Understanding revolution and the civil war cycle

As a social studies teacher I find it important to read and stay up to date on all news - as I have begun to teach about genocide it seems that news always finds a way to be more relevant to me - the stories from African countries continue to flood the news feed however who is paying attention? One of the elements that needs to be discussed is the historical consistency being displayed - throughout history revolutions cause societies to come together forged through a bond of a single enemy however over time this is eroded and typically after 60-90 years civil war erupts as the new generations seek to establish their own ideals - the United States witnessed this with their revolution in 1776 followed by the Civil War in 1861. We are realizing a similar trend for African countries gaining their independence in the middle of the 20th century and now approximately 60 years later facing civil wars and disturbances causing the international community to face difficult decisions...it is important for all citizens to remain up to date and to make informed decisions on what they think