The document discusses the justification for revolting against a government that does not serve its people's interests, highlighting two methods: democratic and communist revolutions. It outlines the timeline leading to the American Revolution, the guiding principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Communist Manifesto, and contrasts their outcomes. While the Declaration led to the establishment of the United States and inspired democratic movements, true communism has never been fully realized and has often resulted in autocratic regimes.

1. Do people of a country have the right
to violently revolt and replace their
government if the government does
not act in the best interests of the
people?

2. 2 Ways of Revolution
• Democratic revolution seeks to replace
authoritarian government with a government in
which the citizens vote for their leaders and have
some say in the rights they have.
• Communist revolutions attempt to replace both
the government & the economic system by
redistributing all the wealth equally amongst the
citizens and leaving management of major
resources in the control of the government.

3. Timeline Leading to the American Revolution
1. After the French & Indian War, England decides
to raise taxes in colonies
2. The Sugar Act and the Stamp Act
3. Boston Massacre
4. Boston Tea Party
5. The “Intolerable Acts”
6. Battles of Lexington & Concord
7. Thomas Paine writes “Common Sense”
8. July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence

7. Guiding Principles of the Manifesto
1.
2.
3.
4.
Absence of private property
Equality in income
End of organized religion
One world-wide government

9. Both the Declaration of Independence and the
Communist Manifesto were reactions to the times they
were written in. One was born of Enlightenment ideals
and a rejection of authoritarian government. The other
was born from inequalities brought about from the
Industrial Revolution. Both attempted to redress social
grievances of the people by advocating open rebellion
against the status quo of their respective times.

10. BIG Differences
The ideals in the Declaration of Independence were
realized and resulted in the creation of the United
States and it has influenced Democratic and
human rights movements around the world.
True Communism has NEVER been achieved and
most countries that have called themselves
Communist have actually been an Autocracy or
Oligarchy. Few “Communist” countries remain now.