Reason -
American revolutionaries were defending their rights as Englishmen. Their grudge against Britain was "taxation without representation"
They were NOT social uber-radicals of the kind found in France
In fact Virginians like Jefferson, Washington were landed gentry
American revolutionaries were defending their rights as Englishmen. Their grudge against Britain was "taxation without representation"
They were NOT social uber-radicals of the kind found in France
In fact Virginians like Jefferson, Washington were landed gentry
Sure. Many of the revolutionaries were steeped in Enlightenment thought
They knew their Locke and Montesquieu
But nevertheless they were still conservatives who didn't seek to upend the social order
They knew their Locke and Montesquieu
But nevertheless they were still conservatives who didn't seek to upend the social order
Some like Alexander Hamilton bemoaned the consequences of the Revolution and the anarchy in the states
Hamilton was conservative enough to openly long for a strong executive and central government to the extent that he was dubbed a "monarchist"
Hamilton was conservative enough to openly long for a strong executive and central government to the extent that he was dubbed a "monarchist"
So there really is little to no parallel between these conservative "revolutionaries" and the men in charge of the Reign of Terror in France
Some American founders like Gouverneur Morris (who was in France in the late 1780s, was v sceptical of French Revolution's success
Some American founders like Gouverneur Morris (who was in France in the late 1780s, was v sceptical of French Revolution's success
