...In this essay, I will be tracing the development of the French Revolution and its impact by examining the following four phases (all of which led to the development of the other), Constitutional Monarchy/The National Assembly (1789-1791), The Reign of Terror (1792-1794), The Directory (1795-1799), and The Age of Napoleon (1799-1815). In this essay I argue that the French Revolution was caused by the worsening condition of the French monarchy, economic depression, and New Ideas of the Enlightenment Movement and the French Revolution resulted in radical social, economic, and political change throughout France. A Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a king or queen acts as Head of State. The ability to make and pass...
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...The Reign of Terror was a chapter in time that lasted from, September 1793 – July 1794; it had many ramifications in political and social changes in France. It was a massive turning point of the horror of the French Revolution. As viewers watched with entertained eyes, the people of France were put to death while the streets were lined in blood. Early in the Revolution countless people still supported the monarchy, which brought on accusations of treason in opposition to the new republic. The Reign of Terror was a portion of time in the French Revolution characterized by murderous suppression and executions intended to demolish counter revolutionaries and conspirators. An innovative stable government was required to end the chaos, and the Committee of Public Safety was created with 12 members in the Committee and overseen by Maximilien Robespierre. His goal was to create a “republic of virtue” in which the government would compel the people to be converted into virtuous republicans through an immense reeducation program. “Terror is nothing else than swift, severe, indomitable justice; it flows, then, from virtue”-Maximilien Robespierre. It resulted in the deaths of around 20 000 to 40 000 people and was viewed by Robespierre as an unavoidable period to stabilize France. It was a time of violence and murder with a direct correlation to the French Revolution with its goal to aid in the survival of the revolution. Even though, the rationale of the reign was to institute...
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...The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government. It began on July 14, 1789. Before the French Revolution, the people of France were divided into social groups called "Estates." The First Estate included the clergy (church leaders), the Second Estate included the nobles, and the Third Estate included the commoners. Most of the people were members of the Third Estate. The Third Estate paid most of the taxes, while the nobility lived lives of luxury and got all the high-ranking jobs. Extravagant spending by King Louis XVI (1754-1793) and his predecessor had left the country on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1789, the French government was in a major financial crisis. The...
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...2013 Anatole France’s Mindset of the French Revolution Anatole France’s The Gods will have Blood took place in the late time period of the French Revolution. He used this story to depict the cultural and social impacts that this time period had upon the French society. All classes at this time were targeted and were given little to no cause of justification. France uses characters to portray this time era and their struggle for the embodiment of power and whether it is good or evil. Throughout The Gods will have Blood, Gamelin speaks of his beliefs within the revolution and on his trust within the ideas of Marat and Robespierre. He used the theme of violence that eventually helped progress into an inspiration leading to the Revolution. Throughout this novel, we find that Robespierre and Gamelin are two very influential people because not only do their actions characterize power, they show how power is a corrupting force when put in the hands of a few. During the years of the French Revolution there were blasts of changes that were being made that would perpetually change history. Anatole France’s The Gods will have Blood took place during the terrifying time of terror in which many were executed for the belief that it was justice to kill those who were no longer loyal to the Republic. This time period caused such a stir of emotions within society because it targeted anyone and showed little mercy. A new tool during the terror time period developed and was known as the guillotine...
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...during those times periods but the amount of influence and impact the guillotine had to its audience was impeccable. As these executions were made into public showings, it was only normal for the vivid and grossing images these executions produced to play a role into the daily lives of many people during the French Revolution. As mentioned in previous text, it can be concluded that the use of capital punishment did deter crime but only to a certain extent. When many children began using mini guillotines as toys and then were later taken away because of the negative influence theirs parents had on their child’s life can support the claim that capital punishment was used to deter crime. The action their parents took could have potentially prevented their child from becoming a criminal as those ‘toys’ could have possibly implemented the idea that slicing someone’s neck is socially acceptable to do to others. Another factor that could have served as a deterrent are the executions of Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI. After they were executed by the guillotine, a time period began where it was called ‘The Reign of Terror’. “During the Reign of Terror, at least 300,000 suspects were arrested; 17,000 were officially executed, and perhaps 10,000 died in prison or without trial” (“Reign of Terror”). The causing of “terror” had a purpose which was “to take harsh measures against those suspected of being enemies of the Revolution (nobles, priests, hoarders)” (“Reign of Terror”). Its general...
