French Revolution Dbq Analysis

Revolutions by definition are forced, but can sometimes be welcomed, changed in society. The French Revolution changed France socially, politically, economically, and culturally. The Enlightenment inspired the French people to limit King Louis XIV’s power. After seeing how the French forcibly changed their country other countries around the world wanted to have the same results. Napoleon’s reign after the Revolution marks the part of failure the Revolution created, but his presence is felt throughout Europe and Asia. There were many reasons that the French Revolution started. One reason is the political was not the way people wanted it. The political government was beginning to weaken because of King Louis XVI and Queen Antoinette.
Queen Marie Antoinette was from Austria, France’s enemy. King Louis XVI married her to be able to symbolize the amending of the two countries. Marie Antoinette didn’t help with the governments low money issue; she used a lot of the money on extraneous hair styles. In Document 1, it states that King Louis XVI contributed to weakening the government by the way he ruled France, and also by helping support the American Revolution when they didn’t have a lot of resources already. This lead people to not follow the King and Queen, and rebel. During this time the first and second estate started to rule and control the third estate by making laws. Also, as shown in Document 2; the third estate had to pay the most taxes; however, the first estate had to pay no taxes, and the second estate had to pay little to no taxes. This later on lead to a big problem, which helped create the French Revolution. In Document 3 it helps support the idea that King Louis XIV contributed to the bankruptcy of France. This was proven by stating that there weren’t many resources for the third estate which the peasants weren’t happy about. The economy was impacted a lot, which helped lead to the French Revolution. By King Louis XIV giving resources to the American Revolution it further bankrupt France. This had the prices and taxes going up. The main source that everyone used was bread and flour, which went up due to the bad winter, and resources being sent to help the American Revolution. It didn’t help that the third estate was paying most of the taxes and the first and second estates didn’t pay anything. During the Revolution changes were made that were thought to change the economy, political, and government. One political change was that a constitutional monarchy was established during the French Revolution as part of the National Assembly. In Document 4 it also states that Feudalism was abolished, and that the Declaration of the Rights of Men and Citizen was adopted. In Document 5 it gives examples of the political changes that happened during the French Revolution. The Declaration of the Rights of Men and Citizen was attempted to be redefined by the individual and the government. One way this was attempted was by having men be free and have equal rights redefined. Another way that this happened was by not having anymore executions. Another political change was the Legislative Assembly. The Constitutional monarchy was undetermined. Also, the Mob forced the King to flee to the safety of the Legislative Assembly during the French Revolution, which then led to declaring war against Austria and Prussia. Another change is The First Republic and The Convention. France declared Republic in September 1792, and France was ruled by Committee of Public Safety. Radicals also overcame moderates. One of the last political changes between 1795 and 1799 was The Directory which had five directors that ruled as executives. The French Revolution made a big impact on not just Europe, but all over the world.
The Reign of Terror was a time when many people were getting executed by the guillotine for even the smallest of reasons. For example in Document 6 it talks about the impact that The Reign of Terror had on citizens in Paris in 1793. One thing is that it had people moving to the suburbs more because less people got executed from there because there were thought to be more hierarchies living out there. The Reign of Terror was led by Robespierre and the National Convention. He was thought to be protecting the French Revolution by creating this. After the French got rid of King Louis XIV and Queen Antoinette they had a leader from the Revolution become the monarch; his name was Napoleon. Another impact of the French Revolution and Napoleon’s reforms had on a nation outside France. The weakness of governments impacted the French Revolution and Napoleon’s reforms. Also, governments got overturned because people didn’t want an absolute monarchy. The French Revolution impacted not only France, but the rest of the world too. After the French Revolution, France resulted with the abolishment of serfdom, slavery, inherited privilege, and judicial torture. Also, some effects the French Revolution had outside of France, was realizing differences and revolutionizing the political tradition. As explained in Document 9 people used the French Revolution as a guiding of instruction on how to make their economy, social status, and freedom the way they
wanted. The French Revolution was both successful and unsuccessful. It was successful because after the French Revolution their laws, rules, and independency changed. This was good because they had more equality and more success than they did before. The French Revolution was also unsuccessful because they ended up with another monarch than doing what they were trying to do the whole time; get rid of an absolute monarchy. Even though they still had a monarchy the church was reformed and corrected. All things that went on during the French Revolution changed the whole world for what it could have been if King Louis XIV didn’t bankrupt France. The whole world took something away from the French Revolution weather it was laws, ideas, or the way they rebelled.