The French Revolution

The French Revolution brought new ideas of nationalism in France. It is important to consider that the revolution led to many differences of how the government should take control. The French Revolution led to many changes in France such as the development of new political systems like democracy and republic. For many years there were several factors leading up to the civil war in France. Before the French Revolution, there were three social classes in France. The lowest class lived in poverty and made up most of France's population. They also had to pay the most taxes rather than the upper class. The Third Estate finally had enough of the mistreatment by the government so they revolted. Since the lower class refused to pay taxes, King Louis XVI taxed the upper class but they refused to pay. This led to King Louis XVI meeting with the Estates General. The four major events that engaged the French Revolution were: the Estates General, National Assembly, National Convention, and the Directory.

On May 5, 1789, the Estates General opened in Versailles. On June 17, 1789, there was conflict over whether or not vote should take place by Estate or a head. Since the Third Estate had more delegates they wanted the vote to be by head and not one vote from each Estate. This made it fair for the Third Estate, because the First and Second Estates would always vote the same out numbering the Third Estate.

After the Third Estate was locked out they went to the tennis court and declared themselves a National Assembly. On July 14, 1789, a group of Parisians stormed and destroyed The Bastille on August 4, 1789. The National Assembly created the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, a bill of rights which guarantee that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights." On October 5, 1789, a large number of women, mostly Parisians, marched to Versailles to seize the king. They succeeded in bringing the king and his family back to Paris where King Louis XVI agreed to accept his position as an executive in a constitutional monarchy.

King Louis XVI and his family tried to escape Paris on June 20, 1791, but they were recognized and arrested in Varennes. The king was brought back to Paris where he was set on trial for crimes against the people. On January 21, 1793, the National Convention found King Louis XVI guilty of the crimes and was ordered to death. After the death of King Louis XVI, Maximilien Robespierre, head of the Jacobin Club, gained control of the National Convention. He took control of the country and attempted to control it by regulating the economy by price control and allowing tribunals. Robespierre established a democratic constitution based on male suffrage that promised rights to education and subsistence. However, the Convention suspended it and formed the Committee of Public Safety of twelve members. The Committee of Public Safety was responsible for two tasks: to secure the Republic against