France was an absolute monarchy. King Louis XVI hated England since France lost to England if the French and Indian War. When he found out the Americans were fighting a war again the British, King Louis was happy to help the American colonists fight against the British. The French were essential in helping the Americans win the Revolutionary war. They provided financial support, guns, and ships. The Americans even borrowed French ideas about the government from French philosophers when forming the U.S. Government. Then French soldiers who fought for these new democratic ideas in America did not have democracy at home where they were part of a growing middle class in France that was hungry for freedom and power.

Shortly after the American Revolution, France was in extreme debt. Most of the debt was from funding the American Revolution. The French common people were starving and did not have enough money for food. In 1789 the French Revolution began. The French people overthrew their king, beheaded their king and queen, and trying to create a democratic government, similar to the U.S. However, this took many years.

Latin America was also inspired by the success of the American and French Revolution started to rebel against Spanish rule. Simon Bolivar "the Liberator" lead an army in 1819 and freed modern-day Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. In 1821 the people of Central America rebelled and won their freedom. This was modern day Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. In 1822 Brazil declared independence from Portugal. By 1825 most of Latin America was free of European rule.