Brno Farm

Unit 8: Revolutions

Duration: 8 to 16 hours

Project Breakdown

Course Objectives Understand the philosophical foundations of the Enlightenment Analyze major political revolutions and their global impacts Examine the economic and social changes brought by the Industrial Revolution Explore how revolutions are interconnected

Part 1: The Enlightenment

Big Question “What does ‘enlightened’ thinking mean?”

Overview

The Enlightenment was a transformative period from mid-17th to late 18th century, characterized by radical shifts in intellectual, social, and political thinking across the globe. It was a crucial intellectual movement that directly inspired and shaped major political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Key Characteristics

• Emphasis on rational thinking
• Challenge to traditional authorities
• Growing importance of scientific method
• Emergence of individual rights concepts

Major Developments

Intellectual Shifts

Expanding scientific understanding

Questioning religious dogma

Religious dogma is a set of principles or beliefs held by a religious group as absolute and unquestionable truth, typically established by religious authorities and expected to be accepted without critical examination.

Promoting critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively, evaluate evidence carefully, and make reasoned judgments by questioning assumptions, identifying biases, and drawing logical conclusions.

Valuing empirical observation

Empirical observation is the process of gathering knowledge through direct, systematic measurement and sensory experience, rather than relying on theory, intuition, or speculation.

Political Changes Podcast 

Voices of Change: How the Enlightenment Transformed Political Power

Global Influences Podcast

The Enlightenment: How Ideas Changed the World

Historical Impact Podcast

Enlightenment Echoes: How 18th Century Ideas Changed Everything

Key Philosophers Exploration 

Focus Philosophers:

John Locke	Natural rightsSocial contract theoryImportance of individual libertyBorn 29 August 1632 (England)Died 28 October 1704 (aged 72 – England) POLITICAL THEORY – John Locke
Voltaire	Religious toleranceFreedom of speechCriticism of absolute monarchy The Philosophy Of Voltaire | The Pen That Defined An Age
Jean-Jacques Rousseau	Concept of popular sovereigntySocial contractCritique of existing social and political systemsPOLITICAL THEORY – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Big Question REVISITED “What does ‘enlightened’ thinking mean?”

Part 2: “From Colonists to Revolutionaries”: The Epic Journey of American Independence”

Big Question “What does revolution mean to you?”

American Revolution: Pre-Revolutionary Tensions (1763-1774)

1763: Proclamation of 1763

British government restricts colonial westward expansion

1764: Sugar Act

British Parliament taxes sugar and other imports

1765: Stamp Act

Direct tax on printed materials in colonies

1770: Boston Massacre

British soldiers kill five colonists in Boston

1773: Boston Tea Party

Colonists dump British tea into Boston Harbor

Revolutionary Period (1775-1783)

1775: Battles of Lexington and Concord

First armed conflicts of the American Revolution

1776: Declaration of Independence

Continental Congress declares independence

1777: Battle of Saratoga

Major American victory

1778: French Alliance

France formally allies with American revolutionaries

1781: Siege of Yorktown

Final major battle of the American Revolution

1783: Treaty of Paris

Official end of the American Revolutionary War

Activity 2: The American Revolution: Interactive Revolutionary Simulation Activity You will plan for a politically motivated protest to evolve understanding of the complex social and political dynamics of the American Revolution. Perspective Roles Choose one of the following personas: – A member of a Native American tribe affected by the conflict – An enslaved African American – A woman on the home front – A frontier settler – A member of a loyalist family – A free Black soldier – A member of an immigrant community – A young apprentice or laborer Research Phase 1. Conduct in-depth historical research 2. Develop a comprehensive character/group narrative 3. Collect primary and secondary source materials Presentation Create a sign that would be held during the protest. It could be a slogan, a statement, a law, symbols, or a mixture of those.

Big Question REVISITED “What does revolution mean to you?”

Part 3: 🇫🇷 Storming the Bastille: A Revolution Unleashed!

