How The French Revolution Changed French History

The French Revolution

Salahaldin Bileh

History 101

Professor Manley

October 7, 2015

Throughout history, there have been many Revolutions. The French Revolution was a revolution that changed French history completely. The French Revolution did not only changed history, but changed France’s historical monarchy government to a more republic government. The poor French citizens got the courage to start a revolution from the American Revolution. The French Revolution started at 1789 and ended at 1799. It was the most important event that changed the Western Civilization history. The French Revolution was caused by its “Economic hardship, its absolute ruler: Louis XVI, international struggles, and political conflict.”1 The French

For almost two years, the National Assembly were outstanding keeping the goals and rules of France civilization. First, it passed a new Constitution that gave rights to the peasants. Second, they held the monarchy in Paris, not executing them, because of some support of France citizens. Until the day the royal family tried to escape from France, which they failed, and Louis XVI was executed by the guillotine. There as we see is the end of the last monarchy in France. Therefore, France can move to a more Republican government. But before it goes to beyond that, it needs to go to the stage where most historians called “Reign of Terror.” Reign of Terror began after the death of Louis XVI in 1793. After that is where the first victim comes, which was Marie Antoinette. Marie was guillotined on October 16, 1793. The Guillotine was a symbol of powerful capital punishment in this Revolution. “No machine more powerfully symbolized the revolutionary era than the guillotine.” 11 This is when the powerful French lawyer, Maximilien Robespierre, rose to power. Robespierre believed that “Terror was nothing other than justice, prompt, server, inflexible….”12 Robespierre was the architect of the Reign of Terror. In a National Convention he clarified how terror will lead to the Republic of

Likewise, Jean-Paul Marat, because of his hatred for the Girondins, he thought their head should be headed by the guillotine. “Approximately 40,000 people were executed or died in prison.” 14 As always, everything that started comes to an end. Marat was assassinated on July 13, 1793, by a young woman called Charlotte Corday. And Maximilien Robespierre, the architecture of the Guillotine, was the last victim to be guillotined. Furthermore, when the revolution was about to end, another absolute ruler—Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power, called himself Emperor, and called France an Empire.

The French Revolution created a history that will change human evolution forever. The Enlightenment and the French Revolution were the “root” of the modern Western Civilization. Truly, the French people encountered financial crisis, an absolute ruler, international debts, and many political struggles. The French Revolution was indeed successful, because it aimed to change the lives of the peasants, give the same privilege to the First and Second Estate, and provide a constitution that will provide equality for all. And certainly reached its goals and lasted in the late