Bourgeois revolutions – four landmark uprisings on a map and timeline
HistoryRevolutions & Industrial AgeAges 13–14
Use it with your class: students open it from a link or a QR code, with no account needed.
Next in Revolutions & Industrial Age
A map of Western Europe and North America paired with a timeline from 1566 to the late 18th century traces four landmark revolutions: the Dutch Revolt, the English Civil War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. Students drag the timeline marker or press Play to watch new republics take shape, and click event dots to read short descriptions. Two campaign maps zoom in on the wars: Royalist and Parliamentary territory in England and Wales from 1642 to 1651, and British and Patriot control in North America from 1775 to 1783, with key battles and a year slider.
Lesson: The English Revolution and the American War of Independence; The French Revolution of the late 18th century
What it shows
Between the 1560s and the 1790s, four revolutions challenged royal or foreign rule: the Dutch Revolt against Spain, the English Civil War and Glorious Revolution, the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. The overview map shows the new states they produced, from the United Provinces and the English Commonwealth to the United States and the French Republic. Two campaign maps zoom in on the wars: Royalist and Parliamentary territory in England and Wales from 1642 to 1651, and British and Patriot control in North America from 1775 to 1783, with battles such as Naseby, Saratoga and Yorktown.
How to use
Use Overview with Play and the content group buttons to compare the four revolutions. Then open English Civil War 1642–1651 or American War 1775–1783: drag the Year slider or the timeline to see who held which areas at the end of each year, read the share of land held by each side, and click battle dots for short explanations. Ask students to mark the turning points of each war.
Parameters you can change
- Year shown on the timeline 1566–1799 year
- Filter by content group All, Netherlands, England, North America, France
- Timeline playback speed 1–40 years/second
- Show event labels on the map
- Map screen Overview of the four revolutions, English Civil War 1642–1651, American War of Independence 1775–1783
Questions to explore
- What kind of state did each of the four revolutions create?
- Which revolutions were struggles against foreign or colonial rule, and which were against their own king?
- On the campaign maps, which year shows the biggest change in territory, and which battle explains it?
