...How Revolutionary was the American Revolution? Despite the name of the war, was the Revolutionary War actually revolutionary? To begin, what does revolutionary mean in the first place? Merriam-Webster defines the word as, “constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change.” So, in historical context, the war should probably have heavily impacted at least a few aspects of our new country; the politics, economy, slavery/race equality, and society. The war was effective in leading to the abolishment of slavery, change in society, and political differences. Firstly, the issue of slavery was looked at through a completely new perspective. People were finally beginning to realize the equality of African-Americans and whites was not very farfetched. The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson reflects this concept; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created...
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...crusade and discuss the extent to which it accomplished its objectives. Why did it succeed or fail? Jonathan Riley-Smith, The Crusades: A Short History; Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives; Christopher Tyerman, God’s War: A New History of the Crusades 2. How did anti-Semitism manifest itself in medieval Europe? Kenneth R. Stow, Alienated Minority: The Jews of Medieval Latin Europe; Mark R. Cohen, Under Crescent and Cross: The Jews in the Middle Ages; Solomon Grayzel, The Church and the Jews in the Thirteenth Century 3. What was the position of prostitutes in medieval society? Ruth Mazo Karras, Common Women; Leah Otis, Prostitution in Medieval Society; Margaret Wade Labarge, A Small Sound of the Trumpet: Women in Medieval Life 4. Why did the French choose to follow Joan of Arc during the the Hundred Years War? Kelly DeVries, Joan of Arc: A Military Leader; Bonnie Wheeler, ed., Fresh Verdicts on Joan of Arc; Margaret Wade Labarge, A Small Sound of the Trumpet: Women in Medieval Life 5. Discuss the significance of siege warfare during the crusades. You may narrow this question down to a single crusade if you wish. Jim Bradbury, The Medieval Siege; Randall Rogers, Latin Siege Warfare in the Twelfth Century; John France, Victory in the East: A Military History of the First Crusade 6. Why did the persecution of heretics increase during the high and later Middle Ages...
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...How Accurate Is It To Say That The Growth of Reformist Groups In The Years From 1881 Was The Main Cause Of The 1905 Revolution? I do not think that it is very accurate to say that the activity of reformist groups was the main reason for the 1905 revolution since there were only two parties really mentioned, and they were mostly threats with no action. More prominent causes were social economic and political preconditions, the Russo-Japanese war and Bloody Sunday. The most important cause of the 1905 revolution were the preconditions, especially social and economic ones. The vast majority of the Russian population were peasants living in extreme poverty, especially industry and agriculture workers, even though the economy was thriving, apart from the agricultural side of it. The Russian population was growing rapidly and there was no space for them all too live and cities like Moscow and St Petersburg were full of slums. There was not enough food to harvest, leading to famines in 1892, 1898 and 1901. Conditions like this led to the trigger conditions that set off revolutionary activities like Bloody Sunday, and other strikes and protests. The second most important cause of the 1905 revolution was Bloody Sunday which happened on the 9th January 1905, according to the Russian calendar. It had started off as a peaceful demonstration led by a priest named Father Gapon. Suddenly the Russian army units opened fire on an unarmed group of protesters marching on St Petersburg’s Winter...
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...Born as Lev Bronstein later changing his name to Leon Trotsky, without doubt did indeed emerge during a time of historic turbulence in Russia and was moulded into the political ideologist and leader he was by the resulting stresses that he had encountered. However whether or not he was a great person in terms of his political savvy and ability to catalyse the change that Russia, in an era of great turbulence desperately needed is another issue that needs to be discussed. He was great in that as an individual he did play instrumental roles in the Bolshevik insurrection of 1917 and the civil war, which shortly ensued, however the change in which he intended for Russia and in many ways the entire world did fall short. Trotsky’s shortcomings in...
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...history of social, political, and economic issues. Prior to the Bolsheviks’ rise to power in October 1917, there were two Revolutions that set the stage for the Soviet takeover. The First was the revolution of 1905. This revolution resulted in Russia transitioning from a strict feudal system to a constitutional monarchy; the power of the Tsar was limited and new political framework began to usurp the old Russian system. In light of the Revolution that would take place later, in October 1917, two important movements originated following the Revolution of 1905. The first was the nature of the Revolution. Vladimir Lenin remarked that 1905 was a dress rehearsal for October 1917, and he was correct for the most part. “The 1905 Revolution did...
