The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement during the 18th century that included progressive thought in liberty, church and state, constitutional rights/government, and authority. The American and French revolutions were both highly influenced by the enlightenment. Certain philosophical figures such as John Locke and Rousseau's ideas were adopted by revolutionaries. Locke argued that kings and monarchs should not have absolute power and that people should give away a little bit of certain freedom while keeping their natural rights that they are born with. This is evident by King George III of England using his monarch powers to impose heavy taxes on the colonists, who felt that they were loosing rights as they were taxed without proper representation. The drafting of the Declaration of Independence also echoed Locke's emphasis on life, liberty and property by saying 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Thomas Jefferson was highly influenced by the idea of citizens having the right to overthrow their government which was stated by John Locke.
The French Revolution was also similar in that it was influenced by enlightened thought as well. The majority of the French population was always outvoted in the Estate assembly, where the nobility and clergy always outvoted the third Estate made up of commoners and the lower class who were suffering from economic depression. Voltaire, one writer thought that citizens have the right to free speech and religious tolerance which was lacking to the French majority. Also, King Louis XVI was highly incompetent with handling the economic issues faced by those in the third Estate. Rousseau was influential with his concept of a social contract by stating that "man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains", which is similarly states in the Declaration of the Rights of Man stating that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights". The progressive ideas were influential to two revolutions that were both rooted in political and social oppression by an authoritative body. Without these thinkers, there would be little guidance for revolutionaries who seeked a better form of government and basic rights.<span />
Difference between Shays' and Whiskey: Shays' rebellion was under the Articles of Confederation and the weak government and was unable to support, with force, the state of MA in order to aid in the defeat of the rebellion. The Whiskey Rebellion, under the Constitution, it became evident that the government was capable of enforcing the law.
<span>The Mongols were a nomadic race of people who are from
Mongolia as well as China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. They were expert
riders, hunters and archers. Originally,
they were group of independent tribes until they were united by Genghis Khan
and later embarked on a campaign of conquest.
Due to their tactics and speed on horseback, they were easily able to
defeat other armies which led to the establishment of the Mongol Empire. It was composed of Mongolia, North China,
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Northern India.
After the Genghis Khan his descendants conquered more countries but
eventually their power declined and some of the Mongols were absorbed by the
countries they had conquered.</span>
