1. The French revolution started because of an ongoing “fiscal mismanagement contributed to a French society that was ripe for revolt” (Sparknotes). King Louis XVI was falling into a finical crisis, due to extravagant living. So, in panic, he called financial advisers. After a while, each of them was dismissed from their job. Louis XVI was growing desperate, so he called the Estates-General. This assembly was made to represent three Estates, “the First comprised of the clergy, the Second comprised of the nobility and the Third comprised of the middle and lower classes” (EyeWitness). The Third Estate broke off, and became the National Assembly. People who were part of the National Assembly demanded a new constitution, because the first one became a dead letter right after it was established. The Assembly members took an oath called the Tennis …show more content…
The Enlightenment was also going throughout Europe. People held on to this Romanticism as well. France was also influenced by the Estates revolutionary spirit, riots broke out, and people were starting to hate the aristocrats. Most of the people of the Third Estate paid more taxes than the other two. Also, crops and harvests failed, causing shortages in food. The food shortage made the lower class angrier, because the aristocrats stuffed their faces, while they starved. Mobs would gather in the streets and protest against the unfair ways. Their motto was “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” (Google). 3. The Reign of Terror began in September 5, 1793 and lasted longer than ten months. Revolutionist Robespierre, who was a member of the Committee of public Safety, started to discriminate anyone who had social or political agendas different than him. He did this thinking that this was the way to keep the sanctity of the Revolution. Rash executions swept throughout Paris, this barbarity started to spread to other parts of France. The Terror accomplished nothing, but hatred and death. This ended in July 28, 1794.
Beginning in mid-1789, and lasting until late-1799, the French Revolution vastly changed the nation of France throughout its ten years. From the storming of the Bastille, the ousting of the royal family, the Reign of Terror, and all the way to the Napoleonic period, France changed vastly during this time. But, for the better part of the last 200 years, the effects that the French Revolution had on the nation, have been vigorously debated by historian and other experts. Aspects of debate have focused around how much change the revolution really caused, and the type of change, as well as whether the changes that it brought about should be looked at as positive or negative. Furthermore, many debate whether the Revolutions excesses and shortcomings can be justified by the gains that the revolution brought throughout the country. Over time, historians’ views on these questions have changed continually, leading many to question the different interpretations and theories behind the Revolutions effectiveness at shaping France and the rest of the world.
Louis' ministers Turgot, Necker and Calonne all agreed that France needed reforming if it was to get out of the massive debt it had accumulated. In February of 1787, Louis called the Assembly of Notables as France was in dire need of tax reform due to its debt. Louis suggested tax reforms to bring government expenditure in line with government income but because he had lost his authority as a king, he could not persuade the first and second estates to agree with a tax reform and they did not wish to bear the burden of increased taxation. This showed Louis to be weak and unable to make decisions about France's future. Shortly afterwards on the 5th May 1789, the Estates General was called and Louis' absolute power over France was all but over. This was one of the main events that led to the start of the French revolution an...
The Reign of Terror was a time of death and war. In 1789, France was ruled by King Louis XVI. France was in debt from war, because of this, a lot of it’s people were starving and living in poor conditions. To make matters worse, there were riots and killings. There were over 40,000 people killed by guillotines because they were suspected to be enemies of the government(Doc F). All this is known as the Reign of Terror. Some people see it as unjustified, but I think it is. It is justified for three reasons, the wars had reasoning, the counter revolutionaries rebelled for good reasons, and the government had to defend the country.
1. Why and how did the French Revolution take a radical turn entailing terror at home and war with European powers?
The later 18th century was a time of crisis for the old regimes of Europe and their economic systems and political agitation sometimes breaking out into revolts. English Industrial Revolution vaulted Britain to the fore. France was the most powerful and the most typical of the old aristocratic absolute monarchies of Europe. (lower taxes off backs of lower classes).
The Revolution brought to its end an era where the French Catholic church was allowed to do as it wanted with little to no oversight. Ever since its establishment in France the church had amassed wealth and power by becoming the singular religion of the nation, however discontent grew and masses rose against the institution of the church. The revolution split the country in two, on one side those who supported the church as it always had been and on the other side those who supported the church as it had been redesigned by the new constitution.
