French Revolution

The French Revolution was affected in many ways by the revolution in America. Religion was used by both countries as a way of control and it upset the people of the nation. It played a major role in the reasons for both revolutions to occur. The way the government taxed and treated the people was also a reason behind it. The Revolution was a religious battle, caused by Presbyterians and Congregationalists whose "principles of religion and polity were equally averse to those of the established Church and Government." Religion played a major role in the American Revolution by offering a moral sanction for opposition to the British. The French Revolution of 1789 saw the separation of Church and state in France. The majority of people had had enough of the Ancien Regime (monarchy and church) and the heavy taxes they demanded. These are two examples of how close the reasons for revolution truly are. What happened in America influenced the French. The following essay will discuss and compare both revolutions and how closely they were related.

By the middle of the 18th cent., differences in life, ideas, and interests had developed between England and the growing colonies. Local political institutions and practice diverged significantly from English ways, while social customs, religious beliefs, and economic interests added to the potential sources of conflict. The British government, like other imperial powers in the 18th cent., favored a policy of mercantilism; the Navigation Acts were intended to regulate commerce in the British interest. These were only loosely enforced, however, and the colonies were by and large allowed to develop freely with little interference from England. The religious life of America could not help be affected by the Revolutionary War. The political, social, and cultural forces that gave shape to a new nation were also shaping the life of the churches, giving rise to new patterns of thought and action. It was during this period that some of the basic patterns of American church life were laid down, patterns that continue to shape religion in the United States today. Church and state were viewed as mutual institutions which reinforced each other. For this reason, the only church permitted in many European countries was the established one, and it was maintained by the power of the state. This agreement began to break down in the 17th century. The Catholic Church was the main church in England and in America. Anglicans and Puritans were different from Catholics and they disagreed on which religion should be the most dominant one in the new country. As a result, the majority of colonies had established churches supported by the taxing authority. In the North, these establishments tended to be Puritan or congregational, while in the South they were Anglican.

Culturally, the French Revolution provided the world with its first meaningful experience with political ideology. The word was revolutionary in origin. The French Revolution lasted from 1789 to 1799. During the course of the Revolution, France was temporarily transformed from an absolute monarchy, where the king monopolized power, to a republic of theoretically free and equal citizens. The effects of the French Revolution were widespread, both inside and outside of France, and the Revolution ranks as one of the most important events in the history of Europe. From the beginning of the 20th century until the 1970s, the French Revolution was most commonly described as the result of the growing economic and social importance of the bourgeoisie, or middle class. The bourgeoisie, it was believed, overthrew the Old Regime because that regime had given power and privilege to other classes who prevented the bourgeoisie from rising socially and politically. By 1789 many French people