A Tale of Two Revolutions
© Yann Guichaoua-Photos—Moment/Getty Images
This statue of Pasquale Paoli is in Corsica.
American colonists declared their independence from Great Britain 250 years ago—but the fight wasn’t over. It took a hard-fought revolution before the United States became an independent country. What many people don’t know is that just before the American Revolution, another nation had fought and won its independence against a mighty empire. Corsica’s revolution helped inspire the spirit of independence in colonial America.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Corsica is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Let’s back up a little. Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea that is about the size of Puerto Rico. The people of Corsica have their own culture and national pride, but for 2,000 years different empires had invaded and ruled the island. In about the same period that the British ruled many of the American colonies, Corsica was ruled by the Republic of Genoa (part of modern-day Italy). By 1729, the Corsicans had grown angry about paying unfair taxes to Genoa and began a rebellion to claim independence.
As the rebellion grew, a man named Pasquale Paoli rose up as the island’s revolutionary leader. After many years of fighting the Genoa empire, Corsica successfully won independence from Genoa in 1755. Paoli helped write the Corsican Constitution. This document created a government in which people voted to elect representatives. The people chose Paoli as their new leader.
© Zoom Historical/Alamy
This illustration shows the 1769 Battle of Ponte Novu, in which Corsicans fought French soldiers. France won this battle, and Corsica’s fight for independence came to an end.
Across the world in America, many colonists felt a connection to Paoli and the Corsican Revolution. By the 1760s, they too were unhappy having to pay taxes to their ruling country, Great Britain. If Corsica could claim independence from a powerful authority, maybe America could too. A twin flame of revolution grew in the colonies, and in 1767, a New York newspaper called Paoli “the greatest man on earth.”
Even after Corsica’s inspiring success, its democracy was short-lived. After just 14 years of independence, the country became a French province in 1769 following an invasion. Paoli was forced to escape to England.
© Francois Gabrielli—AFP/Getty Images
This 2001 photo shows a gathering that was held in memory of the Corsicans who were killed during a battle against French soldiers.
Just as Corsica’s democracy ended, the American Revolution began. Revolts against unfair taxation eventually grew into war in 1775. In July 1776, America declared its independence from Britain, and in 1783, it officially won the war. Now the longest-running democracy in the world, the United States still has a few towns named Paoli in honor of the Corsican Revolution.