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...Thomas Paine did not believe that mercantilism was a fair economic system. Paine went against the mercantilist notion that America could only function with a connection to Great Britain. In Common Sense (CS), Paine wrote that he wanted free trade with all nations, not just Great Britain. The Trade and Navigation Acts restricted free trade with all nations which went against Paine’s beliefs. Paine was anti-mercantilist, and did not believe government should have a strong role in regards to trade. Paine did believe that the colonies should have representation in the Parliament. Paine wrote the CS which influenced many people to fight for their independence and fight for their representation in the Parliament. In CS, Paine fights for American independence. In his argument, Paine began by comparing both government and society and gave his opinions and views on both. According to Paine, society is everything constructive that people join together to accomplish. Whereas government, is an institution whose only purpose is to protect us from our own misconduct. Paine believed that the people would be much happier if they were responsible for their own creation laws and rules. Paine argued that this type of system of representation would benefit the American colonists. He wanted a...
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...Brett Hulliberger Professor Daniel Huisman HS215 February 6, 2016 Eastern Communist Revolution Immediately following the revolutionary period of World War I, leaders and governments made very strong arguments for the formation of a Communist rule. This gave all the powers of unity, finance, power over citizens and their skills, and laws out of the hands of society and into that of the countries governing authorities. As a selfish ruler, who would not want that? This keeps all the decision making, punishment, and, in general, the power in your hands. A prime example of this mentality is from Li Shaoqi, “Comrades, What is the most fundamental and common duty of us Communist Party Members? As everybody knows, it is to establish Communism, to transform the present world into a Communist world.” (24.4 “How to Be a Good Communist” (1939)). Just out of a war torn repressive state the government has its stride back, and can continue to climb from a new beginning. The people, however, suffer under a communist rule. Total control of their lives, families, homesteads, and career paths. Li Shaoqi was truly a communism believer and did not hold the individual accomplishments or successes of man accountable; only “man” and a unity and how they can be of service to the society as a whole, being an integral part of a whole – and what really matters is the outcome of the “whole” not the individual contribution. The last sentence of his indoctrination tract sums up his way of...
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...economy. The serfs were not effective laborers due their illiteracy, and this caused their landlords put them in factories to work. However the landlords grew deeply in debt but did not want to give up their serfs. While types of serfdom were used across European countries, they were titled differently. For instance, in England they were referred to as neifs, or villeins,...
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...enacted. Historians such as Jeff Goodwin provide interpretations of what it means to have a Revolution, which shall be further explored, however what ultimately accounts is how the events and interpretations of the time fit into these interpretations. Ultimately there are two ways to look at Revolution, firstly there is the struggle or initial violent uprisings of the populous against the established state. The other way of looking at a revolution is to also examine the more long term changes or effects in the mind-set of the contemporise. In other words the changes in the way men think. Richardson pushes the idea of the initial struggle constituting a Revolution whereas others such as Hill believe that the long-term effects are more significant. Both arguments both valid against differing definitions of Revolution. Similarities between the French and English Revolutions will also provide a stark comparison of the English situation as well as a comparison with the events in the rest of Europe, why would event’s in England constitute a Revolution if similar events occurred abroad. Ultimately what we understand to be a ‘Revolution’ today is what Jeff Goodwin states is that “Revolutions entail not only mass mobilisation and regime change, but also more or less rapid fundamental social, economic and/or cultural change,...
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...History of Mexican Revolution Anthony Zermeno LALS 262/HIST 262: Latin America Since 1850 April 16, 2016 HISTORY OF MEXICAN REVOLUTION The Mexican Revolution which started in 1910 and ended in 1920, is recognized as the first major political, social, and cultural revolution on the 20th century. It was a war that started when liberals, which are people that believe that the governments action is to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all, and intellectuals began to challenge the regime of dictator Porfirio Diaz, who had been in power from 1876 to 1911, which is a term of 34 years called El Porfiriato, violating the principles and ideals of the Mexican Constitution of 1857. The constitution established individual rights such as freedom of speech; freedom of conscience; freedom of the press; freedom of assembly; and the right to bear arms. It also reaffirmed the abolition of slavery, eliminated debtor prison, and eliminated all forms of cruel and unusual punishment, including the death penalty. As a result of El Porfiriato there is economic crises, anti re-election campaigns, inter-elite alliances crumbled, mobilization of subaltern sectors (peasants, workers, small landholders, etc.). Since so much corruption was taking place a revolution emerged. It was a revolution that was led by different factions, representatives of the poor peasant sector (Emiliano Zapata), poor northern ranchers (Pancho Villa), marginalized provincial middle class people (Alvaro...