The Economic Powder Keg of 18th Century France (Causes of the French Revolution)

National Debt: A Financial Disaster

France was drowning in economic challenges by the late 1700s. The primary sources of financial strain included:

• Expensive military campaigns, especially the American Revolutionary War
• Lavish spending by the royal court at Versailles
• Consistent budget deficits that were impossible to overcome

The Unfair Tax System: A Breaking Point

Who Paid Taxes?

The tax burden fell almost entirely on the poorest members of society:

• Third Estate (97% of population): Paid nearly all taxes
• Nobility (2%): Largely exempt from taxation
• Clergy (1%): Minimal tax contributions

Social Structure of The Three Estates

First Estate: The Clergy (1% of Population)

• Owned significant land
• Paid minimal taxes
• Collected tithes from the population
• Enjoyed extensive social privileges

Second Estate: The Nobility (2% of Population)

• Owned large portions of land
• Exempt from most taxes
• Held high-ranking government and military positions
• Lived luxurious lifestyles at the expense of others

Third Estate: The Commoners (97% of Population)

• Included peasants, urban workers, and middle-class professionals
• Bore the entire economic burden of the kingdom
• Suffered from:
  • High food prices
  • Heavy taxation
  • Limited economic mobility
  • No political representation

Economic Pressure Points

• Massive government debt (estimated at 4 billion livres)
• Poor harvest seasons leading to food shortages
• Rising bread prices
• Increasing gap between rich and poor

Historical Context

The economic crisis wasn’t just about numbers; it represented a fundamental injustice in French society. The top 3% of the population lived in extreme wealth while 97% struggled with poverty, hunger, and oppression.

• Average peasant spent 50-80% of income on bread
• Royal court spent millions on luxuries
• Tax exemptions for nobility cost the government billions

Turning Point

These economic conditions created a perfect storm of social tension that would ultimately spark the French Revolution in 1789.

Key Revolutionary Phases

1. Liberal Phase	2. Radical Phase	3. Reign of Terror
Declaration of Rights of Man Abolishing noble privileges Women’s political activism	Execution of King Louis XVI National Convention Jacobin leadership	Robespierre’s leadership Mass executions Extreme revolutionary violence

Activity 3: “Bastille to Bonaparte” Chronological Challenge Create a timeline showing the main events, dates, and key places and people in the French revolution and the following era. – Include the following ket events at a minimum: – Storming of the Bastille – Establishment of the First French Republic – Reign of Terror – Fall of Robespierre – Napoleon Bonaparte’s Rise to Power – Napoleon Crowned Emperor – Battle of Waterloo

Part Four: Revolutionary Sparks: Liberation and Identity in Latin America

Key Economic Impacts

• Massive wealth transfer from Americas to European powers
• Destruction of indigenous economic systems
• Creation of extractive economic models
• Long-term economic dependency

Overview of Colonial Social Structures

The colonial systems established by Portugal and Spain in the Americas were complex networks of racial, social, and economic hierarchies that profoundly shaped Latin American societies for centuries.

Social Hierarchy Pyramid

Top Tier: European-Born Elites

• Peninsulares (Spanish-born Europeans)
• Portuguese-born administrators
• Held most powerful political and economic positions
• Controlled government, military, and economic institutions

Upper-Middle Tier: Creoles

• Descendants of Europeans born in the Americas
• Wealthy landowners and merchants
• Educated but typically excluded from top government positions
• Increasingly frustrated with European colonial control

Middle Tier: Mixed-Race Populations

• Mestizos (mixed European and Indigenous ancestry)
• Mulatos (mixed European and African ancestry)
• Limited social mobility
• Occupied intermediate economic and social positions

Lower Tier: Indigenous Populations

• Native inhabitants of the Americas
• Subjected to forced labor
• Lowest social and economic status
• Often treated as disposable labor force

Bottom Tier: Enslaved Africans

• Forcibly brought to work in mines, plantations, and urban areas
• No legal rights
• Treated as property
• Subjected to extreme forms of economic exploitation

