The 19th century wars of independence and revolutions set the stage for World War I, as it redrew the political map of the world. There were several causes for revolutions: resistance to colonialism; ethic nationalism, nostalgia for an imaginary, shared history; and a desire for self-determination (“Early 19th Century Revolutionary Movements”). Just as the 20th century may be considered an age of genocide, the 19th century may be considered an age of revolution. Kimmel defines revolution as “attempts by subordinate groups to transform the social foundations of political power.” When armed resistance is successful, we call it a war of independence. When it is unsuccessful, we call it a revolution. Below are examples of both from the late 18th through early 20th centuries from the Timeline Index, Encyclopaedia Britannica, and the Rijks Museum (“Revolutions”; Editors).

Knowledge Check

Use the following ungraded, self-check questions to confirm your learning for this module.

References

Editors. “1820-1950 Indonesia and Decolonisation.” Rijks Museum. Accessed November 19, 2018. https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio/timeline-dutch-history/1820-1950-indonesia-and-decolonisation.

Editors. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com.

“Early 19th Century Revolutionary Movements.” World History. Accessed September 24, 2018. https://worldhistory.us/european-history/early-19th-century-revolutionary-movements.php.

Kimmel, Michael S. Revolution: A Sociological Interpretation. Cambridge: Temple University Press.

“Revolutions.” Timeline Index. Accessed July 30, 2018. http://www.timelineindex.com/content/select/435/912.