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...to lift, and eventually bring power to the Bolsheviks and communism to Russia. Many revolutionaries encouraged killing, robbery, and used terror to advance their effort. However, there were other kinds of revolutionaries, some violent, some not. Gorky, Dostoevsky, and Turgenev all contributed to the progress of the revolution by communicating through literature. All four books were intended to identify critical issues of life, to instigate social and political changes throughout Russia, and to wholly improve Russian life. Gorky’s My Childhood explains the terrible conditions Russia peasants faced. Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons represents the struggle between two ideologies, romanticism and liberalism. Gorky’s next book Mother is the idea of insurgency cells and how a group with no distinct leader can be effective. Finally, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Possessed shows how violence can be a major tool in fuelling a rebellion, although it also shows how extreme nihilism is self-destructive. Simply listing the problems with Russia up to the 19th and early 20th century would be pointless, because there were numerous factors that contributed to the discontentment of the society. However I will discuss how the three authors present the “sons,” or the revolutionary generation, and explain the main themes they were opposed to. I will also be discussing how the authors analyzed the lives of the revolutionaries in the 19th and 20th centuries, and...
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...Revolution • Why Revolutions Happen? • Can Revolutions be Predicted? • What Do Revolutions Accomplish? • What Are some of the Failures of Revolutions? • Comparing Characteristics and Outcomes of Some Revolutions • Questions The Concept of Revolution: According to the American philosopher Richard Rorty "revolution," like such other words as "reason," "democracy," and "socialism" is a "thick word" which can be contrasted with such "thin words" as truth, dialogue, and justice. How do we define a "revolution?" How are revolutions distinct from other forms of political change such as Coup d'état, rebellion, mutiny, insurrection, or uprising? All of the above nouns may denote acts of violence aimed at changing or overthrowing an existing order or authority. However, there are important legal and political differences among them as well. Coups d'état is a sudden seizure of state power by a small faction that does not necessarily change the social system. It can be regarded as a "palace revolution." Insurrection (or uprising) refers to popular revolts that are limited or can be viewed as a dress rehearsal for a more extensive rebellion. Mutiny is revolt against constituted authority. For example we...
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...Irving’s Rip Van Winkle, one may think the story is for entertainment, but there is also the key point of Politics which is of more importance and can be reflected on with a better perspective. Rip Van Winkle was a gracious and charitable man whom many people from his village admire with sincere respect. He had a caring heart for both people his age, and for children, but did not have a good home life. He was constantly nagged by his wife and was lazy. Unlike working, Rip spent his days away from home fishing and hunting. According to Wyman, Rip ventures out to the mountain to hunt, encounters the ghosts of Henry Hudson’s Half Moon crew, joins in their revealing, and falls unconscious. After his twenty-year sleep, Rip experiences...
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...Modern society owes much of its origin to a great upheaval in the 18th century, the French Revolution. It was one aspect of a broader pattern of change that, since the Renaissance and Reformation, has set the West on a different path of development from that of the rest of the world. This pattern included the individualism and, in the end, the secularism, that was the Protestant legacy. It also included the rise of science, as a method and as a practice. This culminated in explosive events toward the end of the 18th century. The French Revolution ‘was a phenomenon as awful and irreversible as the first nuclear explosion, and all history has been permanently changed by it.’ The French Revolution is largely regarded as an important event in modern international history because of the way it has had international impact and continued to have international repercussions and influences on society and thought today. This essay will look at different aspects of the French Revolution and discuss how the different components of the revolution have affected the world and the impact of these at the time of the event. For the purposes of this essay the French Revolution will be defined as the insurrection in France that began in 1789 and ended in 1815 with the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. The actual dates of the revolution are widely contested but for the purposes of this essay, these dates will be used as a framework. Modern international will be assumed to mean the...
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...failure of the 1905 revolution. Trotsky once said “although with a few broken ribs, (the Tsarist system) had come out of the experience of 1905 alive and strong enough." This quote shows that although the revolt unsettled the government and was the biggest indication of the lack of support for the regime, it wasn’t actually strong enough to break it. In 1905, the armed forces hadn’t yet become sufficiently disillusioned by the Tsarist regime in the same way that many peasants and working class had. The army stayed loyal to the Tsar, crushing revolutionary disturbances and arresting thousands of revolutionaries. The Black Hundreds, a counter revolutionary pro-government terrorist group also helped the military to hunt down and ‘execute’ thousands of known reformers. Apart from the Tsarist system remaining strong, there was also a problem with the revolution itself. The revolt lacked any central coordination. The spontaneity of the revolutionary outbreaks meant that the armed forces, the police and the Black Hundreds could suppress them one by one. Not only was there the problem of...
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