Racial Stratification Mechanisms

Legal Systems

• Elaborate racial classification systems
• Different legal rights based on racial background
• Systematic discrimination encoded in colonial laws

Economic Restrictions

• Limited economic opportunities for non-European populations
• Controlled access to education
• Restricted property ownership
• Enforced labor systems

Economic Exploitation Strategies

Resource Extraction

• Focused on extracting precious metals (gold, silver)
• Forced labor in mines
• Extensive agricultural plantations
• Timber and agricultural exports

Labor Systems

1. Encomienda System

• Spanish colonial labor arrangement
• Indigenous people forced to work for Spanish landowners
• Minimal or no compensation
• Justified as a “civilizing” mission

2. Slavery

• African people forcibly transported and enslaved
• Worked in:
  • Sugar plantations
  • Mining operations
  • Domestic service
  • Agricultural production

Major Revolutionary Leaders

PODCAST Liberator of Nations: Simón Bolívar’s Revolutionary Journey

PODCAST Liberating Argentina: The Revolutionary Journey of José de San Martín

PODCAST Miguel Hidalgo: The Spark of Mexican Independence

Activity 4: Literary Guided Notes “Open Veins of Latin America” is a groundbreaking book by Uruguayan journalist and writer Eduardo Galeano, first published in 1971. The book provides a powerful critique of the economic exploitation of Latin America from the time of European colonization through to the 20th century. The Economic Bleeding of the Americas Here’s a powerful extract from Chapter One, “Lust for Gold, Lust for Silver”: “Latin America is the region of open veins. From the discovery until our times, everything has always been transformed into European—or later United States—capital, and as such has accumulated in distant centers of power. Everything: the soil, its fruits and its mineral depths, the people and their capacity to work and to consume, the natural resources and the resources of human nature. Production methods and capital accumulation have been organized from outside and toward outside, making Latin America a source and not a destination of wealth. Each working day, every hour worked by the oppressed, has been a generous tribute to the universal centers of capitalism. The historical destiny of Latin America is to serve as a source of raw materials and food for the world market, a destiny that has been imposed on us by the great capitalist powers. The international division of labor consists of some specialized countries which design and others which are designed. Our part of the world, which has been called the ‘underdeveloped’ world, is, in fact, a specialized segment of the world economic system: a system that has condemned us to incompetence and humiliation.” (Source: “Open Veins of Latin America”, Chapter One, pp. 3-4) Guided Notes: Latin America and Economic Exploitation Key Concept: The Region of “Open Veins” Historical Context Latin America is described as the region of _________________ veins From _________________ until modern times, everything has been transformed into:   1. _________________ capital   2. Later, _________________ capital Resources Extracted The following resources were taken from Latin America: 1. _________________ 2. _________________  3._________________  People’s capacity to _________________  _________________  Economic Exploitation Production and WealthLatin America became a _________________ of wealth, not a destination Each working hour is a “_________________” to global capitalism International Division of Labor Two types of countries exist: 1. Countries that _________________  2. Countries that are _________________ Critical Perspective The “Underdeveloped” WorldLatin America is a _________________ segment of the world economic system This system has _________________ the region to:   1. _________________   2. _________________

Part Five: The Haitian Revolution and Toussaint L’Ouverture

Big Question “What does freedom mean when you are enslaved?”

• Haiti under French colonial rule
• The brutal slave system in Saint-Domingue
• Racial hierarchies and economic exploitation

Toussaint L’Ouverture (Haiti)

• Born into slavery, became a free man
• Military and political leader of the Haitian Revolution
• Nicknamed “The Black Napoleon”
• Strategies of leadership and resistance
• Importance in challenging colonial power

