Example research essay topic: French Revolution American Revolution - 812 words

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The first thing to tell about these three revolutions is that only The French Revolution was a pure one. While the American and Haitian revolutions appeared to be the wars for independence. Let us view the results of all of them and compare them with each other. The American Revolution started in 1775. The British considered the Colonies more as a resource to be utilized for the benefit of their own economy and had little respect for the Colonialists. This difference in perception led to a vicious circle of Colonialists acting against what they saw as unfair policies, harsh British reaction, followed by stronger Colonial reaction, leading to even harsher British reaction -- all of this spiraling into the revolution.

Let us not discuss the actual events and battles of the war but switch to its ending and results. Accounts of what happened next are remarkably diverse -- possibly due to a desire by some American authors to minimize the French role in the events. All sources agree that French naval forces defeated the British Royal Navy on September 5 th at the Battle of the Chesapeake, cutting off Cornwallis's up plies and transport. Washington moved his troops from New York and a combined Colonial-French force of 16, 000 or 17, 000 troops was assembled and commenced the Battle of Yorktown on October 6, 1781. Cornwallis' position quickly became untenable. On October 19 th a substantial British Army once again surrendered to the Colonials.

The war was led under the slogans proclaiming freedom and democracy. But it must be noted that it brought persecutions and actual imprisonment in reservations for the Native Americans. It also has nothing to do with the democracy because most of the population did not support the war remaining loyal to the Crown. The great benefits were gained by the landowners and newly formed bourgeoisie.

However this revolutions results are the greatest when compared to the others. The most useless revolution was the Haitian one. In August 1791, a massive slave uprising erupted in the French colony Saint-Dominique, now known as Haiti. The rebellion was ignited by a Voodoo service organized by Bookman, a Voodoo hogan (High Priest). Historians stamp this revolt as the most celebrated event that launched the 13 -year revolution which culminated in the independence of Haiti in 1804. One of the most notable leaders of the Haitian Revolution to emerge was Toussaint L'Ouverture, a former slave.

Toussaint organized armies of former slaves which defeated the Spanish and British forces. By 1801 he conquered Santo Domingo, present-day Dominican Republic, eradicated slavery, and proclaimed himself as governor-general for life over the whole island. Soon enough the mild rule of the French enslaver's turned to a fairy tale when compared to the cruel dictatorship of LOuverture. The people of Haiti gained nothing but a total poverty, famine and another form of slavery. The situation has not changed drastically until our days. The Great French Revolution seems to be the most influential event in the modern history of Europe.

The French Revolution began in 1789 with the meeting of the States General in May. On July 14 of that same year, the Bastille was stormed: in October, Louis XVI and the Royal Family were removed from Versailles to Paris. A Legislative Assembly sat from October 1791 until September 1792 was replaced by the National Convention, which proclaimed the Republic. The King was brought to trial in December of 1792, and executed on January 21, 1793. In January of 1793 the revolutionary government declared war on Britain, a war for world dominion which had been carried on, with short intermissions, since the beginning of the reign of William and Mary, and which would continue for another twenty-two years. The Committee of Public Safety and the Revolutionary Tribunal were instituted immediately after the execution of the King.

The Reign of Terror, during which the ruling faction ruthlessly exterminated all potential enemies, of whatever sex, age, or condition, began in September of 1793 and lasted until the fall of Robespierre on July 27, 1794: during the last six weeks of the Terror alone (the period known as the "Red Terror") nearly fourteen hundred people were guillotined in Paris alone. The Convention was replaced in October of 1795 with the Directory, which was replaced in turn, in 1799, by the Consulate. Napoleon Buonaparte became Emperor in May of 1804. But this Revolution brought great sufferings to the people of France, not Liberty, not Equality, not Fraternity. Moreover all Europe suffered from Napoleonic Wars. Thus, all these revolutions did not fully achieve their goals.

Words: 757. Bibliography 1. Peru, Alexis. The French Revolution. New York: G.

P. Putnam's Sons, 1960. 2. J. C. Miller, Origins of the American Revolution. New York: Random House, 1943, new ed. 1959, 1980. 3.

Alexis, Stephen. Black Liberator: The Life of Toussaint LOuverture. London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1949.

Research essay sample on French Revolution American Revolution