Essay --

The Age of Revolution †¢ A period of political upheaval beginning with the American Revolution, leading through the French Revolution, and ending at around 1848 †¢ Caught up many social groups with diverse motives Forces of Change †¢ Three forces were working to shatter Europe’s calm by the mid-18th century o Cultural ï‚ § Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued for a government based on a general will o Ongoing commercialization ï‚ § Businesspeople challenge the idea that only aristocrats should hold high office o All social levels ï‚ § The population revolution was partly the result of better border policing, which reduced the movement of disease bearing animals ï‚ § Improved nutrition, due to the introduction of the potato †¢ Led to reduced death rates ï‚ § Increase in population leads upper class families to tighten their grip on existing offices †¢ Consequently it becomes harder for non-aristocrats to gain a high post †¢ Population pressure drove many people into the working class, which led to the creation of motives for protest †¢ Population growth sparks a rapid expansion of domestic manufacturing in western...