by ideas of the Enlightenment. Enlightenment is the term used to describe the trends of thinking and writing in Europe and America during the 18th century before the French Revolution. These ideas included the philosophical ideas of equality before the law; a centralized state governed by the middle classes, a government not in the absolute power of a King and rich landowners but a government elected by all the people.

In the 1770's an enormous increase in newspapers and books ensured a wide spread of

philosophies and ideas on both sides of the Atlantic. The French Revolution was a social and political revolution. Different classes of people had enjoyed different rights and privileges. Rich landowners had claims on the labor of peasants, clergy was exempt from taxes and the court consumed a large part of the wealth in the form of taxes and tithes. Complex laws prevented peasants fro

A significant difference between the two revolutions was in their constitutions.

the ruling power. The Americans had a militia made up of civilians, most of them

American colonies wanted a government without a king. The people based on certain ideas and principles would govern Americans. The American colonists had experience with self-government. The great distance between England and the colonies afforded the colonists an opportunity to semi-govern themselves. Many of the colonies had been doing this through their assemblies for years, with little interference from England. Americans had a deep suspicion of power and exerted much of their energies to limit the authority of the state. Differences between religions were more accepted, many of the colonists had left Europe for religions freedoms. Another influence upon the French Revolution was the importance of tradition rights and privilege. The French Revolution had demands to satisfy a specific class or rank of its

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French Revolution, American Revolution, British Empire, Europe French, Americans American, England Americans, Enlightenment Enlightenment, French Revolutions, french revolution, Europe America, rich landowners, difference revolutions, american revolution, american revolutionaries, ruling power,
Approximate Word count = 668
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)