French Revolution P 2735 Harvey example essay topic

The thesis of this study is how society was during the French Revolution from 1789 to 1799. French Revolution during this time went through significant changes from the beginning when society was run by the wealthy class and being undemocratic and changed to being a democratic state. From 1789 to 1799, the French Revolution was a "cataclysmic political and 1 social upheaval". French society was going though a hard period in France that was the French Revolution. "Recent scholars tends to downplay the social class struggle and emphasize political, cultural, ideological, and personality factors in 2 the advent and unfolding of the conflict". The French Revolution was caused by the unhappiness of peasants being taxed by the ruling classes of nobility, clergy, and bourgeoisie.

In addition to being taxed, the high prices of food made many people revolt against the ruling class. The peasant women who bought the food really revolted against the high prices. The French Revolution's riots started on July 12th, and on July 14th, the storming of the Bastille (royal prison that symbolized the despotism of the Bourbons) because of the provocative acts of Louis XXVI. Suspicions also grew around Marie Antoinette that she was in constant communication with her brother Leopold II, the Holy Roman emperor. Because of popular suspicions regarding the queen's activities and the complicity of the king, the royal family was apprehended on June 21 at Varennes while attempting to escape from France. This study will also include the period when public executions was out of hand.

This well-known period in history was called the Reign of Terror. During 1 Harvey. French Revolution. CD-ROM 2 Davis.

Social Rebellion in French History. p. 9. this time, society was thought to be in control but went out of hand with the daily executions of nobles, members of the clergy, and rebels. On May 5, 1789, the Estates General were to meet at Versailles. "There was tremendous excitement about that meeting as hopes for change arose from 3 all sides". The delegations representing the privileged strata of French society immediately challenged the third-estate caucus by rejecting its procedural proposals on methods of voting. The proposals were designed to establish a system of simple majority rule, thereby ensuring domination of the Estates-General by the third estate. The deadlock on procedure persisted for six weeks, but finally on July 17, the insurgent caucus led by Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes and Honore Gabriel Riquet i proclaimed itself the National Assembly.

The National Assembly was made up of "class of active citizens, indeed, comprises 4 about all the men who labour with their hands or with their heads."This showing of defiance toward the royal government, which had given its support to the clergy and nobility, was followed by the passage of a measure vesting the 5 National assembly with sole power to legislate taxation". In retaliation, Louis deprived the National Assembly of its meeting hall. The National Assembly responded on June 20, gathering at a Versailles tennis court and swearing a oath called the Tennis Court Oath, that it will not dissolve until it had drafted a 3 Woodberry Forest School. French Revolution. America Online Webpage 4 Taine.

The French Revolution. p. 2735 Harvey. French Revolution. CD-ROM constitution for France. At this event, serious divisions split the ranks of the upper two estates, and numerous representatives of the lower clergy and a number of liberal nobles broke off to join forces with the National Assembly. Continued defiance of royal decrees forced the king to capitulate. On June 27 he ordered the refractory nobility and clergy to join the unicameral legislature.

The people of Paris reacted on July 12 by rioting. On July 14, the people stormed the Bastille that symbolizes the despotism of the Bourbons. Taxation, high food prices, and unfair treatment from the ruling class towards the peasants also contributed to the rioting. "Even before the Parisian outburst. violence, sporadic local disturbances, and peasant uprisings against oppressive nobles occurred in 6 many parts of France".

The Parisian bourgeoisie reacted by hastily establishing a provisional local government and organized a people's militia called the National Guard. It was soon spread throughout the nation. "It seemed that the only way 7 for the people to change things was by rioting". Unable to hold back the rising tides of revolt, Louis XVI withdrew his troops and was forced into accepting the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

"Though, the bitterest struggle in France was still between the peasant proprietors and the possessors 8 of seigneurial rights". Suspicions grew around Marie Antoinette. She was in constant communication with her brother, the Holy Roman emperor Leopold II who was 6 Johnson. French Revolution. pp. 27-28.7 Seles. The Eighteenth Century. p. 197.8 Cobban. A History of Modern France. p. 155. against the revolution.

With the suspicions around Antoinette and the king's complicity, on June 21 the royal family was captured at Varennes while attempting to escape from France. The Reign of Terror, the most difficult time in France, that took place from April 1793 to July 1794. The Committee of Public Safety was established as the executive organ of the republic. They were to supervise local executions of the laws and to requisition men and munitions.

