French Revolution Causes

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The French Revolution refers to a series of political and social changes that caused the French monarchy to be destroyed, and it was the beginning of a republican form of government in France. Its legacy lasted from 1789 to 1815. From its ashes, a republican government formed in the late 18th century. Many causes led to the French Revolution and caused a change in France’s government, but it also changed the way other nations governed their countries.
There are many reasons the French Revolution evolved, but it started out with a weak, vacillating king named Louis the 16th. He did not offer strong leadership abilities causing him to be taken advantage of during his reign. France also had war debts from recent wars. The French supported the …show more content…

During this period, these enlightenment thinkers caused the working class to reform oppressive governments because they had the right to go against the government. The people had a democracy, which was unheard of in France (the will of the people, a popular idea called the sovereignty of the people, and the equality of the people). These thinkers revolutionized this period. The middle and working classes became mad at the government and determined to revolt against the king and nobility (upper classes). The nobility had special rights and privileges such as hunting and fishing without a permit.
The great success of the American Revolution was a great success and inspired the French to have the same success revolution that they could do the same thing against the king to create a democratic government. His greatest weakness was his starvation for power, but this ended his life during his battles on the war …show more content…

Louis 16th is then stripped of all political powers. He was brought to trial, found guilty of treason, and then executed. The month after the king is beheaded, the convention declares war on Britain, Spain, and Holland. In response to these crises, the convention appoints an executive body called the committee of public safety. In fact, it became a dictatorial that ruled France for the next year. The committee of public safety then began a reign of terror. Maximilien Robespierre leads this reign of terror. He created a new religion called the cult of the Supreme Being. Robespierre was executed by a mob that stormed the convention. It was a group of people who didn’t like him and his great weakness was he made more enemies than friends. A new movement begins after the assassination called the thermiodorian reaction. The Thermidorian reaction stopped terror as it swept through France. The convention issued a new constitution called the directory. A rising French officer who was skilled in artillery was called to put the rebellion down, and his name was Napoleon

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