Revolution facts for kids
A revolution is a very big and often sudden change. The word comes from Latin, meaning "a turn around." Think of it like turning a page quickly to a whole new chapter!
Revolutions usually involve big changes in how a country is run, or in its politics. Sometimes, people become very unhappy with their lives or with the way things are organized. They might come together, share their ideas, and decide to make a revolution.
Many revolutions involve fighting and unrest, like when people protest or clash with authorities. But not all revolutions are violent. Some can happen peacefully, with big changes occurring without much fighting.
Contents
What is a Revolution?
A revolution is a deep and quick change. It's not just a small tweak; it's a complete overhaul. These changes can happen in many areas, but they are most often about how a country is governed or how society works.
Why Do Revolutions Happen?
People often start revolutions when they feel that their government or the system is unfair. They might feel they don't have enough freedom, or that their leaders are not listening to them. When many people feel this way, they can unite and demand change. This demand can sometimes lead to a revolution.
Revolutions: Peaceful or Violent?
Some revolutions involve a lot of conflict and even war. For example, the French Revolution in 1789 was very bloody. The years right after it were even called the Reign of Terror because of all the violence.
However, not all revolutions are violent. The Soviet Union broke apart into many different countries around 1990 with much less fighting. This shows that big changes can sometimes happen without widespread violence.
Different Kinds of Revolutions
Revolutions aren't just about politics. They can also be about big changes in how we live, work, or think.
- Political Revolutions: These are about changing who is in power or how a country is governed. The American Revolution is a good example, where the American colonies fought for independence from British rule.
- Industrial Revolution: This was a huge change in how things were made. It started in the late 1700s when new machines and factories began to appear. This changed how people worked and lived, moving from farms to cities and using new technologies like the steam engine.
- Neolithic Revolution: This happened thousands of years ago when humans stopped being hunter-gatherers and started farming. This was a massive change that led to permanent settlements and the development of villages and cities.
Gradual Change vs. Revolution
The opposite of a revolution is something called 'gradualism'. Gradualism means making changes slowly, step by step, over a long period. It's like slowly turning a page, instead of flipping it quickly. Both revolutions and gradual changes can lead to big differences, but they happen at very different speeds.
Images for kids
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A Watt steam engine in Madrid. The development of the steam engine propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. The steam engine was created to pump water from coal mines, enabling them to be deepened beyond groundwater levels.
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Revolutions of 1848 were essentially bourgeois revolutions and democratic and liberal in nature, with the aim of removing the old monarchical structures and creating independent nation-states.
See also
In Spanish: Revolución para niños