The French Revolution started in 1787 because the country was going through financial difficulties and there was unrest between the classes of citizens in the country. The differences between the lower class citizens and higher classes, being nobles and the monarchy were great. The citizens had heard of the revolution that went on in the colonies and they also wanted freedom and independence. The real start of the French Revolution was on July 14, 1789, with the storming of the Bastille. Between 1789 1793, a constitution was written, feudalism was abolished, war had broken out, and King Louis XVI was put to death. In late 1793 and early 1794, Maximilien Robespierre became the head of the Committee of Public Safety in France. This was the new governing body in France; it could be compared to the executive branch of a government. Robespierre was a great leader, he ins...
During the Enlightenment period, many thinkers and philosophers advocated for equality among people as well as abolishing the Catholic Church and the monarchs that ruled countries with an iron fist. One philosopher in particular, John Locke, believed in the concept of natural rights; an idea that stated all men are born with the rights of life, liberty and property and whenever government policies appropriate these rights, it is in the people’s hands to rise up against the government. This controversial idea of rights and equality traveled around Europe until it reached France. The French Revolution was influenced by the way the American colonists were able to stand up for their rights and fight for their freedom. The only people who wanted
The French Revolution was a period of political upheaval that occurred in France during the latter half of the 18th century. This revolution marked an end to the system of feudalism and the monarchy in France and a rise to democracy and new Enlightenment ideas. By 1789, when the revolution began, France was in a deep financial crisis due to the debt they had obtained over many years of reckless spending and France was nearly bankrupt. These financial issues fell almost completely on the bottom social class or the Third Estate which made up a majority of the country. Because of this financial trouble, the common people were heavily taxed, leaving many of them in poverty.
In 1789, the French people began to stand up to their current monarchical government in order to obtain rights and laws that they felt they deserved. The Reign of Terror followed after the Revolution and seemed to stand for the complete opposite of what the people had previously stood up for. The Reign of Terror began in 1793 and ended in 1794 due to the decapitation of Maximilien Robespierre. The Reign of Terror can be explained as a time period in France when many counter revolutionaries were killed because of their traditional beliefs. Counter revolutionaries believed in preserving the ways of the monarchy, but since the majority of people thought otherwise, these opposing beliefs led to death. The French government did not have good reason to conduct such drastic measures against those who challenged the Revolution.
During the eighteenth century, France was one of the most richest and prosperous countries in Europe, but many of the peasants were not happy with the way France was being ruled. On July 14, 1789, peasants and soldiers stormed the Bastille and initiated the French Revolution. This essay will analyze the main causes of the French Revolution, specifically, the ineffectiveness of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the dissatisfaction of the Third Estate, and the Enlightenment. It will also be argued that the most significant factor that caused the French Revolution is the ineffective leadership of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Although, the Reign of Terror was seen as a way to let the revolution live and was well supported it was not justified. Because the internal threats propagated radicalism, the external threats raged and became stronger, and the methods became chaotic the Reign of Terror extended its stay in France until the death of the powerful leader Robespierre. The Reign of Terror was an outreach to gain rights but during this period they were taken away until the fateful day of Robespierre’s death ending the Terror.
There were many causes and events leading up to the French Revolution in 1789. Before the Revolution, France had been involved in many expensive wars, especially the American War of Independence, causing financial difficulties and debts which were increased through the expensive upkeep of the Royal Family and their courts. At this time the Age of Enlightenment was occurring and new ideas, challenging the Ancien Regime and the Absolute right to rule, were emerging. The monarch of the time, King Louis XVI, was a weak monarch who was incapable of making decisions and sticking to them. King Louis XIV was also incapable of using his powers in a way to spark fear and gain control of those under his power. As a result of the high debts held by the French Government, the King decided to start taxing the First and Second Estates. They objected causing the Third Estate to question why the first two estates were given choice in paying taxes when the Third Estate, who were so heavily taxed, paid all their taxes. These were the major causes leading up to and, in some cases, triggering, the French Revolution.
The French Revolution was a bloody civil war that lasted from the years 1789-1799. [1] The revolution arose out of hard economic times that had befallen France. Widespread famine and hunger, due to a grain shortage, rampaged through sections of the country. The economic crisis led to an increase in taxes on the lower classes, known as the third estate, to upkeep the lavish lifestyle of the nobility. [1] All of these are the known factors that led to the rise of the French Revolution.
The French Revolution had many causes. According to the historian, French people revolted because they were, “intelligent, free, and prosperous to be critical of the existing conditions.” In other words, this historian is saying that the people of France knew what was going on in their country. I agree with this historian and this quote. There were conditions that existed in France the people were aware of. The ideas of the Enlightenment, social classes, and tax system contributed to the French Revolution. The French Revolution was based mostly on the Third Estate’s desire to obtain liberty and equality.