Latin American Revolutions

Essential Question: Why is it essential to acknowledge human value regardless of race? How are the events in the Latin American Revolutions evidence of this social imperative?

           The essential question asks, why is it essential to acknowledge human value regardless of race? How are the events in the Latin American Revolutions evidence of this social imperative? To learn more about this topic, we first completed a pie chart of the different race percentages of Latin America. Then, as a class we divided into 3 groups (Mexico, Gran Columbia, and Brazil), analyzed documents, and made a timeline of events for our document topic. Lastly, we formed jigsaw groups, where a person from each revolution group formed a group of 3 with 2 other students, so that there was a representative for each revolution group, and shared information to answer questions.
         

During the jigsaw, we discussed 2 commonalities and 2 differences between the 3 

Revolutions. In my group, the 2 commonalities between the revolutions that we discussed were that the countries revolting all declared independence in some sort of way, and that all of the revolutions ended around the same time. The 2 differences between the 3 revolutions were that all of the countries fought different people, and they all fought in different places. Upon sharing information, we learned that race was clearly an issue in all of the revolutions. In all of the revolutions, people did not like their leaders being of another descent. They thought that their leaders would not be loyal to their country due to their nationality. Some thought that their leaders would secretly be helping their home country.

           Race still manages to play a big role in society today. It would be nice if race didn't matter, but unfortunately it does. People stick together based on similarities, such as race, and make judgments based on race. Currently, race is a popular topic in the news. There have been issues arising in Ferguson, Missouri lately. A black boy was killed by a police officer, and there have been huge race riots as a direct result of it. The topic of race is a very sensitive and controversial one. Race is a very important issue and is not to be taken lightly. Outbreaks are starting to erupt, but soon the floodgates will give way to the overwhelming pressure surrounding race issues in our society today.

         
       

Revolutions of 1830 and 1848

Essential Question: Were the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 really failures as many historians have concluded?

     Lately in class, we have been studying the revolutions of 1830 and 1848. Our goal has been to figure out if the revolutions were complete failures, or if they accomplished something productive. To find out, the class was split into groups and each group was assigned a revolution. Each group examined documents about their revolution and took notes. With this information, each group made a survey monkey. As a class we took each other's survey monkeys and went over the answers.

     My group and I were assigned the French Revolution of 1848. We analyzed documents and took notes on the goals, opponent, outcome, and reason for success or failure of the revolution. We then created a survey monkey on the information. During the French Revolution of 1848, the people denounced Louis Philippe's government for corruption. Discontent was heightened by a recession and many people lost their jobs and the price of bread rose.  The people demanded expanded suffrage. Louis Philippe abdicated, and the second republic was proclaimed. Middle class liberals wanted political reforms and socialists wanted social and economic change to help feed hungry workers, and New jobs were demanded. Workers rioted for lower bread prices, and bourgeois attacked them. The constitution for the second republic was issued which created a strong president, a one house legislature, and gave all adult men the right to vote.  Napoleon III was chosen to be the president of the second republic, but eventually proclaimed himself emperor, which ended the second republic.The second republic is described in Readings in European History. "The republic is proclaimed. The people are united."(J. h. Robinson, 1906, Readings In European History). Also, information on Napoleon III declaring himself emperor can be found in The Rise and Fall of The Second Empire. "In short, I asked myself: since France has been functioning for the past fifty years only thanks to administrative, military, judiciary, religious and financial organization of the consulate and the empire, why should we not also adopt the political institutions of the period?"(Alain Plessis, 1852-1871, the rise and fall of the second empire).
     Not all of the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 were failures. Some of them were complete failures, while some of them were profitable. The Decembrist revolt of 1825 was a failure. The people of Russia were fine until the death of Tsar Alexander I. After the death of Tsar Alexander I, Tsar Nicholas I was left the thrown. Everything went downhill from there. This is described by Marquis de Astolphe Custine Custine. "The government of Russia is an absolute monarchy moderated by assassination...The more I see of Russia, the more I approve of the conduct of the Emperor in forbidding his subjects to travel, and in rendering access to his own country difficult to foreigners.". Tsar Nicholas made it so that no one could leave Russia, and made it difficult for people to come into Russsia. He also left the peasants In a state of unforgivable neglect. This revolution was a complete failure. The French Revolution of 1848 was almost a success. After Louis Philippe was abdicated, the second republic was proclaimed. While it stood, the second republic benefitted many. This is described in the French Revolution of 1848 document. "Napoleon III, like Louis Philippe, ruled at a time of rapid economic growth. For the bourgeoisie, the early days of the second empire brought prosperity and contentment.". The people did receive some of the things they were hoping for, like extended suffrage. The bourgeoisie won too because they created the National Assembly and elected the new government. This revolution was almost a success. Lastly, the revolution of Hungary of 1848 was a success. Hungary wanted an independent government, but Austrian troops smashed the rebels in Budapest. Many were imprisoned, executed, or forced into exile. Then Louis Kossuth wrote a Declaration of Independence. This is described in the revolution of Hungary of 1848 documents. "On April 14, 1849, the Hungarian Parliament in Debrecen, following an appeal by Kossuth, unanimously adopted the following declaration.". Hungary was now free from Austria. This revolution was a success.