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Before you watch

Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!

While you watch

1. Who made up the social classes in Saint Domingue, and why was this social pyramid unstable?
2. What was life like for an enslaved person in Saint Domingue?
3. What was the goal of the revolutionaries in the revolution’s early days?
4. Who was Toussaint Louverture, and why did he fight first with the Spanish and then with the French?
5. How did enslaved people learn about revolutionary ideas?
6. In what ways did Haiti’s struggle continue beyond independence?

After you watch

1. Do you think the Haitian Revolution was the most radical of the Atlantic revolutions? What evidence from the video supports your view?

Note: For more detailed directions on completing the three close reads below, refer to the Three Close Reads – Introduction activity.

Skim

Before you read, you should quickly skim the article, by looking at the headings of each section and the charts. Read the questions below as well, so you know what to look for when you read!

Key Ideas

1. When did ‘Uthman dan Fodio’s revolution take place in northern Nigeria? What other revolutions in the Atlantic world were taking place right around this time?
2. What economic factors led to revolutions like ‘Uthman Dan Fodio’s in West Africa, according to the article? Were these factors similar or different from other parts of the Atlantic?
3. What was the ideology or unifying force for revolution in West Africa, according to the article, and why?
4. What revolutionary state did ‘Uthman dan Fodio create? How revolutionary was this state, and other new Islamic states, according to the article?

Evaluate

1. Why do you think the history of West Africa has generally been left out of the study of revolutions in the Atlantic in this period?
2. Would you include ‘Uthman dan Fodio and the Islamic revolutions of West Africa as one of the “Atlantic revolutions”? In what ways was it linked or similar to other revolutions in this period, and in what ways was it unique or unconnected?

Before you watch

Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!

While you watch

1. How does Dr. Swentzell describe the Pueblos of New Mexico before Spanish arrival?
2. Why did the Spanish decide to invade New Mexico and what were some of the immediate consequences of the decision?
3. What are some examples that Dr. Swentzell provides about how Pueblo people experienced colonization?
4. What are some of the ways that Pueblo people resisted Spanish colonization before 1680?
5. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was about many different issues, but it was sparked by one big event. What were the main grievances, and what was the big event?
6. How did the Pueblos coordinate the revolt? Was it successful?
7. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 is sometimes called the first and most successful revolt against European colonialism. Does Dr. Swentzell agree? What evidence does he mention to support or challenge this idea?

After you watch

1. Do you think that the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 should be included in the stories about the Age of Revolutions—including the American, French, Latin American, and Haitian Revolutions? Can you think of any evidence that challenges that claim?

Note: For more detailed directions on completing the three close reads below, refer to the Three Close Reads for Graphic Bios – Introduction activity.

Observe

Skim the full comic, paying attention to things like prominent colors, shapes, and types of text and fonts. How do you know where to start and which direction to read? What’s in the gutters (the space between panels)? Who is the focus of the comic? What big questions do you have?

Understand

1. When and where was Edmund Burke born? Who ruled the place where he was born?
2. What was the major political contest in Britain during this period? What did each side believe?
3. In what ways was Burke a liberal? In what ways was he a conservative?
4. What were the events that made Burke fear too rapid change and too much democracy?
5. How does the artist use art and design to demonstrate Burke’s position as both a liberal and a conservative?

Connect

1. We generally speak of political revolutions in this period as bringing more liberties and being a good thing. Does Burke’s biography challenge that assumption? How?
2. How could the rise of liberalism in this period also lead to the rise of political conservatism? Does this biography provide any clues to help you to answer this question?