“The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant”
- Maximilien Robespierre
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What was the French Revolution?
The French Revolution took place between 1789 and 1799, leading to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution was not a single event but a series of developments that unfolded between 1789 and 1799. In the late 18th century France was on the brink of bankruptcy due to its involvement in the American Revolution and King Louis XVI’s extravagant spending.
This led to a people’s revolt against the inequalities of French society, the corruption of royal officials, and despair owing to widespread economic hardship. This period was known as the French Revolution.
The next three years were dominated by the struggle for political control, exacerbated by economic depression and civil disorder. Austria, Britain, Prussia and other external powers sought to restore the Ancien Régime by force, while many French politicians saw war as the best way to unite the nation and preserve the revolution by exporting it to other countries.
The next three years were dominated by the struggle for political control, exacerbated by economic depression and civil disorder. Austria, Britain, Prussia and other external powers sought to restore the Ancien Régime by force, while many French politicians saw war as the best way to unite the nation and preserve the revolution by exporting it to other countries.
These factors resulted in the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in April 1792, abolition of the French monarchy and proclamation of the French First Republic in September 1792, followed by the execution of Louis XVI in January 1793.
Following the Paris-based Insurrection of 31 May – 2 June 1793 the constitution was suspended and effective political power passed from the National Convention to the more radical Committee of Public Safety.
Following the Paris-based Insurrection of 31 May – 2 June 1793 the constitution was suspended and effective political power passed from the National Convention to the more radical Committee of Public Safety.
An estimated 16,000 "counter-revolutionaries" were executed during the subsequent Reign of Terror, which ended with the so-called Thermidorian Reaction in July 1794. Weakened by a combination of external threats and internal opposition, in November 1795 the Republic was replaced by the Directory. Four years later in November 1799, the Consulate seized power in a military coup led by Napoleon Bonaparte. This is generally seen as marking the end of the Revolutionary period.
What were the causes of the French Revolution?
The causes of the French Revolution are thought to be the following;
The bourgeoisie resented its exclusion from political power and positions of honour.
The peasants were acutely aware of their situation and were less and less willing to support the anachronistic and burdensome feudal system.
the philosophes had been read more widely in France than anywhere else.
French participation in the American Revolution had driven the government to the brink of bankruptcy.
France was the most populous country in Europe, and crop failures in much of the country in 1788, coming on top of a long period of economic difficulties, compounded existing restlessness.
the French monarchy, no longer seen as divinely ordained, was unable to adapt to the political and societal pressures that were being exerted on it.
What were the effects of the French Revolution?
Not only did it put an end to the feudal system, disband a kingdom and its monarchy, and establish civil laws and fairer representation of all peoples under governance, it also served to unify and strengthen France as a country and a people.
The French Revolution had many effects. It ended the monarchy in France and established democracy. It also caused other countries to declare war on France. Additionally, it led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon was a military general who became Emperor of France. He ruled as an absolute monarch and expanded the French Empire.
What were the causes of the French Revolution?
The causes of the French Revolution are thought to be the following;
The bourgeoisie resented its exclusion from political power and positions of honour.
The peasants were acutely aware of their situation and were less and less willing to support the anachronistic and burdensome feudal system.
the philosophes had been read more widely in France than anywhere else.
French participation in the American Revolution had driven the government to the brink of bankruptcy.
France was the most populous country in Europe, and crop failures in much of the country in 1788, coming on top of a long period of economic difficulties, compounded existing restlessness.
the French monarchy, no longer seen as divinely ordained, was unable to adapt to the political and societal pressures that were being exerted on it.
What were the effects of the French Revolution?
Not only did it put an end to the feudal system, disband a kingdom and its monarchy, and establish civil laws and fairer representation of all peoples under governance, it also served to unify and strengthen France as a country and a people.
The French Revolution had many effects. It ended the monarchy in France and established democracy. It also caused other countries to declare war on France. Additionally, it led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon was a military general who became Emperor of France. He ruled as an absolute monarch and expanded the French Empire.
The French Revolution was a time of great change for France. It led to the end of monarchy and the establishment of democracy. Additionally, it caused many other countries to declare war on France. The French Revolution was a time of great change for France. It led to the end of monarchy and the establishment of democracy.
The Bottom Line
Through the French Revolution we were able to understand how the French revolutionaries recognised that the principles of liberty and equality they had articulated posed fundamental questions about such issues as the status of women and the justification of slavery. In France, unlike the US, these questions were debated heatedly and openly.
The Bottom Line
Through the French Revolution we were able to understand how the French revolutionaries recognised that the principles of liberty and equality they had articulated posed fundamental questions about such issues as the status of women and the justification of slavery. In France, unlike the US, these questions were debated heatedly and openly.
Throughout their revolution, their legislators took more radical steps. They made a law redefining marriage and legalising divorce in 1792 granted women equal rights to sue for separation and child custody; by that time, women had formed their own political clubs, some were openly serving in the French army, and Olympe de Gouges’s eloquent ‘Declaration of the Rights of Woman’ had insisted that they should be allowed to vote and hold office. Women achieved so much influence in the streets of revolutionary Paris that they drove male legislators to try to outlaw their activities.
Written by - Vidita Sachdeva
Written by - Vidita Sachdeva
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