THE
ENLIGHTENMENT
The Age of Enlightenment was
mainly brought about by thinkers
who brought the individualistic
ideals to light. In England, it was
John Locke (left) and Thomas
Hobbes. In Scotland, it was
David Hume and Adam Smith.
And in France, it was Baron de
Montesquieu, Denis Diderot,
Voltaire, Jean- Jacques
Rousseau. All of these men
brought about ideals that in
some way, affected how the
French viewed their government.
The emerging of these new political ideals lead the use of John
Locke and Montesquieu’s, a Frenchman himself, plans to be
utilized in the creation of the US Constitution and the Declaration of
Independence. Soon, revolution broke out in the British colonies of
North America against England, a revolution more commonly
known as the American Revolution. As the French people watched
from across the pond, the idea of a rebellion sparked in their
minds as the people of America served as their example. Their
thoughts dwelt on change, on equality for the lower class, and it
soon turned to action.
In 1789, the Estates General
came together to discuss
France’s financial burden.
Because Britain and France
had been enemies for
centuries, France gave
America its support through
donated funds, hoping to see
Britain fall. However, this act
drained France’s treasury and
left the country in debt, with
taxes mainly being levied on
the Third Estate, or the lower
and middle class citizens. The
Third Estate demanding better
representation, and in turn the
National Assembly was
created. However, there was much backlash and
the representatives of Third Estate vowed that they
would bring about change in the country. The
National Assembly was recognized by the king but
people feared it would be put out. This caused
people to break out in fear. This was the start of the
French Revolution.
MAJOR
As this new Assembly passed harsh
and unfair laws on all of France,
other European countries took
notice of the havoc and tensions
rose. A war between France and
Austria was soon approaching, all
whilst the French continued to
invade other nations. All of this war
was taxing on France, however, and
as a result the Committee of Public
Safety was conceived. Soon, a man
named Maximilien Robespierre
came to rule the Committee and with
him came a time period called the
Reign of Terror.
Before becoming the leader to the
Committee of Public Safety, Maximilien
Robespierre was a part of a radical and
ruthless group called the Jacobins, who
despised the monarchy and fought and
destroyed all those citizens agreeing
with it. In 1793 the Jacobins took over
the government, and Robespierre
became head of the Committee.
THE
EVENTS
The Reign of Terror, carried out by
the guillotine, was a period of time
in the French Revolution where
Robespierre of the Committee
executed people from all different
social classes, nobles and the
wealthy, and the poor who dare
speak of their disapproval of the
revolution. King Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette were both
executed as commoners, and
eventually Robespierre and his
followers were condemned to the
guillotine. After this though, the
Directory replaced the National
Assembly and a Treaty was signed
between all warring countries.
FRENCH
THE
EFFECTS
Napoleon Bonaparte got his
start through rising to become
an incredibly successful French
officer. Conspiring with two of
the five members of the
Directory, Napoleon formed a
three person Consulate, naming
himself First Consul before
naming himself Consul for Life in
1802. Napoleon is the biggest
outcome of the French
Revolution. France was
struggling with corruption in the
Directory and he came along
and fixed things, bringing new
hope to French government. He soon declared himself Emperor
and with this came his ideas of
conquering all of Europe.
Eventually he got a grip on
Europe, but it weakened with his
campaign to conquer Russia
failing miserably, and he
ultimately fell from power and
was exiled.
After Napoleon lost his hold over Europe, the creation of the
Concert of Europe (above) took place as a result. It supported
the legitimate governments of Europe, including Austria,
Britain, Russia, and Prussia, and enforced the constant
protection of all. The creation of this group would be the first
effort of many of countries striving to accomplish global peace.
Other effects of the French Revolution would be the execution
of Louis XVI, a huge deal in France, and his wife Marie
Antoinette, and the devastating financial burden all of
Napoleon’s warring put on the country, leaving them in
tremendous debt and citizens starving.
REVOLUTION