The Causes of the French Revolution--DBQ Essay
Uploaded by YayaLovesYou1371 on Oct 30, 2013
The Causes of the French Revolution
The French revolution overthrew the country’s ancient monarchy, proclaimed Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and fought off a hostile Europe. It ushered in a new age, but at a terrible price in blood and human suffering. There were many causes of the Revolution. The French Revolution appears to have been the outcome of both long term and short term factors, which arose from the political, social, and economic conditions and conflicts of the ancient regime. The long standing grievances of the bourgeoisie; the frustrations of rising hopes among wealthy and ‘middling’ bourgeoisie and peasants; the distress and breakdown of government; a real (or at least perceived) ‘feudal reaction’; the stubbornness of a privileged aristocracy; the creation of radical ideas among wide sections of the people; a sharp economic and financial crisis; and the successive triggers of state bankruptcy, aristocratic revolt and popular revolution: all these factors played a part. The middle and lower class were becoming more conscious of their increased social importance and because the peasants were becoming more independent, more literate and prosperous that the old feudal freedoms and aristocratic privileges appeared all the more burdensome and intolerable for the struggling discontents of France. The effects of the French Revolution were widespread, both inside and outside France, and to this day, rank as one of the most important events of European history. The French Revolution was caused by the political, social, and economic discontent of the French people because they had a poor king and wanted a democratic government, had an unfair tax system, and society was divided into three different estates.
The French Revolution was caused by the political, social, and economic discontent of the French people because they had a poor king and wanted a democratic government, had an unfair tax system, and society was divided into three different estates. France was tired of an absolute monarchy and was ready to become a democratic government. As Document 4 suggests, the French were inspired by the Americans and also wanted a revolution to achieve their democratic government and among other requests. France had an unfair tax system. In Document 1, it reads, “Lands held by the nobility are not taxed but lands held by commoners are taxed heavily…” As well as in Document 6, the political cartoon implies that the 1st and 2nd estates were too good for taxes and were above them, but...