05.06 HC)Suppose a historian wanted to argue that the Enlightenment had a more positive influence on the American Revolution than on the French Revolution. Which statement below would be the strongest evidence for the historian's view?
The French Revolution overthrew a monarchy and a social system, while the American Revolution only freed a group of colonies.
The American Revolution was led by men who admired Enlightenment thought, such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.
The American Revolution produced a Declaration of Independence, while the French Revolution produced a Declaration of the Rights of Man.
*******In the French Revolution, the will of the people turned away from justice and toward mob violence, fanaticism, and dictatorship. *******
The strongest evidence for the historian's view that the Enlightenment had a more positive influence on the American Revolution than on the French Revolution would be the statement that "In the French Revolution, the will of the people turned away from justice and toward mob violence, fanaticism, and dictatorship." This statement highlights the negative consequences of the French Revolution, indicating that the Enlightenment ideals of justice and reason were not effectively implemented in the French Revolution, thus supporting the argument that the Enlightenment had a more positive influence on the American Revolution.
The strongest evidence for the historian's view that the Enlightenment had a more positive influence on the American Revolution than on the French Revolution is the statement:
"In the French Revolution, the will of the people turned away from justice and toward mob violence, fanaticism, and dictatorship."
To arrive at this answer, the historian would have to carefully analyze and compare the impact of the Enlightenment on both the American and French Revolutions. Here's how the answer can be derived:
1. Understand the key characteristics of the Enlightenment: The Enlightenment was a period of intellectual and philosophical movement in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized reason, rationality, individualism, natural rights, and the power of human agency to bring about progress and change in society.
2. Identify the influence of the Enlightenment on the American Revolution: The historian should consider how Enlightenment ideas influenced the leaders and thinkers of the American Revolution. In this case, the statement: "The American Revolution was led by men who admired Enlightenment thought, such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin" is relevant. It highlights the fact that key figures of the American Revolution were deeply influenced by Enlightenment ideas and sought to implement those ideals into the new American nation.
3. Identify the influence of the Enlightenment on the French Revolution: Similarly, the historian needs to consider how Enlightenment ideas influenced the French Revolution. The statement: "In the French Revolution, the will of the people turned away from justice and toward mob violence, fanaticism, and dictatorship" is relevant here. It suggests that the French Revolution, unlike the American Revolution, did not realize Enlightenment ideals and instead descended into chaos, violence, and authoritarian rule.
4. Evaluate the strength of the evidence: The historian must assess the significance and impact of each piece of evidence in determining which has a more positive influence. In this case, the negative outcome of the French Revolution, as highlighted in the last statement, serves as a strong evidence to support the argument that the Enlightenment had a more positive influence on the American Revolution.
Therefore, the statement "In the French Revolution, the will of the people turned away from justice and toward mob violence, fanaticism, and dictatorship" would be the strongest evidence for the historian's view that the Enlightenment had a more positive influence on the American Revolution than on the French Revolution.