"Atlantic Revolutions" is a cover term for a wave of late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century revolutions associated with the Enlightenment.
Various connecting threads among these varied uprisings include a concern for the "Rights of Man" and freedom of the individual; an idea (often predicated on Locke or Rousseau) of popular sovereignty; belief in a social contract, which in turn was often codified in written constitutions; a certain complex of religious convictions often associated with Deism or Voltairean agnosticism, and characterized by veneration of Reason; abhorrence of feudalism and often of monarchy itself. The Atlantic Revolutions also had many shared symbols, including the name "Patriot" used by so many revolutionary groups; the slogan of "Liberty"; the liberty cap; Lady Liberty or Marianne; the tree of liberty , and so on.
Individuals and Movements