Atlantic Revolutions
Driving Question: How was the period from 1750 to 1825 an “Age of Revolution”?
In this lesson, you'll examine revolutions across the Atlantic world and beyond—from the Americas to Haiti to South America. You’ll explore what sparked them, who participated, and how revolutionary these changes really were, especially for women and marginalized groups.
Learning Objectives:
- Use the historical thinking practices of comparison and causation to analyze revolutions of this period.
- Use evidence to evaluate how women contributed to revolutionary movements in the long nineteenth century.
- Use a graphic biography to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives of this period.
Vocab Terms:
What does it mean to want change? What makes a revolution actually revolutionary? You’ll start by exploring a protest song and considering your own perspective before diving into the revolutions of the long nineteenth century.
During the long nineteenth century, political communities transformed on every continent. Use this geography activity to orient yourself to some of the most dramatic changes.
Be sure to look at the Lesson Guide for a sample answer you can use as a model for students. You can use this with the whole class and edit it together to make it even better.
Take a look at how some OER Project teachers adapt the Recipe for a Revolution activity for their classrooms and how it worked for them.
Beginning in the late eighteenth century, a revolutionary wave swept the Atlantic Ocean, overturning old governments and ushering in new ideas about freedom.
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Guiding Questions
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Guiding Questions
See the Lesson Guide to download the readings and the Research Cards you’ll need to run this class activity.
Blog post: “Revolutionary Women: Little Tweaks Make a Perfect Fit!” Read an experienced teacher’s take on teaching this activity.
Though revolutionary narratives are often centered on founding fathers, plenty of women played central roles in defining the Age of Revolution.
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Guiding Questions
We all know what it feels like to want to see something change. The “something” might be as minor as what’s on the lunch menu or as major as a whole political system. In this quick activity, you’ll write your own revolutionary manifesto.