Daily executions in Paris during that time totaled up to 2,639 people. "Most people convicted during that time seemed 9 to belong to the lower middle and working class". Even Marie Antoinette was executed along with 21 prominent Girondists. The Committee of Public Safety led by Robespierre strive to create the "Republic of Virtue", which would soon close all churches in France and began a revolutionary religion called "Cult of Reason". Initiated at the insistence of the radical leader Pierre Gaspar d Chalmette and his extremist colleagues (among them Hebert), this act accentuated growing differences between the centrist Jacobins, led by Robespierre, and the fanatical Hebertists, a powerful force in the convention and in the Parisian government. Power struggle grew between the Committee of Public Safety and the extreme group surrounding Hebert was resolved with the execution of the Hebertists.

"It is said that the Committee of Public safety are results of a ruthless struggle for survival of the fittest in the internecine 10 warfare of revolutionary publics". 9 Fisher. Six Summers in Paris 1789-1794., p. 196.10 Cobban. A History of Modern France. p. 216. After the Reign of Terror, Napoleon came to power. "France has become 11 more democratic with Napoleon's new laws".

The Revolution also destroyed the feudal privileges of nobles. In addition, there were more landowners and there was more social reforms like eliminating imprisonment for debt, introducing the metric system, and abolishing the rule of primogeniture in the inheritance of the land. Education was being more developed with the establishment of the University of France and Institut de France. Teaching appointments, based on competitive examinations, were opened to all citizens regardless of birth or wealth. The Napoleonic Code became the law of France that would be equality before the law, right of habeas corpus, and provisions of a fair trial. Trial procedure provided for a board of judges and a jury for criminal cases; and accused person was considered innocent until proven guilty and was guaranteed counsel.

The Revolution also played an important role in was freedom of religion. France allowed practice of any religion they chose. "Even a cult of "Theophilanthropes", a philosophical doctrine which Laveveillere-Le peaux had 12 attempt to make a sort of a official religion under the Directory". What still did not change was "distinctions between the rich and poor nobility were, of course, far 13 sharper still".

Society changed very dramatically for France during the French 11 Harvey. French Revoltuion. CD-ROM 12 Robiquet. Daily Life in France During the French Revolution. p. 42.13 Hibbert. The Days of the French Revolution. p. 33. Revolution.

At the beginning, ruling class would have all the say and could treat the people under them any way they want. They also imposed unfair taxes on peasants and raised food prices higher. So people under the ruling class knew that things had to changed. Most riots were led by women because they are the one that buys the food; stormed the Bastille and cause a scare toward the Bourgeoisie and other ruling classes. That would single the start of the French Revolution. Going through the Reign of Terror for the people of France was horrifying.

The "Republic of Virtue" which that they assure the country the welfare of each individual enjoys, with pride and the prosperity, and glory of the country. In my opinion, it was forcing people into Nationalism. If the Committee of Public Safety suspected of someone being a traitor to their country will be executed immediately. In addition, people were also executed for little crimes that would result in masses of people executed. Totaling from people that were executed in France was 17,000 people.

Of all of them that were executed, 70 percent of peasants were executed for committing any kind of crime. Although the Reign of Terror was something the Revolution does not want to remember, it also brought in a better France at the end. Led by Napoleon Bonaparte, France became a more democratic society especially with the law called the Napoleonic Code. It allowed freedom of speech and also freedom of religion. It opened up doors to education and they also used the metric system would unite the people of France even more. "The more intangible results of the 14 Revolution were embodied in its watchwords, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity".

" These ideals became the platform of liberal reforms in France and Europe in the 19th century and remains a password of democracy in the present-day. 14 Harvey. French Revolution. CD-ROM

Bibliography

Cobban, Alfred. A History of Modern France. New York: George Brazil ler, Inc., 1965.
Davis, Alan. Social Rebellion During the French Revolution. New York: TheMacmillion Company, 1972.
Fisher, John. Six Summers in Paris, 1789-1794. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1966.
Harvey, Ronald B. "French Revolution" Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia., Funk & Wagnalls Corporation. Hibbert, Christopher. The Days of the French Revolution. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1980.
Johnson, Ray S. French Revolution. New York: Hough lin Company, Inc., 1979 Robiquet, Jean.
Daily Life in France During the French Revolution. New York: The Mac million Company, 1963.
Seles, Ronnie B. "Social Life During Wars" Time. April, 1993.
pp. 399-400 Stenson, Don A., and Bernier, Ronald. Society and the French Rebellion. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1985.
Taines, Hippolyte A., The French Revolution., vol. 1. Gloucester, Mass: Peter Smith, 1962.