How The French Revolution Changed French Society
The French Revolution was a very important time in European history. It changed the French society forever. The French Revolution took place in 1789 with many events that had led up to the revolt. France was going through financial debt, and taxes were being raised significantly. (Sargent and Velde 474). During this time period, the social classes were split up into three groups, also known as Estates. The First Estate was the Clergy, the Second Estate included the nobility of France, and the Third Estate was made up of all the commoners (Berdine np). When the Estates were called to a meeting to discuss the debt going on throughout France, and the raising taxes, the Third Estate broke away from the First and Second, and formed the National Assembly (Sargent and Velde 475). When the National Assembly was formed it began the beginning of the French Revolution. The Third Estate, or the National Assembly, was a very important contribute to the French Revolution. Even though the Third Estate made up most of the population, those who were in it
…show more content…
were not treated fairly and with the same respect as the First and Second Estate. Although the Third Estate had little say in political views and arguments, even when they contained a big part of the French community, they were still a very important group in the French Revolution. This essay will talk about how the French revolution began and the events that took place, and the Third Estate, how significant they were and how they were treated.
In the year 1789, the French society was already experiencing inequality of rights between the social classes. The social ranking was split up between three Estates. The First Estate contained the clergy, the leaders of the church during this period. The Second Estate was made up of nobility, and people of higher class. Finally, the Third Estate contained all of the commoners and peasants, which had taken up a majority of the population (Berdine np). During this time the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. There was a widespread failure in crop production causing famine. Most workers had to spend 88 percent of their wages to afford one slice of bread because the food prices rose dramatically as a result of said famine (Greenspan np). Many of the commoners who did not have jobs ended up begging, scavenging, stealing or going into prostitution. Although most of the time, those who tried to survive in those ways still ended up starving because they were not able to obtain any food with such high taxes they were forced to pay, or they were put in jail for trying to steal food.
The King and Queen were not fit rulers as they did not care that most of the people in France were starving, as they kept the taxes raised to pay off their debt. Not only were the Third Estate being heavily taxed, but their living conditions were brutal as well. Many workers and their families had to live in attics shared by others, dirty tenements, and most of them rented from landlords. Rent was becoming expensive, along with taxes for food, which caused most workers to struggle with the little money they earned (Llewellyn and Thompson np). Although the rooms the workers and their families stayed in were supposed to hold six to ten people, it was fairly common for one room to hold twelve to fifteen people (Llewellyn and Thompson np). With so many people crammed in one room, it made living conditions uncomfortable and unhygienic. As it is shown, the third Estate was treated with very little respect, and did not get the same luxuries as the other Estates.
Much like the American Revolution, the tax system started conflict between the nobility and monarchy in France, as the taxes from Britain conflicted the American people. King Louis XVI had called the Estates to a meeting to discuss the taxing system. “On the verge of a complete financial collapse, the government of Louis XVI (r. 1774-1792) was finally forced to call a meeting of the Estates-General, the French parliamentary body that had not met since 1614” (Berdine np). When King Louis XVI called for all the Estates to meet and discuss the financial debt going on in their country, it had caused the Third Estate to break off and go against the other Estates. On June 17, 1789 the Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly (Berdine np). The Third Estate had no legal right to acts as the National assembly, which made it the first step in the French Revolution (Berdine np). King Louis XVI sided with the First Estate declaring in favor of voting by order, and threatened to dissolve the estates general using force. Commoners of the Third Estate met on the Jeu de Paume, an indoor tennis court when they found that the meeting hall was locked, on June 20, 1789 (Greenspan np). Those who were there took a historical oath not to disperse until a new constitution had been made (Greenspan np). Eventually, many noble and clergymen switched over and joined the National Assembly (Greenspan np).
