DBQ: The French Revolution

     One of the most important factors to consider during this time period is the reign of Louis XIV. His idea of the monarchy was one of the reasons why the French government had failed and created turmoil for the citizens of France. Louis XIV enjoyed the royal life very much and very fervently. He spent more of his reign enjoying himself and his life rather than ruling the country.

• Class system, those that were upper class or a minister received better land and status in community.

Children wore ragged clothes and suffered tremendously (document 1). There was a lack of bread due to the fact that it was more than the people can afford (document 1). Finally, there was a tax on the land and it’s produce in France (document 1). This financial instability played a major part in the fabrication of the French Revolution. Social status was also a main factor for the occurrence of the Revolution.

The first cause of the revolution to be discussed: the inequality in estates. To understand this, one must first understand the meaning of the word estate. An estate was a form of social classes made up of the first estate (clergy), the second estate (nobles), and the third estate (peasants and bourgeoisie). The problem with these estates was that the third estate was taxed much more heavily than the second estate, while the first estate was not taxed at all. This led to poverty and starvation as “the price of bread has risen above people’s ability to pay” (Doc A). Even worse for thee third estate, while they were starving and fighting to provide for their families, the first two estates were going on about their lives without concern for those dying of preventable causes.

In the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth century, France was undergoing major changes. Before the French Revolution, France was experiencing political, social and economic problems. During this time period France was unstable, and wasn’t able to keep up with the new arising Enlightenment ideas. In addition, there were high taxes, unequal power distribution and social inequality. The French Revolution not only impacted the citizens of France, but people from other countries as well.

Between 1789 and 1814 the French Revolution astonished and impacted the world. The Revolution has been talked about for years because of its contributions and the way it affected the world. The significant figures from the Revolution also played important roles in history and in areas outside of France. King Louis’ absolutism and the unfair treatment between classes were political, social, and economical causes of the French Revolution. This Revolution impacted the people of France by terrorizing and affecting their rights, yet at the same time the French Revolution served as a template for other countries when it came to radical changes and Revolutions.

As the document explains, much of this destitution was the fault of the lords who ruled them, motivated entirely by greed. The incredibly unfair system at work during this time incited anger in the peasants across Europe. The manipulation of tax laws and other monetary offenses were among the foremost grievances of the peasants- as shown in Document 4. The manifesto is clearly against unfair taxes, and cites it as the main concern, but shows no want to destroy the structure of nobility that enforces those laws. The peasant writers of the manifest, clearly part of a system working against them, only want the primary offenders to be punished, but have no qualms with lords or the king in general.

During the Middle Ages social class much different than modern day. In a feudal society “nobles were granted the use of land that legally belonged to the king,” (Doc. 1). The nobles, in return, would give the lord loyalty and military services (Doc. 1). As peasants or serfs worked for nobles and knights they received protection and a portion of the harvest to feed their families (Doc. 1).

The middle class citizens, though respected were less educated and culturalized. The lowest class could not participate in the society therefore they were shown no respect. Husbands held over wives, parents/adults over children, and ministers and elders over the congregation. Consequently, there were balance issues due to individual freedoms clashing with the social hierarchy.

There were three estates that were divided by Law. The first estate was Clergy and the second estate were the Nobles, and the third estate was known as everyone else who where the poorest peasant to wealthiest merchants. The first estate was considered the wealthiest because of how their total population was 130,000 out of 27 million and they owned 10% of the land. They also where the high clergy. They were also considered the cardinals, bishops, and heads of monasteries.

The nobles consisted of priests and the emperor who was at the top, they were the most wealthy and powerful in government. The intermediate class consisted of artisans, and merchants. The commoners were the majority at the very bottom and they were mostly slaves. Women’s roles were limited to cooking and raising/ taking care of the children. The men farmed the land of their own or nobles.

The peasants believed that they were being oppressed by their authority. They believed that the nobles and clergy were treated better. If a peasant was convicted of a crime, he would be severely punished, whereas a noble or clergy might be punished lighter. In addition to punishments, the clergy and nobles would charge the peasants unfair prices and use money for the church in more ways than they were supposed to. During this time, the peasants finally saw an opportunity to gain more equality with the clergy and nobles.

o How did they serve the upper classes? o How did they cope with serving the upper classes  Were there any uprisings NOTES THE LOWER CLASS  1185 to 1573/1600  The lower class system consisted of (in order): o Farmers o Artisans o Merchants  Below this were numerous outcasts as well as; o Prostitutes o Criminals o Executioners and butchers  Although it seems these are 2 different classes hey are rather sub classes of each

The French Revolution of 1789 had many long-range causes. Political, social, and economic conditions in France mad many French people discontented. Most disaffected were merchants, artisans, workers, and peasants. The ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers brought new views of government and society. The American Revolution also influenced the coming of The French Revolution. Therefore, The French Revolution of 1789 had several causes not only due to political, but also due to social and economic issues and problems as well that made France ripe for revolution. The most important long-range causes of this revolution, however, were the ideas of the Enlightenment, the unfair taxes, the gap between the rich and poor, and the American Revolution

Economics also played an important role in the French Revolution. In France there was an abundance of debt and taxation. The French monarchy managed their fiscal affairs by using an unequal system of taxation, borrowing money, or selling noble titles and other privileges. This led to a long running fiscal debt. France could not solely rely on tariffs to generate income. Although other countries had higher taxation rates, the burden on the common people was greater in France. Peasants and other third estates were taxed harshly which in good times was burdensome and in bad times it was devastating. Nobility and clergy were exempted from paying taxes. This left the peasants, wage earners, and the professional and business classes with the burden of taxes. This burden caused the unrest, which eventually led to the French Revolution.