REVOLT!understand why WE REVOLT!