July 14, 1789 is a date that will forever be remembered in French history. On this day the citizens of the Third Estate revolted against the First Estate as well as the King and Queen by storming a prison in Paris known as the Bastille. The Bastille began as a fortress built in the late 1300s to house troops that would protect the eastern flanks of Paris from the English during the Hundreds Years War (Llewellyn and Thompson np). By the time Louis XVI came to throne, the fortress had become a royal prison (Llewellyn and Thompson np). The The Bastille held thousands of prisoners for many years in terrible conditions, and many of whom were in the Third Estate. But by the time of the French Revolution, there were not many prisoners being held inside of the Bastille yet it still stood as a symbol of royal absolutism. After multiple attempts to break into the Bastille, the revolutionaries were able to get inside and let down the drawbridge allowing the crowds of people to disperse within (Llewellyn and Thompson np). The governor at the time, De Launay, surrendered the fortress and was arrested along with his soldiers, and released the little prisoners they had held in the Bastille. “Hearing that the Bastille had fallen, Louis XVI asked the duke de La Rochefoucauld: “So, is there a rebellion?” To which the duke retorted: “No, Sire, a revolution!”” (Platon np). The falling of the Bastille was a significant event in European history, that the French will always remember to this day. This big event that took place during the French Revolution had multiple outcomes involved, the most important being the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
On August 26, 1789 The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was approved by the National Assembly.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen is one of the basic liberties that was a result of the French Revolution. The National Assembly had put together the seventeen articles contained in the declaration (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica np). The first article in the declaration states, “1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good” (Declaration of the Rights of Man - 1789 np). This article is significant because it states how all people should be free and have equal rights. The Third Estate was never granted equal rights until this declaration was passed. As stated previously, the Third Estate did not have the same rights as the First and Second Estate being as they had to pay incredibly high taxes, unlike the First and
Second.
The French Revolution will never be forgotten, and will always be a significant part of European history. After the Revolution it changed and shaped the French society. France had split up the social rankings into three Estates, the First Estate, the Second Estate, and the Third Estate. The Third Estate was the lowest class, containing comonomers, workers, and peasants. It made up more than half of the French community. Although it was the largest Estate, they still did not obtain any power compared to the First and Second Estate. During this time period famine was happening which caused the prices of food to raise. Taxes were also incredibly high, to pay off debt going on in France. Workers had to use almost all of their money to pay off their taxes, which caused many of them to starve for not having enough money to pay for their food. The Third Estate was the only Estate that had to pay these taxes, and live such harsh lifestyles. They were forced to shared rooms with multiple families because they could not afford their own room, let alone a house. The Third Estate was called to discuss the issue of the tax system, which had caused the Third Estate to name themselves the National Assembly. When this happened, the King was against it and ready to use force, but instead, the National Assembly made an oath not to disperse until a new constitution was made. Those who were in the Third Estate went to Bastille and attacked. This significant event let to the writing up of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. This document was made by the National Assembly and stated that all men should be free and have equal rights. As it was shown, the Third Estate was not treated fairly, but was a very important part of the French Revolution.
were not treated fairly and with the same respect as the First and Second Estate. Although the Third Estate had little say in political views and arguments, even when they contained a big part of the French community, they were still a very important group in the French Revolution. This essay will talk about how the French revolution began and the events that took place, and the Third Estate, how significant they were and how they were treated.
In the year 1789, the French society was already experiencing inequality of rights between the social classes. The social ranking was split up between three Estates. The First Estate contained the clergy, the leaders of the church during this period. The Second Estate was made up of nobility, and people of higher class. Finally, the Third Estate contained all of the commoners and peasants, which had taken up a majority of the population (Berdine np). During this time the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. There was a widespread failure in crop production causing famine. Most workers had to spend 88 percent of their wages to afford one slice of bread because the food prices rose dramatically as a result of said famine (Greenspan np). Many of the commoners who did not have jobs ended up begging, scavenging, stealing or going into prostitution. Although most of the time, those who tried to survive in those ways still ended up starving because they were not able to obtain any food with such high taxes they were forced to pay, or they were put in jail for trying to steal food.
The King and Queen were not fit rulers as they did not care that most of the people in France were starving, as they kept the taxes raised to pay off their debt. Not only were the Third Estate being heavily taxed, but their living conditions were brutal as well. Many workers and their families had to live in attics shared by others, dirty tenements, and most of them rented from landlords. Rent was becoming expensive, along with taxes for food, which caused most workers to struggle with the little money they earned (Llewellyn and Thompson np). Although the rooms the workers and their families stayed in were supposed to hold six to ten people, it was fairly common for one room to hold twelve to fifteen people (Llewellyn and Thompson np). With so many people crammed in one room, it made living conditions uncomfortable and unhygienic. As it is shown, the third Estate was treated with very little respect, and did not get the same luxuries as the other Estates.
