Historical
History plays a major role in the French revolution. The main event that sparked the French revolution would be the storming and destruction of the Bastille. The Bastille was a prison in Paris that the king used as a place to put people that spoke out against him or disagreed with him. On July 14, 1789 ordinary citizens of France took over control of the prison. This became a symbol of nationalism for the country. It showed the nation coming together as one, under one train of thought, and speaking up for themselves and showing the monarchy what it is that they wanted. They wanted to show the monarchs and the privileged estates that the third estate had voices as well. The takeover of the Bastille is now celebrated as a national holiday in France and it reminds the people of France about all the difficulties the people went through just so they could get to where they are today.
This is where the estates come in, the first and second estate were privileged meaning they owned most of the land, collected special feudal dues from the peasants. The first and second estate also owned the best positions in the government, army, they enjoyed special treatments before the law while the third estate was the unprivileged class. Before the revolution the third estates opinion and voice was silenced, they did not have a say in anything involving the monarch. The third estate always wanted the abolition of the special privileged, and finally they got it. The abolition of special privileged, declaration of rights of men, financial measures.. So the church lands were used to back new paper currency called assignats , church land was broken apart and sold to peasants for low costs, reforms of local government, constitution of 1791.. was a constitution for a limited monarchy, kings power was limited, and nation assembly makes laws, and religious measures.. civil constitution of the clergy, made catholic clergy, paid government civil servants and said that the church will be Frances National church.
Geographic
The geography of France played a role in the French revolution. The winter was cold and bitter and the summers were dry. There was starving people everywhere in the 3rd estate, while the top two estates were living lavishly. Since the summers were dry with barely any rain there was no way to grow crops to feed the people. The geography made it basically impossible.
The monarch made and enforced all the laws, censored speech and press, levied taxed and dispensed justice. The end of the monarch was caused as the prussian and austrian armies were moved towards paris. After tons of riots and mishalves the king was accused of being in communication of the enemy and thus somehow it was ended. The political veiws also changed dramatically after the beheading of the king and queen. France was in bankrupcty before the revolution all because of Louis XVI spending to much money on himself and while doing so also refused to tax the privelged class. The liberty was changed to freedom for all people and equality of all persons before the law.
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