French Revolution Of 1789 example essay topic

One of the most well known revolutions of all time is the French Revolution of 1789. It "affected all of Europe and left marks on the Middle East, India, North and South America, and other parts of the globe that Europeans explored, colonized, and exploited". (French 1) The best theory of how it started is that the Revolution of 1789 came from a political crisis that brought upon an economic breakdown. But one of the most critical reasons why this revolution took place was the people who were associated with it. The king at the time of the revolution was Louis XVI. His support of the American Revolution drained France into a financial and economic crisis and encouraged the desire for liberty in his own country.

But he wasn't interested in solving the country's problems, and was unable to accept a new constitutional monarchy. His unsuitability to rule was proved when he attempted to flee the country in 1791. "When the National Convention declared France a republic in 1792, Louis ceased to be king". (Profiles 1) He was tried, Found guilty of treason from conspiring with Austria against the revolutionary government, and was later guillotined on January 21, 1793. Marie Antoinette, queen of France "plotted against the revolutionary government and provided military secrets to her brother, Leopold II of Austria". (Profiles 2) She was tried for her actions and guillotined on October 16, 1793.

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the most brilliant military strategists of the French Revolutionary Wars. His victories over the Austrians and the British made him a hero. After his Coup d'Etat of 18 Brumaire in 1799, Napoleon ruled France as first consul from 1799-1804 and later as emperor from 1804-1815. The Political crisis started with a financial failure that forced to make plans to reform and new taxes that would harm the interests of many people. To out do aristocratic resistance to this reform program, the government tried to get it helped by an "Assembly of Notables". But showing the Notables how the money was used made the Notables rethink their stands and the hostility of the aristocracy continued.

Then the government tried to make new taxes but the people didn't let them or didn't pay. Later France adopted a new constitution for the people and not the states and they were now of democratic principle. This didn't last long though because an economic disaster crippled the government. The rise in population gave landlords the opportunity to double their prices, leaving many people homeless or poor. The French textile industry, which employed over a million people, was doing poorly due to competition from the Spanish, German, and Italian textile industries. Then The French fell into a massive depression when British textiles were admitted to France practically without duty.

Because the British textiles were cheaper and overall better than French textiles, they monopolies the market and caused widespread unemployment. Spinners and weavers, and many country people, became unemployed in towns, which were centers of violence and disorder in 1789. "The Revolution became a search for a political order that would reconcile the conflicting needs of the individual, the nation, and the state". (French 5) The Revolution went through several phases. The first, which was from 1789 1792, was connected with constitutional monarchy which was for the rights of man and liberty, and the second (1792 1795) was with militant democratic republicanism. The third from 1795 1799 was an effort to retreat to moderate republicanism, and The fourth (1799 1814) made a product of dictatorship, disguised first as a democracy and later as an imperial state that in theory was sanctioned by the people.

The revolution upset most of all Europe and eventually led to war. On April 20th 1792, the French Legislative Assembly charged Austria with plotting aggression and declared war, starting the first 'War of the Peoples' in the modern world. This was followed by a French invasion of the Austrian Netherlands and two months later the King of Prussia joined Austria in the struggle against France. The French Forces were quickly overcome by the Austrian Forces in Belgium and were driven back into France. The Duke of Brunswick that issued a manifesto saying that Paris would be burnt to the ground if the Royal family were hurt. This infuriated the people as it gave the impression that they had collaborated with the invading Armies.

This turned the balance in Paris towards the radicals. This saw the replacement of the bourgeoisie dominated Paris Commune and saw it replaced with a radical dominated Commune. This lead to the invasion of the Tuileries by Georges Danton and his supporters. On the 10th of August a crowd of 10 000 invaded the Tuileries and killed the Swiss Guard. Louis XVI escaped and asked for the protection of the Legislative Assembly.

They suspended him as monarch and locked him and his family in a prison known as the tower. This went against the Constitution and it saw the end of the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly had remained a futile body and it had failed to achieve any of its aims to keep order. This saw the establishment of a new government called the National Convention. This new convention was to be elected by universal suffrage. Danton's organizing men and labourers supplied the army with men and weapons.

This enabled Dumourier to defeat Brunswick at Valmy. It was on the 21st of September that the Republic was proclaimed.