Age of Atlantic Revolutions
Key Questions for discussion this module:One of the hallmarks of the “long nineteenth century” was the abolition of slavery in the Atlantic World. Some historians argue that Abolitionists were motivated by the ideology of the Enlightenment, with its assertion of liberty and equality as universal rights. However, others argue that there were greater economic motivations that trumped the ideological ones, as the absolute rise of global populations and the increased ability to migrate across the globe made slavery antiquated and costly relative to wage-labor. In your opinion, based on the evidence in the readings, was the abolition of slavery motivated more by ideological or economic factors?Based on the chapter reading, what was revolutionary about the French Revolution? In comparison, was the American Revolution radical? Support your position with evidence. Historians frequently debate the relative importance of ideas in shaping historical events. How did the ideas about rights expressed in these documents influence the historical development of the Atlantic world and beyond? What specific historical contexts or conditions shaped the understanding of rights expressed in each of this chapter?
