The Causes Of The French Revolution - 1522 Words

The French Revolution The French Revolution was arguably one of the most significant and controversial events in European history. It occurred during the years 1789-1799 when many French citizens became enraged with society and demanded political, financial and social change. The French people’s primary goal was to put an end to monarchy and bring reform to many aspects of French life. Inspired and motivated by the famous American Revolution, French citizens were urged to take action in order to bring forth the change they desired. They strived to better society and instill Enlightenment ideals, such as popular sovereignty and inalienable rights, by any means necessary; even if it meant killing thousands who got in their way.†¦show more content†¦Members of the Third Estate were expected to pay all taxes and the rich which belonged to the second and first estates paid none. The Third Estate saw this as highly unfair and wanted financial reform. France’s economy fell apart and people began to experience food shortages; people even started to starve. Scarce food supply played an additional role in the start of the revolution. With the start of the revolution, people started to discuss the change they wanted to be done to society. The National Assembly later met in a tennis court and swore the famous Tennis Court Oath, where they agreed to never separate until a new and just constitution had been established for France. Louis XVI responded by sending troops to Paris mainly to stop uprisings over food shortages, but the revolutionaries viewed this as a provocation and attacked the Bastille Prison with a large angry mob. Rioters stormed the Bastille fortress in an attempt to secure gunpowder and weapons. The prison was a symbol of the royal authority in France to which they were revolting. This event became known as The Storming of the Bastille and was commemorated as the start of the French Revolution. Fear and violence consumed the capitol a s Parisians panicked when rumors of an impending military coup began to spread. Widespread hysteria quickly swept the countryside and The Great Fear started. This period of panic was due to the rumors of an aristocratic conspiracy by the kingShow MoreRelatedCauses Of The French Revolution1119 Words   |  5 PagesThe French Revolution The French Revolution of 1789 was one of the biggest upheavals in history. You may be wondering what exactly led this to happen, but there were multiple long range causes. Political, social, and economic conditions ultimately led to the discontent of many French people especially those of the third estate. The ideals of the Enlightenment brought new views to government and society. Before the revolution, the majority of France were living in poverty. Peasants were entirelyRead MoreCauses Of The French Revolution896 Words   |  4 Pagesyears, the French Revolution went from women marching to Versailles and demanding bread, to the institution of the Reign of Terror, which killed close to 250,000 people. The late 18th century was a dramatic time of French, political transformation which originally strived to implement equality throughout the nation. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen reflected the ideas of the Enlightenment and presented the idea of equality and liberty. In theory, the French Revolution of 1789Read MoreCauses Of The French Revolution906 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution began with a corrupt monarch, and ended with the death of thousands. In 1789 the bourgeoisie (middle class) and peasants revolted against King Louis XVI and nobility, citing various reasons as cause: including corruption and a poor economy. These p eople, making up 97% of the population, were known as the third estate. The original purpose of the revolution was to create a constitutional monarchy, but this idea quickly became lost in the radical ideas of the revolution. HoweverRead MoreCauses Of The French Revolution911 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution was a major turning point in all of European history. The old regime was destroyed and a new order came to be. We will talk about the causes of the revolution, when it ended, and if it was violent, Napoleon, what happened after his defeat, and some other leaders, and movies I have seen about the Revolution and how they were correct, plus other things I want to learn. The immediate cause of the French Revolution in 1789 was the near collapse of the French budget. On theRead MoreCauses Of The French Revolution750 Words   |  3 PagesA revolution is a drastic change in the way something is done, such as a government or an economy. One such revolution took place in France where the government was changed several times, many different people obtained power, and traditional ideas were questioned. The French Revolution had many social, political, and economic factors that caused it, and it was very impactful on the people of France, and on the areas outside of it. There were many causes of the French Revolution; some were politicalRead MoreCauses of the French Revolution991 Words   |  4 PagesFor six of the eight causes of revolution, describe two events, actions or beliefs (evidence) during the years before the French Revolution that led to a developing revolutionary situation. Explain how each contributed to the revolutionary situation. Frances failed attempts at economic reform contributed heavily to the developing revolutionary situation. In August 1787, when the parlements refused to implement the Kings proposed changes to the financial system, it became clear that the Kings authorityRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution902 Words   |  4 Pagesthe French Revolution was not caused by one single phenomenon, however it can be said that the events occurring in accordance with the French Revolution were not only terrifying but when looking through our eyes just clearly wrong. The most significant reasons for the French Revolution are the imbalance of equality, power, and rights these reasons are supported by the ideas of liberty and fraternity which developed from the enlightenment era philosophers. In conclusion to the French Revolution theRead MoreThe Causes Of The French Revolution1273 Words   |  6 PagesDuring 1789, the French Revolution broke out against totalitarian rule and extreme poverty suffered by French civilians. France was under the absolute control of Louis XVI who gathered groups of nobles, clergy, and other royal families in certain cities. The corrupt French royal families in those cities were squandering nearly 75% of France’s wealth and in addition to the expense of royal classes, other wealthy classes such as landlords, local government, and churches were not taxed which made taxesRead MoreFrench Revolution Causes1139 Words   |  5 Pages The French Revolution was not an event that happened overnight but rather a series of events that occurred over several years leading up to the overthrow of the monarchy and the implementation of a new government. The Primary cause for the fall of the Ancien regime was its financial instability and inability to improve upon the lives of the French people. The 4 key flaws or events leading to the fall of the regime was; the structure of royal government, the taxation system, the structure of frenchRead MoreCauses of the French Revolution3450 Words   |  14 PagesTHE FRENCH REVOLUTION (1789-1799) The French Revolution was a watershed event that changed Europe irrevocably and ended a century of slowly increasing opposition to absolutism and the supremacy of a decadent aristocracy. The causes of the French Revolution are difficult to pin down. Therefore, we will divide them into long-term and immediate causes. Within long-term causes, we will also define intellectual, political and economic causes. Long-Term Intellectual Causes Before a movement can reach