The French Revolution and the American Revolution are similar and different in many ways. From political and religious reasons to the time period and the actions taken, a lot can be said about these two major events in history. Both revolutions caused dramatic changes to occur all over the world. The American Revolution started in 1776 and was between the thirteen American colonies and Great Britain. The main cause for the revolution were the unfair taxes Great Britain burdened on the people of the colonies. They were the Stamp Act, the Townshend Act, and the Tea Act. Other causes were the various acts such as the Sugar Act, the Quebec Act, and the Boston Port Bill (a pay-back from Great Britain after the Boston Tea Party). In 1772, Samuel Adams created the Committee of Correspondence which branched off into smaller committees that all bounced ideas off each other. Two years later, the Continental Congress was formed, right after the Boston Tea Party took place. Shorting after in 1775, the Americans defeated the British at Concord. A few months later, though, the British got revenge at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Other events such as the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, the Franco-American Alliance just a year later, and in 1779 Spain entered the war against Britain. In 1783, the Treaty/Peace of Paris was signed, which ended the war. It was not until July fourth that the thirteen American colonies were declared independent of Great Britain, though. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were some of the key people who were most important in the American Revolution. The French Revolution began in 1789 and was inspired by the American Revolution. French society during the ancient regime was divided into three social classes: Third Estate, Second Estate, and First Estate. France was in heavy debt thanks to King Louis XIV, and to compensate, the government taxed the Third Estate (97% of population) more money than they earned. The wealthy estates, Second and First, were not taxed.The majority of the French population was angered and starving due to the poor harvests of that year. The people also strongly disliked their queen, Marie Antoinette. The catalyst that triggered the revolution was the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789. As the revolution took shape, the Estates-General was replaced by the National Assembly. Soon enough, a period called the "Reign of Terror" began. During RoT, over 40,000 people were beheaded, including the king and queen who were captured by a crowd of Parisian women. After a while, the constant executions got old, and the French were ready for a more calm stage called the Directory. After the Directory, France moved into the Age of Napoleon. Napoleon Bonaparte undid the reforms of previous revolutionary governing bodies and controlled Europe through military and politics. During the course of the French Revolution, three constitutions were produced. After the revolution dwindled down, the Third Estate got what they fought for; new reforms and ideas such as enlightenment, citizenship, nationalism, and natural rights were now a part of French society. There are many similarities between the American Revolution and the French Revolution probably due to the fact that the French Revolution was inspired by the Americans. One big issue both revolutions have in common was the growing hatred and anger towards the monarchy and upper class citizens. The lower class (French)/colonists (America) realized that though they weren't noble, they could still make a difference and fight for what they believed in. In France, the Third Estate members got angry because they were starving while the Second and Third Estate were feasting. In America, the colonists were being unfairly treated and taxed even though members of the monarchy had never even been to the country. Another similarity was that both revolutions were centered around the ideas of equality and natural rights which were originally enlightenment ideas. Both groups of people felt unjustly treated and wanted to be equal with the other members of their country. There were also a few key differences between revolutions. One being the amount of participation from different "classes" in the fight. In France, almost every person from each of the three estates found a reason to be bitter towards the monarchy. In America, there were still a handful of loyalists who stood beside Great Britain throughout the revolution. Secondly, in the American Revolution, the patriots gained foreign support from Spain and France. In the French Revolution, the French people got no help from other countries. The French Revolution and the American Revolution are two huge events in history that occurred within the same time period. There are many similarities and key differences between the two, but both had similar outcomes. Both revolutions were successful and impact life around the world today.