French and American Revolution Similar Ideals

598 Words3 Pages
ESSAY QUESTION: How are similar ideals to those that inspired the American Revolution evident in the French Revolution? The American Revolutionary War against Great Britain and the 13 British colonies in North America took place between 1775 and 1783. Not long after the American Revolution, the French Revolution took place in 1789–1799. Both revolutions had similar ideals, which will be discussed and evaluated. The American Revolution was a war fought mainly because the colonies did not agree on the economic policies Britain was enforcing to the Americans, therefore leading the Americans into a fight for independence. The French Revolution occurred for very similar reasons. Peasants in France were a large majority of the population, all having to struggle to pay unfair taxes, as the citizens with wealth had no taxes at all to pay. Peasants also had no say in their Government, as America with Britain. After the 13 colonies gained their independence using Enlightenment ideas, the French knew that it was possible to overthrow a government. The unofficial start to the American Revolution was a disagreement between Britain and the 13 American colonies about how the colonies should be treated. The colonists’ wanted equal rights, the same rights as the Englishmen had. Americans believed that they deserved their rights; Britain believed that the colonies were created to be used in the way that best suited the Crown and Parliament. The Seven Years War during the years of 1756 to 1763 was won by Great Britain, but put Britain in a massive debt to pay. At a cost so vital, the debt from the war nearly destroyed the English government. It was the high debt that caused the escalation of tensions leading to the American Revolutionary War. The American Parliament was desperate to gain back the money lost, so they taxed the 13 colonies to recover expenses on the battle over
Open Document