The French Revolution
(1789-1799)
The French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in 1799. The French Revolution was very similar to the American Revolution, but the French Revolution was more complex, more violent, and more radical than the American Revolution. The people of France did not like the political structure of their country. The French people were opposed to their country being ruled by absolute monarchy, which is where one ruler has supreme authority and power over a country. There are no limits of power of the ruler in an absolute monarchy form of government. This was definitely the case in France, where France was under the absolute rule of King Louis XVI. Louis XVI was the last king of France before the French Revolution. The people of France also did not like the Feudal System in their country. The Feudal System consisted of a system from mediaeval times of the king and his nobles and the servants and peasants. In France, the Feudal System divided the people of France into three orders called estates. The First Estate consisted of the clergy, which was about 130,000 people. The Second Estate was the nobility. There were about 350,000 people in the Second Estate. People from the Second Estate held many of the positions in the French government, military courts, and the higher church offices. The Third Estate consisted of the commoners, which was the majority of the French population. The Third Estate was furthered divided by occupation and wealth and was made up of the peasants and the bourgeoisie. The French Revolution was the movement of the French people to abolish their country being governed by absolute monarchy and to abolish the Feudal System of France.
The French Revolution was influenced by the Enlightenment ideals and ideology. The Enlightenment movement dominated the world in the 18th century. The Enlightenment was a movement of intellectual and philosophical ideals. The Enlightenment ideology believed in reason, science, religious tolerance, and natural rights. The Enlightenment ideology believed in “natural rights” of life, liberty, and property. The Enlightenment ideals led to a government in which some or even all the people would govern. The people of France were influenced by the Enlightenment ideals and were tired of the political and social conditions of their country. The main goal of the French Revolution was the inalienable rights of the French people. Inalienable rights are based on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The French people of the 18th century wanted these rights. The French people wanted their government to be responsible for making sure that their government would enforce equal rights and freedoms for all their people.
There were twelve main events of the French Revolution. These events and a brief description of the event are as follows:
The Estates General Convenes (May 5, 1789). Louis XVI, the King of France, wanted a new land tax levy. Louis XVI did a great deal of extravagant spending almost causing France to go into bankruptcy. The Estates General was composed of delegates from all three Estates. The Third Estate wanted to abolish the taxes that King Louis XVI wanted.
Tennis Court Oath (June 20, 1789). Members of the Third Estate of the National Assembly could not get into their normal meeting place. The doors were locked. They moved to a nearby indoor tennis court and had their meeting. They pledged that they would continue to meet until a French constitution was established.
Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789). The French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress that housed political prisoners and the government’s ammunition arsenal. The fall of the Bastille was the flashpoint of the French Revolution.
March on Versailles ( October 5 and 6, 1789). An angry group of almost 7,000 women, armed with pitchforks and muskets, marched from Paris to the Versailles, the royal palace of King Louis XVI. The women were complaining of the high price of bread.
Royal Family Attempts to Flee (June 20, 1790). The royal family attempts to flee from Paris to Varennes.
Champ de Mars Massacre (July 17, 1791). This massacre was a brutal event that occurred because a decree was issued stating that Louis XVI would remain king under a monarchy.
Invasion of the Tuileries (June 20, 1792). The people of Paris sieged the Tuileries, the official home of King Louis XVI.
Overthrow of the Monarchy ( August 10, 1792). The absolute monarchy of King Louis XVI was overturned. King Louis XVI was found guilty of treason.
Execution of King Louis XVI (January 21, 1793.) King Louis XVI was executed by the guillotine.
Reign of Terror ( September 5, 1793-July 28, 1794). This event lasted for a ten month period. During this period, The Committee of Public Safety took control. Nearly 40,000 people were killed. The Committee of Public Safety killed foreign enemies and rebellious French people.
Execution of the Queen of France (October 16, 1793. The Queen of France was Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI. She was executed by the guillotine.
Execution of Robespierre ( July 27, 1794). Maximilien Robespierre was very influential in the French Revolution, but he became a dictator and tyrant. He was executed because of his terrible traits of becoming a dictator and tyrant.
The event that I chose to expand on in reference to the French Revolution is the Fall of the Bastille. This event occurred on July 14, 1789. An angry crowd marched on the Bastille, a medieval fortress, armory,and political prison in Paris, France. This fortress represented royal authority in the center of Paris. At the time it was stormed, there were seven political prisoners in the Bastille. To the French revolutionaries, the bastille was a symbol of the monarchy’s abuses of power. Its fall was the flashpoint of the French Revolution.
The Bastille had eight (8) towers, 100 feet high with walls of equal height and was surrounded by a moat approximately 80 feet wide. The revolutionaries who stormed the Bastille were mostly craftsmen and store owners who lived in Paris. They were mainly about 1000 members of the Third Estate. These members of the Third Estate were not happy with the French government under King Louis XVI and they wanted a voice in the French government. The revolutionaries were worried that King Louis XVI was preparing the French Army for an attack. The revolutionaries needed gunpowder just in case the French Army attacked. The Bastille was used as an arsenal to store gunpowder, so the revolutionaries stormed it to gain access to the gunpowder that was stored there. 100 revolutionaries were killed during the fall of the Bastille, but their storming the Bastille led to the overthrow of King Louis XVI and was a turning point in the French Revolution.
July 14th is celebrated and is recognized as an official holiday in France. It is a public holiday. It is called Bastille Day or French National Day.
Important people involved in the French Revolution are as follows:
King Louis XVI, the King of France.
Queen Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France and wife of King Louis XVI.
Maximilien Robespierre, the Head of the Committee of Public Safety
George Darton, an early leader of the French Revolution.
Jean Paul Marat, radical journalist.
Charlotte Corday, a key woman in the French Revolution. She was a French radical.
Napoleon Bonaparte, ended the French Revolution.
The French Revolution was successful in ending absolute monarchy in France. It led to many lasting effects, such as unifying and increasing the power of the national state. The French Revolution increased the feeling of French nationalism. The French Revolution led to a democratic French government.