I am an AP World student in 10th grade and I felt like my teachers didn't go as in depth into the Enlightenment revolutions, such as the American and French revolutions, as much as I would have enjoyed. I remember hearing in class that the American Revolution was what set off many of the revolutions, and especially the French Revolution, that occurred in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. I hope you guys could shed some light on the subject for me on how influenced the French Revolution was by the American Revolution. (Side Request: if any of you know any great books or novels on the American and French revolutions I would be extremely happy if you shared.) Thanks.
Look at this question and this question. Generally, the only influence that the American Revolution had on the French Revolution was the cost that it had on the French debt, which grew substantially over the 18th century.
I'd say that your professor is falling to American Exceptionalism by saying that the American Revolution set off revolutions, it was a conservative Revolution that changed very little compared to the very liberal and deadly French Revolution.