French Revolution Dbq

Returning from the American Revolution with revolutionary and enlightened ideas, the French Citizens decided to revolt against the injustices of the monarchy as their rulers were not prepared to lead them towards a new era of hope and equality. Ideas set by revolutionaries would claim, “Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in fetters [chains],” as mentioned by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1762, which inspired people to create a better lifestyle at the cost of the government (Source ). Building a new foundation based on men’s rights to liberty, fraternity and equality were brought before the revolution due to the suffering of the estates to support the lives of the tyrannical monarchy. Westward outside the borders of Paris, France on May 5, 1789,

the Estates General was called to Versailles to dissolve various political and economic disputes, which influenced unrest throughout the majority of the population due to inequality, debt and deregulation eventually leading towards over 1,000,000 deaths including those who died before trials concluding on November 9, 1799, to bring an end to tyrannical power.
In 1789, the terrible conditions affecting the majority of the population forced King Louis to call the Estates General to a meeting for the first time in over 100 years.

However beforehand it was, “a standoff between Louis XVI and the parliaments” (Source ). To call for the assembly to intervene meant King Louis was losing his absolute power over France because the people were creating a solution to lessen the financial burden. Ultimately any decision would result in loss of more political power because “King Louis XVI needed more money but had failed to raise more taxes” especially since most of the population already struggling to cope with high pre-existing taxes (Source ). France was in a state of bankruptcy due to their participation in the American Revolution and the monarchy’s unwillingness to give up some aspects of their luxurious lives while most civilians were working and starving to death. After many years under a tyrannical government, the National Assembly formed through the Tennis Court Oath. The reformers declared it was the time for action making an oath to not disband until their constitution was

finished.
The people decided to bring forth the royal family, many opportunities to witness the strength behind many of their uproars through actions of violence due to the failure of peaceful resolutions transmitting an impression upon the kingship. On July 14, 1789, “a great crowd armed with muskets, swords, and various makeshift weapons began to gather around the Bastille” and ultimately tore the 14th-century royal fortress and prison into piles of broken bricks (Source ). The common folk finally gained attention from the monarchy and stirred commotion within the monarchy because the Bastille represented monarchy and government power. The people had finally gained the upper hand against the monarchy. King Louis and his family were quickly ordered “to leave Versailles and relocate to Paris” in hopes of closing the gap between king and subject (Source ). Civilians believed relocation would also separate the royal family from influences of the aristocracy. Though most of the civilian's actions remained highly influenced by their attitudes toward the decades of political abuse and economic issues the people turned towards violence when tranquil measures became botched.
After being relocated to Paris and living in constant fear of the revolts for their own safety, King Louis and Marie Antoinette saw it best to escape the country disregarding the risks and consequences they would face. They decided “to head north-east to Montmédy, near the frontier with the Austrian Netherlands, where they could be protected by troops” believing the country folk remained loyal to them (Source 4). They sought it easier to escape to Austria Hungary knowing they could get help from Marie Antoinette’s brother to take back control of their beloved country. Needless to say the monarchy’s “loathing for the revolution grew even more intense” as their power depleted (Source 10). Marie did not want assistance from anyone including those who remained loyal to the monarchy because it meant the monarchy lost their power to the people. After rigorous planning, their failure to escape led to months of hostility imposed by citizen stripping them of the rights in hope of eliminating political and ecological injustices.
Ashamed of their capture King Louis refused to give into peaceful agreements which only fueled hatred towards the royal family. Jacques Pierre Brissot, the President of the Comité des Recherches of Paris, created “a petition demanding the removal of the king” (Source ). Many radicals became willing to abolish the royal family after their attempt to escape. At the Champ de Mars on July 17, a crowd of 50,000 gathered to sign the petition. After the King “refused to change his position on the clergy” which would place the church under state control, his family fled to the protection of the Assembly (Source ). Despite living under house arrest, he would not give into the people’s desires due to religious beliefs. The constitutional monarchy was stripped of its political superiority after the king could not accept pleas from mobs.
After much discontent, the people trialed King Louis and found him guilty of treason and with some dilemma send him off to the guillotine. As he was prepared for his execution he said: “Do with me what you will, it is the last sacrifice” (Source ). It quickly became clear from his ascendance to the throne in 1774, he was unprepared to govern the people with the problems he inherited from his predecessors eventually giving into the cries of the population. In 1765, Voltaire said, “if you want good laws, burn those you have and make new ones” by which he meant in order to create a country filled with peace, the rule of the monarchy must be replaced with laws to reform and undo decades of history (Source 2). The monarchy obviously was unfit to rule the country with rising political and economic issues eventually giving into the revolution when hope was lost.
The Period of bloodshed known as the Reign of Terror was a time of execution against the enemies of the revolution and creation of revolutionary measures of reform.

During the beheadings “many voices were at the same time heard encouraging the executioners” believing they would reach their goals (Source ). Execution resulted from the culmination of paranoia, anger, and distrust towards the monarchy and their followers. Robespierre, a member of the Committee of Public Safety concluded “the secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant” empowering beliefs justifying the king’s execution in order to ensure the success of the country (Source ). After many decades of injustices, the French held trials decided to execute using the guillotine because it was the quickest way to avoid physical pain and instead were humiliated in front of everyone as a warning to those against the

revolution.
Those trailed for the betrayal of their country were executed by the new method, the guillotine, to avoid killing with the uttermost torture. After Marie Antoinette’s capture in 1791, “people clamored for her to be brought before the revolutionary tribunal to account for her crimes” (Source 10, page 291). She had been imprisoned with her children, then was left in shambles after the execution of her husband and removal of her son, Louis XVII. When the people realized the power in the Committee of Public Safety became corrupted, they decided to send Robespierre to the guillotine, the man who was guilty of “paralyzing the will of the Convention” (Source ). Anyone said to act with tyranny or maintained motives against the revolutionary measures were quickly executed once they were found guilty of their crimes.
Blood was scattered at the expense of sweeping propositions to enhance the living standards in France. In 1790, citizens accepted Marquis de Lafayette’s judgment upon uprisings, “when the government violates the people’s rights, insurrection is, for the people and for each portion of the people, the most sacred of the rights and the most indispensable of duties. (Source 2)” When the administration is unqualified to govern a country it remains in the hands of the populace to conduct a period of tranquillity within diplomacies and generate prosperity.