HIST362: Modern Revolutions

Both revolution and civil war refer to dramatic and violent uprisings that express popular discontent. Both terms refer to upheaval within a particular country instead of international war. However, revolutions are generally uprisings against the current government. Civil war pits two or more opposing organized groups against each other, typically aligned within a country along ethnic, political, or religious lines. They typically engage in violent conflict to obtain political power or control.

The historical determination of whether a conflict constitutes a civil war or revolution is not always clear-cut. For example, historians continue to disagree about the case of the English Civil War. Many call the conflict the English Civil War because two distinct groups battled against each other. However, others categorize the conflict as a revolution because the opponents ultimately fought against the government itself (the monarchy) and transformed the system of government into a constitutional monarchy. Watch this lecture to understand the lasting impact of the English Revolution of 1688. Think about how it changed how people viewed government, their role in it, and their right to interfere and overthrow it.