• Philosophers of the Enlightenment started to push out ideas of social and political structure at the time

  • Locke - Natural rights, right to overthrow governments
  • Rousseau - Social contract
  • Montesquieu - Separation of powers
  • Voltaire - Free speech and religious toleration
• Feminism

• Revolutions

  • All revolutions were inspired by the Enlightenment

  • American Revolution

    • Constitution and Bill of Rights with Enlightenment ideas
    • Inspired other revolutions

    • Declaration of Independence

      • "It is the Right of the People to alter or abolish [the Government]."

  • French Revolution

    • Ended absolute monarchy
    • Civil unrest still continued

    • Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

      • Social contract ideas: "Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society."

  • Haitian Revolution

    • Gained independence
    • Republic of Haiti
    • Toussaint Louverture

  • Latin American Revolutions

    • Creoles led the fight for independence

    • Simon Bolivar

      • "A people is therefore enslaved when the government, by its nature or its vices, infringes on and usurps the rights of the citizen or subject."

• Various technological advancements and inventions sparked the Industrial Revolution
• Adam Smith's idea of Laissez-faire economics (no government intervention in the economy)

• Geographic and environmental factors such as access to coal, iron, and water were essential to industrialization

  • Coal efficiently produced energy when burned
  • Iron was used to build industrial machines and railroads
  • Water powered the water wheel and steam engine

• Mass urbanization

  • Increased economic output and production
  • More jobs
  • Growing population
  • More stress on workers
  • Increased usage of alcohol
  • Women and children begin working in factories

• Bad working conditions

  • Unsafe equipment or conditions
  • Low wages

The period 1750-1900 was indeed revolutionary as political structures and production changed significantly, while continuities of gender inequity, racism, and exploitation of lower classes continued.