Activity 5: Haitian Revolution Inquiry Worksheet Part I: Understanding the Social Hierarchy 1. Create a visual representation of the social pyramid in Saint-Domingue before the revolution. List the different social groups and their relative positions. Hint for Question 1: Creating a Social Pyramid Think of the social pyramid like a layered cake – Top layer (most privileged): White plantation owners – Middle layer: Free people of color – Bottom layer (least privileged): Enslaved Africans Part II: Conditions of Enslavement 2. Calculate the life expectancy of enslaved people in Saint-Domingue: – Forcibly transported from Africa: ______ years – Born in the colony: ______ years Hint for Life Expectancy Calculation Important Context: – Enslaved people faced extreme hardship – Life expectancy was shockingly short – Factors like harsh labor, poor nutrition, and brutal treatment contributed 3. Analyze the quote: “The colonists seem to believe that it was cheaper to just replenish… than to actually create better conditions that would sustain human life.” – What does this reveal about the economic and moral mindset of the colonizers? – How does this perspective dehumanize enslaved people? Part III: Revolution and Communication 4. Identify three ways enslaved people shared information and political ideas:    a.     b.     c.  Hint for Communication Methods Creative Thinking: – How might people share secret information? – Consider: — Storytelling — Songs — Religious gatherings — Hidden signals 5. Explain the significance of the Bois Caiman ceremony: – Who were the key leaders? – What was the primary goal of the initial revolt? Part IV: Critical Thinking and Legacy 6. Compare and contrast the Haitian Revolution with other independence movements of the time: – What made this revolution unique? – Why did it “stun the world”? Hint for Comparing Revolutions Comparative Analysis Tips: Look for: – Who was fighting? – What were they fighting against? – What made this revolution unique? 7. Examine the economic punishment imposed by France: – How much did Haiti have to pay?  – When did they finish paying? – How might this have impacted Haiti’s development? Reflection Questions 8. How did the Haitian Revolution challenge the global system of slavery? 9. In the words of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, what does “daring to be free” mean in the context of this revolution?

Big Question REVISITED “What does freedom mean when you are enslaved?”

Part Six: The Industrial Revolution: A Transformative Era in Human History

Big Question “How might machines change the way people work?”

The Industrial Revolution was a pivotal period of technological, economic, and social transformation that fundamentally reshaped human society from the late 18th to 19th centuries. This profound era marked a dramatic shift from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing, revolutionizing how people worked, lived, and interacted with the world around them. Characterized by the emergence of factory systems, significant technological innovations, massive economic and social changes, and rapid urbanization, the Industrial Revolution represented a comprehensive transformation of global economic and social structures.

Key Technological Innovations

During this period, groundbreaking inventions like James Watt’s steam engine in 1769, James Hargreaves’ spinning jenny in 1764, and the power loom dramatically changed production capabilities. These technologies provided consistent energy sources, allowed simultaneous thread spinning, and mechanized weaving processes, which significantly increased manufacturing efficiency and reduced the need for skilled manual labor.

Key Inventions:  1. Steam Engine (James Watt)  2. Spinning Jenny (James Hargreaves)  3. Power Loom  4. Telegraph  5. Railroad technologies

Economic and Social Transformations

The revolution fundamentally altered economic systems, transitioning from agricultural to industrial economies and giving rise to capitalism. New social classes emerged, including industrial workers, factory owners, and middle-class professionals. Global trade networks expanded, enabling faster international commerce and the development of interconnected market systems. However, this transformation came with significant social challenges, including long working hours, dangerous factory conditions, widespread child labor, and low wages.

Economic TransformationTransition from agricultural to industrial economiesRise of capitalismNew social classes (industrial workers, factory owners)Impact on global trade networksCentralized productionDivision of laborMachine-based manufacturingWorking conditionsChild labor issues

Global and Environmental Impact

Initially centered in the United Kingdom, the Industrial Revolution quickly spread to countries like the United States, Germany, France, and Belgium, and later to Japan. While it brought numerous advancements such as improved living standards, increased production efficiency, and expanded educational opportunities, it also initiated significant environmental challenges, including increased pollution, deforestation, and the beginning of substantial carbon emissions.

