FAMOUS REVOLUTIONS OF THE WORLD
- The Glorious Revolution: A bloodless revolution in England in 1688-89, the Glorious Revolution resulted in the overthrow of the unpopular King James II and declaration of William of Orange (a Dutch) and his wife Mary, daughter of King James, as joint sovereigns of England.
- The American Revolution: It is the name given to the struggle by which England’s 13 colonies in North America declared their independence. The Declaration of Independence was issued on July 4, 1776. Its author was Thomas Jefferson.
- The French Revolution: It is the name given to the struggle which swept away the Old Regime in France, as well as the fundamental changes which resulted from that struggle. The immediate cause of the French Revolution was the bankrupt condition of the French Treasury under Louis XV and Louis XVI.
- Industrial Revolution: It donates a series of changes in the economic conditions of England in the 18th and 19th centuries brought about by the invention of various kinds of machines that could be used for the industrial progress of the country, such as steam engine, spinning and weaving machines; the industrial revolution took place not only in England but also in other West European countries and the USA.
- Russian Revolution of 1917: It is one of the most significant events of the 20th century; main causes were discontent towards the autocratic rule of Nicholas II, the new Czar: special privileges enjoyed by the upper class and miserable condition of laborers and factory workers. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seized power in Petrograd (now Leningrad) on November 7, 1917.
- China’s Cultural Revolution: It occurred due to conflict between the radicals and moderates in the Communist Party with Mao Zedong, chairman of the Communist Party, supporting the radicals. The radicals accused the moderates of failing to follow communist principles.
- Islamic Revolution in Iran: The revolution was a result of hostility of old fashioned religious leaders and public towards economic and social reforms introduced by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. Shah’s policies led to fierce fighting and rioting which the government could not control. In February 1979, a revolutionary government took over under the leader ship of Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran was proclaimed as Islamic Republic.