The American Revolution and French Revolution were similar in that both

• A. Were encouraged by Enlightenment idea of natural rights
• B. Sought to limit the participation of people in government
• C. Supported the theory of divine right
• D. Increased the influence of religious institutions in government

Answer: (A)

This question tests the idea that both revolutions drew on Enlightenment thinking about natural rights and the legitimacy of government. The best answer notes that the Enlightenment idea of natural rights encouraged people to question absolute rule and to demand government power based on consent to protect those rights. In the American case, the idea that people have unalienable rights and that governments derive authority from the governed shows up in the Declaration of Independence and other founding documents. In the French case, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen articulates similar rights and limits on rulers, reflecting philosophers like Locke and Rousseau.

Why the others don’t fit: these movements did not aim to restrict participation in government; their rhetoric often pushed for broader rights and an expanded role for ordinary people in political life, even if practice varied. They rejected the theory of divine right, not supported it. And they moved away from religious influence in government, rather than increasing it.