Famous Historic Revolutions

     Become informed about famous historical revolutions.  Learn about major historical government and military revolutions. The balance of power in great empires always seems to shift at some point in the life of these empires.  Old leaders become corrupt or begin to ignore the needs of their citizens and the resentment grows until it rises up to overthrow the existing power structure.  Each great revolution is history shares some similar thing, but there are also many unique aspects of each revolution which has occurred.  When a nation or state emerges from revolution the system comes out changed to its very core.  The culture is altered and the economy is better or worse depending on the perspective.  Historians and thinkers have been fascinated with the dynamics and causes of revolution for ages.  Social scientists use the study of these events to make predictions about the future of society and the possible implications for humanity.  Students of psychology find the different personalities and mindset of key revolutionary figures to be very valuable models.  Some historians have studied revolution as a means of understanding how their country or the world reached the present state.  They pour over written accounts of the events and try to create ...

Iranian Revolution

     Learn more about the History of Iranian Revolution. Also find pictures and a timeline. The Iranian Revolution, 1979, also known as the Islamic Revolution, was the revolution that transformed Iran from a constitutional Monarchy under Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi to an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.  This revolution has been called the “third great revolution in history,” following the French and Bolshevik revolutions.  Some might saw that the revolution is still ongoing, but it did begin in 1979 with the first major demonstrations to overthrow the Shah.  The end also could be marked as when the approval of the new theocratic constitution whereby Khomeini became supreme leader of the country in December 1979.  What caused the Iranian Revolution?  Well Shah’s regime was very unpopular.  The regime was oppressive, corrupt, and extravagant and the Shah was obliged to—if not a puppet of—the non-Muslim Western power, or the United States, whose culture was contaminating Iran.  Political repression by SAVAK which employed censorship and imprisoned and tortured people who opposed the Shah regime.  The regime was failing.  There were bottlenecks, shortages of inflation, and an over-ambitious economic program as well as failure of the security forces to deal with protest and demonstration.  Islamic revival ...

French Revolution

     Find out more about the French Revolution.  Learn about the causes and effects of the French Revolution.  Also discover what resulted from it. There were numerous contributing factors which led to the occurrence of the French Revolution.  The feudal system which was the dominant societal organizing structure of France was the source of a great deal of oppression and bitterness.  The poor handling of public funds was a great source of resentment as well.  There seemed to be a gathering storm of discontent among the people of French society which could only inevitably lead in a rebellion.  The late Eighteenth Century saw France fall into a deep economic crisis which King Louis XVI was forced to respond to by entreating a cadre of financial gurus to help him find solutions.  The answer these fiscal wizards all agreed upon was that France was in dire need of profound transformation of it’s tax system.  The tin-eared King would not believe that taxation was the root of the problem and he dismissed each of them when they gave him their opinion. As the crisis deepened, King Louis XVI was finally forced to admit that tax reform was necessary.  He selected Charles de Callone to become ...

Bolshevik Revolution

     Learn more about the Bolshevik Revolution.  Find more information about the Bolshevik revolution in Russia.  Find out the causes and the timeline. By the end of August 1917, the Bolsheviks party had risen to ejoy a majority in the Petrograd Soviet of Russia.  This new found strength was a welcome to relief to the defeats they had experienced throughout the summer and by September 5th they also found themselves victorious in the Moscow Soviet.  Vladimir Lenin still remained in hiding near the border with Finland, but he was growing more and more impatient for the ouster of the provisional government. Ruling Prime Minister Kerensky saw his authority begin to flag and the government as a whole drew nearer to the creation of the Constituent Assembly.  The formation of this assembly would establish a republican rule of Russia.  With elections scheduled for November, Lenin knew that the window for seizing legitimate power was narrowing.  He realized that a revolution must happen soon if it was to succeed. First though, Lenin would need to deal with the fierce opposition he faces in his own party.  The opposition was the result of the feelings of many that this was the wrong time for revolution and ...

American Revolution

Find more information about the American Revelatory war. Find timeline of battles and causes. The American Revolutionary war was during the last half of the 18th century.  The Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and rejected the British monarchy.  It was then that they became the independent United States of America. Before and during the French and Indian War, 1650-1763, Britain neglected the American colonies and left them to run themselves.  This gave them freedom to do as they pleased.  Americans turned to unique governments to match their developing identity.  They forced legislatures and democratic town meetings and enjoyed rights such as local judiciaries and trials by jury. There were many causes of the American Revolution:  After the French and Indian War, Britain decided to stop neglecting the American colonies.  Prime Minister George Grenville began enforcing the ancient Navigation Acts in 1764, passed the Sugar Act to tax sugar, and passed the Currency Act to remove the paper currencies from circulation.  The then passed the Stamp Act, which placed a tax on printed materials, and the Quartering Act, which required Americans to house British troops.   Also, they were forced to face a British judge without a ...