The French Revolution Essay - 5811 Words

The French Revolution The French Revolution was one of the most traumatic events in human history. Over seven million people may have died as a result. The immediate reason was the financial crisis caused by French support for the American Revolution. France invested 2 billion pieces of silver to win the war. Her tax system could only support the government during peace. A war called for extraordinary measures. This was the beginning of the first phase of the revolution, which is referred to as the Aristocratic Revolution. The aristocrats saw this crisis as an opportunity to reassert their power. The French Finance Minister, Necker (1776-1781) didn’t use new taxation to finance the war, he borrowed the money. In 1781, he published the†¦show more content†¦The Estates General was the legislative body of France and had not been called together in a hundred years. Louis XVI ordered the Parlement to register his new taxation edicts. At this point, Louis XIV would have sent in troops to shoot down the members of the Parlement – but Louis XVI was not as tough as Louis XIV and he only banned the Parlement. Protests against the King’s action broke out all over France. Louis XVI backed down on November 19, 1787 and called the Parlement back. On May 3, 1788, Parlement issued the Fundamental Laws. These stated, among other things, that new taxes have to come from the Estates General. Louis XVI’s reaction was to exile Parlement and to set up a new Parlement. However, riots started throughout France. These were so severe that the French government ceased functioning. Louis XIV would have sent in the army, but Louis XVI backed down. Brienne called for opinions as to how the Estates General should be set up on July 5, 1788. Unfortunately, for the French government his statement ended censorship, since all you had to do was relate what you were talking about to choosing an Estates General. As a result, political discussions ran rampant and all of France became stirred-up by the political rhetoric. Brienne resigned on August 25, 1788 and the King brought Necker back. Necker was able to secure an 80,000,000 pieces of silver loan to keep France fromShow MoreRelatedThe French Revolution And French Revolutions2006 Words   |  9 PagesAlthough the American and French revolutions both took place in the late 18th century, both fought for independence, and both portrayed patriotism, the revolutions are markedly different in their origins; one which led to the world’s longest lasting democracy and the other to a Napoleonic Dictatorship. Political revolutions in America and France happened because people felt dissatisfied with the way their country was run. In North America they rebelled against rule from a foreign power, they wantedRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Revolution1523 Words   |  7 PagesThe French Revolution was a time rife with violence, with many revolutionaries using extreme actions to overturn the French Monarchy and create a government based on equality and justice, rather than tyranny and despotism. This violence reached gruesome and terrible heights throughout the revolution, but was justified by the revolutionaries, who believed that their goals of total equality, the end of tyranny, and the return to a virtuous society, allowed them to use means necessary to attain theseRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Revolution1321 Words   |  6 Pages The French Revolution The French Revolution was an iconic piece of history that help shape the world. It was a time were great battles occurred. Blood sheds happen almost every day. The streets were red by the blood of bodies that were dragged from being beheaded. 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