The Enlightenment's Influence and the Causes of the French Revolution

The French Revolution was deeply influenced by Enlightenment ideas, which challenged traditional authority and promoted concepts of individual rights and equality. This intellectual movement played a crucial role in shaping the revolutionary mindset.

How did the Enlightenment influence the French Revolution? The Enlightenment:

• Promoted opposition to absolute rulers
• Encouraged resentment towards the corrupt French Catholic Church
• Fostered a desire for rights, freedom, and equality

Quote: "All men are free & equal before the law" - This principle, derived from Enlightenment thinking, became a cornerstone of revolutionary ideology.

5 causes of the French Revolution included:

1. Unequal taxation system
2. Government debts and overspending
3. Famine and starvation
4. Influence of the Enlightenment
5. Social inequality represented by the Estates system

Highlight: The Third Estate, comprising 75-85% of the population, bore the brunt of taxation while the clergy and nobility were largely exempt.

The French Revolution timeline began with the formation of the National Assembly in 1789, which voted to abolish all privileges and issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

Example: The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, marked a turning point in the revolution, as citizens sought food and supplies but ended up killing the guards when they found nothing.

When did the French Revolution start and end? The revolution began in 1789 with the formation of the National Assembly and is generally considered to have ended in 1799 with Napoleon's coup d'état, though some extend it to include Napoleon's rule until 1815.

The French Revolution and Napoleon: Causes, Stages, and Impact

The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France that began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. This pivotal event in European history was influenced by Enlightenment ideas and had far-reaching consequences.

Why did the French Revolution start? The revolution was triggered by a combination of factors:

1. Unequal taxation system
2. Financial crisis and government debt
3. Food shortages and high bread prices
4. Influence of Enlightenment ideas

The French Revolution timeline can be divided into five main stages:

1. The National Assembly (1789-1791)
2. Legislative Assembly and War (1791-1792)
3. National Convention and Reign of Terror (1792-1795)
4. The Directory (1795-1799)
5. Napoleon's Dictatorship (1799-1815)

Highlight: The revolution began with the formation of the National Assembly by the Third Estate, challenging the existing power structure.

Vocabulary: The "Estates" referred to the three main social classes in pre-revolutionary France: clergy (First Estate), nobility (Second Estate), and commoners (Third Estate).

Who led the French Revolution? Various figures played crucial roles at different stages, including members of the Third Estate, Maximilien Robespierre during the Reign of Terror, and eventually Napoleon Bonaparte.

Example: The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, became a symbolic act of revolution against the monarchy.

Effects of the French Revolution included:

• Abolition of the monarchy and feudal system
• Establishment of a republic
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
• Reforms in law, education, and administration

Definition: The "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" was a fundamental document of the French Revolution that defined the individual and collective rights of all estates of the realm as universal.