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How other rebellions compare to the January 6th attack photo courtesy of Cameron Smith on Unspash
The founding father wanted a country in which the government worked for the people. They granted US citizens the right to assembly, the right to bear arms, and the right to free speech, among other things. After so many years under imperial British rule, it would also make sense for them to sympathize with the people rising against their own government. The constitution is quoted as saying, “whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.” What happened on January 6th likely wasn’t what they had in mind. Hundreds of supporters for former president Donald Trump took to the Capitol building to air their grievances concerning the election results, muscling past what security there was to wreak havoc upon the building. Windows were broken, works of art were vandalized, and the inner chambers of the building were stormed. A cop was injured in the riot and later died of his wounds, and four rioters were killed as well. Though the coup failed, it left a broken, shaken country in its wake. The event will likely go down infamously in history, leaving others to pick up the pieces and make sense of what happened. Learning from other rebellions in history could be the key to understanding why they happen.
1. Spartacus’s slave rebellion
The first insurrection on this list is an ancient one. Spartacus, a slave of the Roman empire, rose in 73 BCE against his former masters with the aid of an army of liberated slaves. What makes this rebellion so interesting, among other things, is the reason for its existence; Spartacus’s desire was simply for freedom, and he was willing to fight a war to get it. Storming the Capitol over election results feels embarrassing by comparison.
2. The French Revolution
A prime example of a people “successfully” overthrowing the establishment, the French Revolution was a bloody affair at the end of the 18th century. Enraged by the way their dismal lifestyles compared to the lavish ones of French royalty, peasants stormed the Bastille (a state prison) and sparked one of the most violent revolutions in modern history. Nobles and royals were publicly executed, opening power vacuums and severe political unrest in the country.
3. The Haitian Revolution
This insurrection by Haitian slaves against French colonizers came shortly after the American Revolution. Widely regarded as the most successful slave rebellion in history, the Haitian’s decade-long struggle ended with independence for their country.
4. The Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion stands as one of the few times in American history that the federal government has been forced to take militaristic action against its own citizens. However, the Americans of 1791 were not concerned with election results; their grievance was with a tax on whiskey.
5. The American Revolution
Perhaps the most famous revolution of the modern age, the American Revolution still stands as a shining beacon of man’s fierce desire for the freedom of self-governance. Its primary cause stemmed from overtaxation, public unrest, and a military presence implemented by King George III of England. It not only acted as the birthplace for the country we know today, but also as a model for other oppressed nations to follow in their quest for independence. charlie williams | editorial board