Reflection and Significance

The Industrial Revolution was far more than a technological shift—it was a comprehensive transformation that reshaped human society’s fundamental structures. By fundamentally changing production methods, social relationships, and economic systems, this era set the stage for the modern world we know today

Activity 6: Technological Innovations Timeline: Mapping the Industrial Revolution’s Transformative Technologies Create a large, visually engaging timeline Requirements:   1. Minimum 10 technological innovations — Use images (drawn or printed)   2. Include date of invention   3. Brief description of each technology   4. Illustrate the technology’s impact Example:

Big Question REVISITED “How might machines change the way people work?”

Part Seven: Global Revolutions and Their Transformative Impact on World History

Throughout history, revolutions have been powerful catalysts for social, political, and economic change, reshaping societies and influencing global development in profound ways. These transformative moments represent critical turning points that challenge existing power structures and introduce radical new ideas about human organization and potential.

Major Revolutionary Movements and Their Global Significance

The American Revolution (1765-1783)

The American Revolution marked a pivotal moment in world history by establishing the first modern democratic republic. This revolutionary movement went far beyond a simple political conflict, introducing groundbreaking concepts that would reshape global understanding of governance. By championing individual rights, representative government, and the separation of powers, the American Revolution inspired democratic movements worldwide and provided a blueprint for future political transformations.

“…inspired democratic movements worldwide and provided a blueprint for future political transformations.”

The French Revolution (1789-1799)

The French Revolution emerged as a profound social and political upheaval that spread transformative ideals across Europe. Driven by powerful principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, this revolution challenged long-standing monarchical systems and sparked nationalist movements. Its radical concepts of citizenship and human rights fundamentally altered how societies conceptualized individual freedoms and social organization, creating ripple effects that would influence global political thought for generations.

“…fundamentally altered how societies conceptualized individual freedoms and social organization…”

The Industrial Revolution (Late 18th-19th Centuries)

More than a simple technological shift, the Industrial Revolution represented a comprehensive transformation of human economic and social structures. By transitioning from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing, this revolution created entirely new economic systems and dramatically altered social hierarchies. Urban migration patterns emerged, technological innovations proliferated, and work structures were fundamentally reimagined, setting the stage for modern global economic relationships.

“…work structures were fundamentally reimagined, setting the stage for modern global economic relationships.”

The Russian Revolution (1917)

The Russian Revolution introduced a revolutionary communist political philosophy that challenged existing capitalist economic models. This ideological transformation inspired socialist movements globally and dramatically reshaped geopolitical power dynamics. By proposing an alternative economic and social organization, the revolution sparked intense global debates about economic justice and social structure.

“…the revolution sparked intense global debates about economic justice and social structure.”

Decolonization Revolutions (Mid-20th Century)

Decolonization represented a critical period of global transformation, where numerous nations liberated themselves from European colonial control. These revolutions redrew political maps, empowered indigenous populations, and fundamentally challenged existing international power structures. By asserting their right to self-determination, colonized peoples rewrote the narrative of global political organization.

“…colonized peoples rewrote the narrative of global political organization.”

Common Themes Across Revolutions

Despite their diverse contexts, revolutions share fundamental characteristics. They consistently demonstrate a collective desire for fundamental social change, a willingness to challenge existing power structures, and a pursuit of political representation, economic justice, and individual rights.

“…collective desire for fundamental social change…”

Long-Term Global Consequences

The cumulative impact of these revolutions has been profound. Politically, they spread democratic principles and recognition of human rights. Socially, they increased social mobility and expanded educational opportunities. Economically, they drove technological innovation and reshaped global trade relationships.

“…they spread democratic principles and recognition of human rights… increased social mobility and expanded educational opportunities… drove technological innovation… reshaped global trade relationships.”

Part Eight: Final Thoughts & Assessment

Revolutions are not isolated events but interconnected processes that continuously reshape human social, political, and economic landscapes. They represent humanity’s remarkable capacity for radical change and progressive development.

End of Unit Assessment Quiz