Much like the American Revolution, the tax system started conflict between the nobility and monarchy in France, as the taxes from Britain conflicted the American people. King Louis XVI had called the Estates to a meeting to discuss the taxing system. “On the verge of a complete financial collapse, the government of Louis XVI (r. 1774-1792) was finally forced to call a meeting of the Estates-General, the French parliamentary body that had not met since 1614” (Berdine np). When King Louis XVI called for all the Estates to meet and discuss the financial debt going on in their country, it had caused the Third Estate to break off and go against the other Estates. On June 17, 1789 the Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly (Berdine np). The Third Estate had no legal right to acts as the National assembly, which made it the first step in the French Revolution (Berdine np). King Louis XVI sided with the First Estate declaring in favor of voting by order, and threatened to dissolve the estates general using force. Commoners of the Third Estate met on the Jeu de Paume, an indoor tennis court when they found that the meeting hall was locked, on June 20, 1789 (Greenspan np). Those who were there took a historical oath not to disperse until a new constitution had been made (Greenspan np). Eventually, many noble and clergymen switched over and joined the National Assembly (Greenspan np).
July 14, 1789 is a date that will forever be remembered in French history. On this day the citizens of the Third Estate revolted against the First Estate as well as the King and Queen by storming a prison in Paris known as the Bastille. The Bastille began as a fortress built in the late 1300s to house troops that would protect the eastern flanks of Paris from the English during the Hundreds Years War (Llewellyn and Thompson np). By the time Louis XVI came to throne, the fortress had become a royal prison (Llewellyn and Thompson np). The The Bastille held thousands of prisoners for many years in terrible conditions, and many of whom were in the Third Estate. But by the time of the French Revolution, there were not many prisoners being held inside of the Bastille yet it still stood as a symbol of royal absolutism. After multiple attempts to break into the Bastille, the revolutionaries were able to get inside and let down the drawbridge allowing the crowds of people to disperse within (Llewellyn and Thompson np). The governor at the time, De Launay, surrendered the fortress and was arrested along with his soldiers, and released the little prisoners they had held in the Bastille. “Hearing that the Bastille had fallen, Louis XVI asked the duke de La Rochefoucauld: “So, is there a rebellion?” To which the duke retorted: “No, Sire, a revolution!”” (Platon np). The falling of the Bastille was a significant event in European history, that the French will always remember to this day. This big event that took place during the French Revolution had multiple outcomes involved, the most important being the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
On August 26, 1789 The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was approved by the National Assembly.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen is one of the basic liberties that was a result of the French Revolution. The National Assembly had put together the seventeen articles contained in the declaration (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica np). The first article in the declaration states, “1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good” (Declaration of the Rights of Man - 1789 np). This article is significant because it states how all people should be free and have equal rights. The Third Estate was never granted equal rights until this declaration was passed. As stated previously, the Third Estate did not have the same rights as the First and Second Estate being as they had to pay incredibly high taxes, unlike the First and
Second.
The French Revolution will never be forgotten, and will always be a significant part of European history. After the Revolution it changed and shaped the French society. France had split up the social rankings into three Estates, the First Estate, the Second Estate, and the Third Estate. The Third Estate was the lowest class, containing comonomers, workers, and peasants. It made up more than half of the French community. Although it was the largest Estate, they still did not obtain any power compared to the First and Second Estate. During this time period famine was happening which caused the prices of food to raise. Taxes were also incredibly high, to pay off debt going on in France. Workers had to use almost all of their money to pay off their taxes, which caused many of them to starve for not having enough money to pay for their food. The Third Estate was the only Estate that had to pay these taxes, and live such harsh lifestyles. They were forced to shared rooms with multiple families because they could not afford their own room, let alone a house. The Third Estate was called to discuss the issue of the tax system, which had caused the Third Estate to name themselves the National Assembly. When this happened, the King was against it and ready to use force, but instead, the National Assembly made an oath not to disperse until a new constitution was made. Those who were in the Third Estate went to Bastille and attacked. This significant event let to the writing up of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. This document was made by the National Assembly and stated that all men should be free and have equal rights. As it was shown, the Third Estate was not treated fairly, but was a very important part of the French Revolution.