Whether you are a world history researcher or a student searching for some facts, this article will help you by giving a brief description to the question what was the French revolution. Studying the world history would be of much greater significance to a student or a researcher or any other enthusiast searching for it for academic purposes than to an average person who might just check up some history task on the internet for fun than beaten by kids these days. However, you may not fall into the category mentioned above, but you have come to the correct spot. This articles endeavours to explore what the French Revolution was and to begin with the French Revolution was a time in history where a lot of drastic changes occurred.
French Revolution: Definition
The French Revolution was a revolutionary upheaval erupted in France from 1789 to 1799. It ended by putting an end to the existing system of monarchy in the country and when Napoleon Bonaparte became the famous dictator he was and executed King Louis XVI. French Revolution too was, just like American Revolution, a way of the public seeking power instead of letting a king rule at his own will and pace.
Causes of the French Revolution
There were countless causes that led up to the outbreak of French Revolution. Mostly, a number of economic issues in France paved way to the revolution. France had been supporting America in defeating Great Britain in the American Revolution and this continuous support cost France many things and put it in huge debts. High prices of food such as bread were unaffordable to many average people in France and their hunger cause many problems such as malnutrition and antipathy against the French monarch. Also, with the Roman Catholic Church that owned many lands in the country imposing a huge tax on crops, the poor and the hungriest needy people got hurt and outraged. Also, the fact that many people disliked the royalty and nobility (known as The Enlightenment) also was another reason for the French Revolution as they sought more freedom in a people’s government.
Timeline of French Revolution
A series of significant events made up the chronology of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1799. They are briefly listed as follows:
• Throughout the era:
– The ideals of The Enlightenment censured the absolute monarchy prevailed at the time and espoused socialist, nationalist, democratic, and nationalist ideals.
– Decadence of the French nobility and rising up of the French bourgeoisie.
– Debt situation and increases of taxation were compounded by wars.
– Lack of food and market manipulations.
• 1774- 1785: Ascension of Louis XVI amid Financial Crisis.
• 1786- May 1789: Assembly of Notables.
• May 1789- 1791: Estates-General and Constituent Assembly.
• October 1791- September 1792: Legislative Assembly.
• September 1792- 1795: National Convention.
• November 1795- 1799: The Directory.
Effects of the French Revolution
The French Revolution, although it looked as if a failure in 1799 and was annulled by 1815, had across-the-board results. One of the main effects was that in France the bourgeois and landowning classes emerged as the dominant and powerful class. Feudalism came to extinction and the French Revolution unified France and enhanced the power of the national state.
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