The Real Cause of the French Revolution For hundreds of years historians have tried to find out the real cause
of the French Revolution, and they have come up with hundreds of
varieties different reasons as well. Spread over the ten-year period
from 1789-1799, the French Revolution was initiated by disagreements
over the peoples' ideas of reform. Seeking equality, liberty and
wanting their voice to be heard, the Third Estate played a major role
in determining the future of France in ten years time. Linked with
elaborate disputes among the people, hatred toward their beautiful and
ignorant queen, Marie Antoinette, the starvation that spread over
France and their involvement with the American Revolution - the French
Revolution was, indeed, a strange and a marked time in the world
history. Nevertheless, is it really possible to know what really
happened during the ten-year period, and to find out the real cause of
the occurrence of the French Revolution?
During the eighteenth century, social classes played an important role
in the lives of the people. The French society was legally stratified
by birthrights and was divided into three classes: the First Estate,
the Second Estate, and the Third Estate[1]. Each social group had a
varied type of people within their structure, which presented the
different views of the people. The First Estate was the clergy,
numbered around one hundred thousand people. The clergy was made up of
two groups: the higher clergy and the lower clergy. The higher clergy
had a very luxurious life, but however, t...
... middle of paper ...
... exact cause of
where the idea of the French Revolution came from, because it is
impossible to go back in time. In conclusion, the opinions stated
throughout this essay are as seen from a perspective of what really
happened and what might have caused it during that period of time, and
is certainly not the exact truth of what had happened.
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[1] http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap1b.html
[2] http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap1a.html
[3] Travels in France, Arthur Young.
[4] http://www.geocities.com/thefrenchrevolution/causes.html
[5] http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap1c.html
[6] http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap1b.html
[7] http://www.angelfire.com/va/frenchrev/LouisXVI.html
[8] http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/REV/LOUISXVI.HTM
the French Revolution. Hunt, Lynn & Censer, Jack. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press (2001)
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.
The French Revolution, also known as the revolution of 1789, was a movement that helped shape France into what it is today. The Revolution may have started in 1787 but it wasn’t till 1789 when the revolution actually started to become worse. The Revolution had many reasons for why it started, but it was only a few major things that really made it happen.
The French Revolution evokes many different emotions and controversial issues in that some believe it was worth the cost and some don't. There is no doubt that the French Revolution did have major significance in history. Not only did the French gain their independence, but an industrial revolution also took place. One of the main issues of the Revolution was it's human costs. Two writers, the first, Peter Kropotkin who was a Russian prince, and the other Simon Schama, a history professor, both had very opposing views on whether the wars fought by France during the Revolution were worth it's human costs. Krapotkin believed that the French Revolution was the main turning point for not only France but for most other countries as well. On the other hand, Schama viewed the French Revolution as unproductive and excessively violent.
To what extent did the French Revolution originate as a result of the works of philosophers Baron de Montesquieu and Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès? The years 1763 to 1789 will investigated, as 1763 marks the formal conclusion of the Seven Years and the Treaty of Paris signing, while citizens stormed Bastille and marked the revolution’s official beginning in 1789.
The French Revolution can be seen as a beginning of new age. It was a disastrous event that changed the history. French Revolution went through a different steps and each event was influential moment. This huge movement started in 1789 and affected on various European countries and North America. The debate about the causes of the French Revolution will never ends. There are numbers of reasons why it has different interpretations. First reason is evidence, historical evidence sometimes has conflicts and it is snippy. Second reason is historian way of exploring the evidence; some do it through writings and others through paintings and sculptures. Last and important reason of debate about the causes of the French Revolution is political, economic
Although the Political and intellectual factors of the revolution ave wood to the fire the social and economic problems were the spark to that fire that lead to the greatest revolution of all times. "What the Revolution was less than anyhting else was a chance event. While it is a true that it took the world by surprise, nevertheless it was only the culmination of a long period of travail-the sudden and violent termination of an enterprse on which men had laboured for ten generations." On this I belive that the social and economic disorder that took place in France in the eighteenth century was the cause of the revolution.
During the period of 1789-1799 people lived much differently than individuals do today and there were many reasons for this. During the French Revolution there was a large amount of taxation for certain class groups, “While average tax rates were higher in Britain, the burden on the common people was greater in France” (GNU, 2008, pg. 2). Due to these large taxations on the peasants and lower class and not on the clergy and nobles it caused excessive conflict between the classes. Not only was taxation a cause of conflict between classes but so was the corrupt monarchy of France. The main causes of the French Revolution were over taxation, class conflict, and corrupt monarchy.
The French Revolution started during 1789, it allowed for the people to have a better government that actually protected the natural rights of the people. This toke a nearly a decade of rioting and violence for the Third Estate to have their way and get the rights they deserved. From all the causes like the famine of wheat, long debts because of wars, the heavy taxes, and their rights not being protected, some causes stood out more than the others. It is noted that these reasons had to play a major role in order for the French Revolution to occur. The three most important causes of the French revolution are the ideas that came from the Enlightenment, the Old Regime not being an efficient class system, and the heavy taxation.
The French Revolution was one of the larger social revolutions. It can be considered a revolution on the political, social, religious, and economic front, although the biggest causes were social. The French Revolution began on July 14, 1789, with the fall of Bastille and continued until the rise of power of Napoleon Bonaparte. The main reason behind the revolution was the unfair treatment of classes in France.
The essential cause of the French revolution was the collision between a powerful, rising bourgeoisie and an entrenched aristocracy defending its privileges”. This statement is very accurate, to some extent. Although the collision between the two groups was probably the main cause of the revolution, there were two other things that also contributed to the insanity during the French revolution – the debt that France was in as well as the famine. Therefore, it was the juxtaposing of the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy as well as the debt and famine France was in that influenced the French Revolution.
Causes of the French Revolution On July 14, 1789, several starving working people of Paris and sixty soldiers seized control of the Bastille, forever changing the course of French history. The seizing of the Bastille wasn’t caused by one event, but several underlying causes such as the Old Regime, the raising of taxes, the American revolution, and the idea and beliefs of the philosophers. The immediate causes of the revolution were the rising price of bread and the locking of the third estate out of its meeting hall. Finally, the spark was the ordering of the Swiss guards to Paris by Louis the XVI. The first underlying cause of the French Revolution was the Old Regime.
Nardo, Don. A. The French Revolution. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999. Print.
Revolution? The major cause of the French Revolution was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. The French Revolution of 1789-1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at the time of the Revolution, was the most powerful state in Europe. The Revolution led to the development of new political forces such as democracy and nationalism. It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas of the people.
“Revolutions never go backwards.”-Wendell Phillips. It is true that revolutions never go backwards; an example of this would be the French Revolution. Before 1789, France was ruled by a monarchy. Before the France revolution, the monarch was King Louis XVI. His family had ruled France for many years, however King Louis XVI, was an ill-suited leader who lost his country to the National Assembly. During the French revolution, France went through countless reforms by switching back and forth from republics to dictatorships. France eventually thrived under the rule of Napoleon, who was a dictator chosen by the people. Because of the sacking of King Louis XVI and the monarchy, France had become a better nation. Therefore, the citizens for France were justified in overthrowing King Louis XVI because King Louis XVI was not a competent leader, he treated the third estate poorly and King Louis XVI let Marie Antoinette have an impact in political affairs.