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The Declaration Of The Rights Of Man And Citizen

Decent Essays

In a time of courage, chaos, and war, the people of France struggled to establish what it is they wanted as a people and a nation. The people of France created four different versions of a Constitution, stating the rights of man as well as the duty of government. The four different Constitutions written during the French Revolution seem to be similar although, the emphasis on different declarations expresses the highest concerns of the time. The “Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen” was created on August 26,1789, the year France declared rule to the people. An idea that seemed to be prominent in this constitution is the right to a trial. Previously a Monarch could execute whomever he or she wished. Examples of these declarations were stated in seven and nine of the constitution. It shows the importance of a persons right to be able to plead, “not guilty” to a crime they may have not committed. A second point that seemed of importance in this constitution is the freedom of speech and writing. Prior to the revolution coffee houses were the hubs of conversation and writing. Although, often times the French government would send spies and have strict laws on the content spoken about or written (Standage p.168). This first constitution showed the importance of communication and justice to the French people prior to taking their country back from a Monarch. The “Constitution of the Year 1” was written June 24, 1793 this was written five years after France declared

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