2. Critical Thinking Activity: Revolutions in the Western World
A series of revolutions spread across the Atlantic world in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. All of them had their roots in the ideas of the Enlightenment. Many writers from that period believed that power should emanate from the people, not from hereditary kings and nobles. These ideas altered Western society forever.
Despite this overarching similarity, each of these revolutions had deep circumstantial causes and effects. In the following table, match each characteristic with the associated revolution. Check all that apply.
Characteristic
American Revolution
French Revolution
Haitian Revolution
Provoked a war



Created a new country



Temporarily ended slavery



Led to the Reign of Terror