How similar or different were the American Revolution and the French Revolution?

The American Revolution (1775–1783) and the French Revolution (1789–1799) were both pivotal events in world history that shared some similarities but also exhibited significant differences.

Similarities: 1. Both revolutions were driven by a desire for political and social change, with the populace seeking to overthrow an existing power structure that they viewed as oppressive. 2. The idea of Enlightenment was a common influence in both, where the philosophies of liberty, equality, and fraternity played key roles. 3. Each revolution produced important documents that embodied new political ideals, such as the Declaration of Independence (1776) in the United States and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) in France. 4. Both revolutions saw the involvement of some key figures that supported the other. For example, the Marquis de Lafayette played a significant role in both the American and French Revolutions. 5. The revolutions inspired other countries and colonies around the world to fight for independence and democratic reforms.

Differences: 1. The American Revolution primarily sought independence from British colonial rule, while the French Revolution sought to radically transform French society and government from a monarchy to a republic. 2. The economic backgrounds of the two revolutions were distinct; the American colonists objected to British taxation without representation, whereas the French people faced harsher economic conditions like famine and increased taxation to support lavish royal expenditure. 3. The outcomes were different. The American Revolution resulted in the formation of a new, stable republic, while the French Revolution led to a decade of political turmoil, the Reign of Terror, and eventually the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte as emperor. 4. Class struggle played a different role; in France, the lower classes (the Third Estate) were a major driving force behind the revolution, while the American Revolution was led more by colonial elites and landowners. 5. The scale of violence and radicalism in the French Revolution, including the mass execution of enemies of the revolution by guillotine, was far greater than the violence seen in the American Revolution.