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...Revolutions such as the American Revolution and the French Revolution are often referred to as major turning points in history. These revolutions have left lasting impacts on countless nations and regions worldwide. Revolutions represent major changes in a society, government systems and the economic lives of the people impacted. The French Revolution, which began in 1789 and lasted until 1814, set into a motion a course of revolutions that impacted not only the people of France but other groups around the world seeking independence and changes in their government. There were many causes of the French Revolution. One cause of the French Revolution was that King Louis the XVI could imprison anybody for however long he felt, and did not have...
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...The French Revolution was one of the bloodiest revolutions in history. It brought about great changes in the society and government of France. The revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, also had far-reaching effects on the rest of Europe. It introduced democratic ideals to France but did not make the nation a democracy. However, it ended supreme rule by French kings and strengthened the middle class. After the revolution began, no European monarchs, nobles, or other members of the aristocracy could take their powers for granted or ignore the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. In the beginning of the revolution, events seemed minor and proceeded in a logical fashion. One of the reasons the revolution originated was the discontent among the lower and middle classes in France. By law, society was divided in to three groups called estates; The Estates-General. The first estate was made of up clergy, nobles comprised the second and the rest of the citizens, the third estate. The third estate resented certain advantages of the first two estates. The clergy and nobles did not have to pay most taxes. The third estate, especially the peasants, had to provide almost all the country’s tax revenue. Many members of the middle class were also worried by their social status. They were among the most important people in French society but were not recognized as such because they belonged to the third estate. Financial crisis developed because the nation had gone deeply into...
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...September 5, 1793 was the end of Louis XVI rule and the start of the Reign of Terror where 40,000 people were executed. In France, Louis XVI has just been guillotined and everyone is deranged and confused. This marked the 18-month period of the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror was lead by Maximilien Robespierre and the government proceeded to execute a large number of people. The government was targeting individuals that were considered to be enemies of the revolution. One of those targets was the Catholic Church which they saw as outdated. While outside the country there was tension that escalated into war. They were facing problems inside and outside the country. Was this method of execution during the Reign of terror justified. The reign of terror was not justified because the outside threat did not require it, the inside threat did not deserve it, and the the methods were to extreme. External threats did not require it. An example of this is that they closed the churches by revolutionary government and that is wrong because people should always be able to choose what they believe in (Document A). Another example is the government denies legal counsel to accused enemies of the revolution (Document A). It not right to treat people disrespectfully for thinking differently than the...
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...Joshua Muench July 24, 2014 Western Civ Part 2 The French Revolution The French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790’s with the ascension of Napoleon Bonaparte. This period in European history is one of the most bold and iconic periods in the west and through it came many things of significant historic value. During this period, French citizens radically changed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, a system of century old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. This revolution first grabbed the attention of the world due to what it promised as its outcome, human rights and broad-based political participation. Its most famous slogan pledged “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” for all. (595) Like in the American Revolution, the French Revolution was brought on by the ideas of enlightenment, in specific, the ideas of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights. The movement played a pivotal role in shaping modern nations. Although it failed to achieve all of its goals and at times degenerated into violent bloodbaths, the French Revolution did however show the world something, the power inherent in the will of the people. The beginnings of the French Revolution can be looked at as starting shortly after the American Revolution due to the French’s involvement. The French’s involvement in the American Revolution was a costly one, and piled along with the frivolous spending of King Louis XVI, the country was on the verge...
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...Michael Warne Revolutions Spring 14 French Revolution Factors The French Revolutions The French Revolution was a long, bloody ordeal faced by the French populace in the late 18th century. There were a number of factors which led to the outbreak of this particular conflict. The factors which led to this particular revolution were first pointed out by James Defronzo, in Revolutions and Revolutionary Movement. Defronzo writes how a few different factors typically lead to the outbreak of a revolution. These factors are; mass frustration, dissident elites, severe state crisis, international context and unifying motivation. I will address each one of these factors and clarify how they correlate to the French Revolution. It is imperative to understand what exactly leads to revolution, and how we can use what we already know to prevent violence and social strife in the future. First of all, France was plagued by mass frustration following hundreds of years of unjust monarchal rule. Mass frustration is when the majority of the populace is dissatisfied by the government. In the case of French citizens in the late 1700s, they understood how badly they were being treated by their own government. They also understood, however, that they deserved better. Due to the recent “Enlightenment Age,” an increasing number of people were becoming aware of their societal status. During the enlightenment period, people began to turn away from everything they thought they "understood"...
