Chapter 16 - Atlantic Revolutions, Global Echoes (1750-1914) & Documents

Reading Chapter 16 for me was extremely interesting to me because it was a time where all these now countries were fighting to be free from Europe. The textbook named this chapter Atlantic Revolutions, and I think it's the perfect name for this time period and everything that was going on.

Naturally being hispanic the Spanish American Revolutions of 1808-1825 really caught my attention. For many reasons this part in our textbook was one that caught my attention. For one, Strayer says that they didn't necessarily generate a revolution, "as have one thrust upon them by events in Europe." One event that really got this started was the fact that in 1808 Napoleon invaded Spain and Portugal, deposing the Spanish king Ferdinand VII and forcing the Portuguese royal family into exile in Brazil. With legitimate royal authority now in disarray, Latin Americans were forced to take action. Another thing that I found super interesting was the fact that the Spanish American Revolution took a lot longer than the revolutions before it. According to Strayer the Spanish colonies were governed in a much more authoritarian fashion than other colonies, which really affected them in moving towards an independence from Britain. Also, the fact that elites and people of power knew how nasty these revolutions could get made this revolution a lot different.

While reading about how they were governed in a much more authoritarian way, I wonder if the people in the colonies knew all the revolutions going on around the world, and if they wondered if they'd ever get a chance at independence.

Another huge, very important topic in Chapter 16 is the abolition of slavery. This all happened during a time where big changes where coming to the world because of the revolutions, and the fight for equality and changes in society lead to the abolition of slavery. The fight for equality was not going to be easy at all, as the lives of these slaves didn't change much at all . For most slaves, the abolition of slavery just meant freedom but nothing else. The end of slavery was one thing, but then came segregation and so many other unfair and unjust laws that we'd eventually fight to change as well.

 It was really sad for me to read this part in the chapter to know that even though these people were finally given their freedom nothing really changed for them. As Strayer said for most of them it was just their freedom and that was it. Slavery ended, but the discrimination against people of colored continued. It must have been so tough for these slaves who were given their freedom, and probably thought that their world was going to change. Instead they were phased with more discrimination, segregation, no rights, and so much more. 

As the start of the modern era was arising, the beginnings of feminism began as well.  Women wanted to see change, and equality and this was just the beginning for a long road for change and equality for everyone.

 The introduction of this book calls the period the beginning to the modern era, and it truly was during this point in history. 
This medallion was made popular during the abolition of slavery, known as the antislavery medallion. The motto "Am I not a man and a brother" reflected both Enlightenment and Christian values of human equality.

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