The Revolution Of The French Revolution

During the time period of 1789 and 1815, human rights were questioned by the common people. Citizens were separated into three estates. The first estate was made up of 1% of the population which was the clergy. The second estate was made up of 2% of the population. The third estate was made up of 97% of the population which was the “middle class” also known as the bourgeoisie or the peasants. This estate had little to no rights and was considered poor even though they were responsible for paying for all taxes for those above them who were wealthy. This unfair distribution of power was a spark in the cause for the French Revolution. The French Revolution was fairly successful in using Enlightenment ideas to reform french society, however, Napoleon undid some of the progress the Revolution made prior.

The American Revolution, along with many revolutions occurring throughout Central America, were all directly inspired by the French Revolution of the late 1700’s. Evidence of this can be seen simply by looking back at world history. History shows that many philosophies of the American Revolution were actually ideas that either closely parallel or are directly taken from the writing of various French scholars, such as Voltaire and The Baron De Montesquieu. The very essence of American politics, Democracy, is in actuality, a French concept as well. Democracy was originally created following the French Revolution to replace the Monarchy.

For my book review, I have read and evaluated Sylvia Neely’s history book entitled A Concise History of the French Revolution published in 2007 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Neely’s purpose is to gives an overview of the French revolution with the most important events, the most prominent people and the essential terms. We can see that the author proved her thesis by explaining the background causes of the revolution such as the ancient regime with Louis XVI. Also she described all important events in chronological orders which made it easier for the reader to understand. Neely’s book is at the same time an history book, but also an kind of encyclopedia because she included all essentials terms which were use during that time period, such as “dérogeance”, which means the loss of nobility.

Many dictators in history have created bad legacies and committed horrific crimes during their time in power. One dictator, however, created a legacy that any person would know and created an ideology that is used in almost all first world countries, and many other second war countries now as well. This dictator is Napoleon Bonaparte. He is a catalyst for change because he created a dominant army from the scraps of the French Revolution, which led to his dominance throughout Europe, creating a lasting principle that most people now think of it as a norm.

The revolutions that occurred in France and Spain were in different time periods and sought to change their country in different ways. Despite this, there are many parallels in the ideologies and histories of their revolutionary leaders. Looking at this, one might ask how the backgrounds and styles of the leaders affected the outcome of each revolution? Napoleon Bonaparte of the French Revolution (hereafter Napoleon) and Francisco Franco of the Spanish Civil War (hereafter Franco) came from similar backgrounds with a heavy influence on education and military training. Both men fought with a primary motivation of forming a military dictatorship under their rule. One notable area that where they differed is in their leadership: Franco led through fear and intimidation whereas Napoleon led by gaining the respect of his people.

The French Revolution is often seen as one of the most influential and significant events in world history (Voices 9). The surge of rebellion present in those against the old regime, or Ancien Régime, inspired reformers for generations to come. Nevertheless, the French Revolution would not have occurred without the aid of the Enlightenment Thinkers, or Philosophés. These Philosophés’ ideas sparked the French Revolution.

King Louis XVI also played a vast role in enhancing the economic turmoil in France. Becoming king in 1775, Louis never initially had the respect of the people and not many showed for his coronation. He was left with difficulties from his father and prior engagements; however, King Louis XVI did not like to speak

The setting alternates between various locations in France and England, taking place primarily in the cities of Paris and London respectively. Within each geographic location are specific recurring locations. In France, these include places such as the Defarge’s wine shop, the estate of the Marquis, and the Bastille. In England, these include places such as the courthouse, the Manette home, and Tellson’s Bank. The story spans several decades, from 1775 to 1793. This time period covers critical points in European history, encompassing the American Revolution as well as the beginning of the French Revolution.

Absolute Monarch- Absolute monarch is a ruler with complete control over the government and peoples lives. They are the ones with the highest power. The had the power to raise taxes, make people starve and end peoples lives. For example, Louis XIV was an absolute monarch.

For the Jews of France and their fellow colleagues, the French revolution came to establish the myth of origin or also known as their birthdate of existence. On the date September 27, 1791, which was two years after the storming of Bastille and the Declaration of the rights of man, the French National Assembly voted to admit the Jews of Alsace-Lorraine France to citizenship1. The French Revolution was a period of time where Jews were fighting for civic equality and having to overcome many obstacles that were put in front of them throughout this time.

The French Revolution first began in 1789 when ideas from the age of Enlightenment crept into France. The American Revolution had just occurred and come to a close, so the people of France picked up on the ideals of freedom and balanced power. The amount of assistance France had given to the Americans and also put towards their own Seven Years’ War left the country in shambles, with famine spreading and economical problems being rampant. Nobility and royalty, who held the majority of the money left in France, paid no taxes and lived lavishly while peasants starved to death and suffered in the economical crisis. The king, Louis XVI, and his wife, Marie Antoinette, lived an incredibly luxurious life in Versailles and used excessive funds for their lifestyle, while the citizens of France lived in deplorable conditions. Ideas of Enlightenment spread among the peasants. They could be free from kings, priests, and people in absolute power. The people could rule themselves.

At the tail-end of the 1960s, the world was exploding. There were revolutions and uprisings on nearly every continent. In America, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famed “I Have a Dream” speech, which was pivotal in the fight for civil rights. In Prague, two men set themselves on fire in the famed Wenceslas Square to protest the Prague Spring. And in Paris, there were student-led riots that lead to four fifths of the country, or about 10 million people, to go on strike (Revolutions) while thousands protested in the streets, starting a revolution complete with barricades and human chains. Even though it may seem to have been a complete failure to the untrained eye, the anarchist May-June revolt accomplished what was thought of as impossible,

By providing a mostly chronological style to her text, Neely seeks for her book to act as an “introduction to the French Revolution” by acquainting “the reader with the most important events, the prominent people, and the essential terms (xvi).” In her introduction, Neely discusses how the Revolution is still a hot-topic discussion amongst French-people and even how at the Bicentennial, there was still no definitive answers as to the “how” and “why” of the Revolution. Neely’s text is a great supportive source for a typical undergraduate French Revolution survey course. Neely utilizes a variety of general history sources, such as the Oxford History of the French Revolution and dictionaries such as Samuel Scott’s and Barry Rothaus’ 1984 text Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution. She also utilizes a variety of sources focusing purely on King Louis XVI, the French armies, and the various revolutionaries. I believe this combination of general and specific sources allowed for Neely to provide the reader with the most complete introductory narrative of the French Revolution.

In France, the year 1789 is one marked by poverty and uncertainty; furthermore it was aggravated by the unresolved political, financial and social dispute that has managed to escalate throughout the years. The weak King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette (also known as “Madame Deficit” for her constant interference in the government), rule France and the country is divided in three main social classes, or Estates. The First (clergy) and Second (nobles) Estate and the Third Estate representing the majority of France (with little to no power to influence the government) included the rest of France’s population.

After watching The Square and reading the Reflection on the Revolution in France, I find it’s plausible to say that Edmund Burke will disagree with the Egyptian revolution for three reasons.