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...Terror 1 Nolan Nguyen Mrs. Rich English 1 – TT November 16, 2011 The Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror was a period in history when the Convention established a war dictatorship rather than a democracy. The reason for this choice was due to the fact that other nations were attacking France’s borders from all four sides, there was resistance to the idea of French democracy, and that the people wanted a stronger government that can lead the nation through hard situations were a few reasons why the French revolution started. These causes lead the way for the reign of terror to begin. In response to the turmoil of war and resistance, the government established new laws, which was one of the causes of the Reign of Terror. These laws were designed to strengthen and restore order by using terror, virtue, fear, and force. During this time, the guillotine was used, beheading people, and causing panic throughout the nation. After the Revolution was successful, when King Louis XVI was executed by a guillotine on January 17, 1793 in Place du Reunion, the National Convention established a war dictatorship instead of a democracy. The war dictatorship government was lead by few men to govern the country and wage war during a time of crisis. The Convention created watch committees, which imposed strict regulations on foreigners and citizens. The new government imposed the Levee en Masse. It said that the government can conscript anyone in France and that everyone has a part in the...
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...charlatan", since the end can never justify the means. First and foremost, according to Girondins, free speech and liberty should be defended all the time, "otherwise, the French Revolution is not worth fighting...
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...The acceptance of the National Assembly’s constitution by Louis XVI in September 1791, Robespierre stated that the French revolution was over, but France ended up going in a radical direction with terror occurring home, war with foreign powers and changes in the French government. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were arrested when they tried to go out of France to obtain foreign support for the invasion of France. The deputies of the Legislative Assembly called the Jacobin club declared war on Francis II, the Habsburg monarch and after removing the king from the throne, the Legislative Assembly confirmed France as a republic instead of a monarch which gave the people sovereign power. The Mountain a group within the Jacobins went on to execute Louis XVI for treason in 1793...
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...Maximilien De Robespierre During the period of the French Revolution a man became widely known. This man is known as Maximilien Robespierre. Maximilien Robespierre is widely known around the world and while some consider him a murderer and cruel man others call him a saint. He is most famously known for his hand in The Reign of Terror. Just like many others before him and after him, Maximilien led a very full life with a variety of accomplishments and downfalls. Maximilien De Robespierre was born on May 6, 1758 in Arras,, France (Maximilien Marie Isidore De Robespierre). He was the oldest child in his family (Maximilien Marie Isidore De Robespierre) but after the demise of his family he and his siblings were raised by their grandparents (Bouloiseau, Marc). After being much of the family role model during his life Robespierre received his law degree in 1781 (Maximilien Marie Isidore De Robespierre). Once he had received his law degree Maximilien worked as a lawyer in Arras, France (Maximilien Marie Isidore De Robespierre)....
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...The French Revolution © Student Handouts, Inc. www.studenthandouts.com The Old Regime (Ancien Regime) • Old Regime – socio-political system which existed in most of Europe during the 18th century • Countries were ruled by absolutism – the monarch had absolute control over the government • Classes of people – privileged and unprivileged – Unprivileged people – paid taxes and treated badly – Privileged people – did not pay taxes and treated well Society under the Old Regime • In France, people were divided into three estates – First Estate • High-ranking members of the Church • Privileged class – Second Estate • Nobility • Privileged class – Third Estate • Everyone else – from peasants in the countryside to wealthy bourgeoisie merchants in the cities • Unprivileged class The Three Estates Estate Privileges Exemptions •Collected the tithe •Censorship of the press •Control of education •Kept records of births, deaths, marriages, etc. •Catholic faith held honored position of being the state religion (practiced by monarch and nobility) •Owned 20% of the land •Paid no taxes •Subject to Church law rather than civil law •Moral obligation (rather than legal obligation) to assist the poor and needy •Support the monarchy and Old Regime •Collected taxes in the form of feudal dues •Monopolized military and state appointments •Owned 20% of the land •Paid no taxes •Support the monarchy and Old Regime •Nobles First Population •Circa 25,000,000 •None •None •Paid all taxes...
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