Enlightenment During The French Revolution - 1423 Words

Enlightenment during The French Revolution: Two of the Greatest Eras Working Together Without Knowing Molly Dauk Honors World History Mrs. Bartosik May 5, 2017 The Enlightenment and the French Revolution, two of the most enriched periods of history, probably never to be left out of the history books. The French Revolution was influenced greatly by the Age of Reason. The Enlightenment period took place over about three-hundred years, whereas the French Revolution took place for only ten years. The French Revolution was able to happen in such a short amount of time because it integrated the enlightened ideas from the Enlightenment and used them as its own. These enlightened ideas then took grasp of the people of France, the†¦show more content†¦Thanks to the ideas of Baron de Montesquieu, the French people had their system of government changed, and gained more freedom. Baron de Montesquieu was not the only enlightened philosopher to have a profound impact on French Government. John Locke was a major influence on the people/government of the revolution around the time of the National Assembly. After meeting in the Estates General, the third estate wanted their rights once and for all, and declared themselves as the National Assembly. The National Assembly made the â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen† in August of 1789. John Locke believed in Natural and Civil Rights. He believed in freedom and rights that everyone should have. Showing that even the government changed due to Locke, the first article in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen states, â€Å"Men are born free and remain free and equal in rights.† Not only did enlightened ideas impact the French government, but they also impacted the people of France. The people of France turned to the enlightened ideas for guidance and ended up using them in the Revolution. One of the many enlightened ideas was that of equal and civil rights. The more freedom the people gained, the more freedom they wanted. This lead them to the extreme: killing their monarch in hopes of a republic. The people did this for the freedom and rights that enlightened philosophers told them they deserved. It was said in the Proclamation of the Convention to theShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightment and the French Revolution1263 Words   |  6 PagesIn France during the 18th century, there was a system named the Ancien rà ©gime, which refers to the societal, economic and political structure of France before the French Revolution. At the top of the pyramid was the absolute monarch Louis XVI. He took the throne in 1774 and received it with problems that couldn’t be fixed. (French Revolution Overview 6) Below the king came the first estate which was made of 100,000 nobles. Then came the second estate was made of 300,000 clergy. Finally came theRead MoreThe Enlightenment s Influence On The French Revolution885 Words   |  4 PagesMaheera Syed The Enlightenment’s Influence on the French Revolution No one could have imagined the impact that the Enlightenment would have and its long-lasting effect. The Enlightenment and its ideas became so widespread that they did not only affect France, but many other countries also. The French Revolution was directly inspired and influenced by the Enlightenment. Revolutionaries in France built their cause around the ideals of the Age of Reason. Reason, reform and modernity took hold mainlyRead MoreThe Unprecedented Success Of Revolution1594 Words   |  7 PagesCivilization HU-103 May 7, 2017 The Unprecedented Success of Revolution No one has ever changed the world by doing what the world has told them to do. 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Each was fac ed withRead MoreFrench Revolution: the Solution to Class Inequality1141 Words   |  5 Pages The French Revolution was one of the most important events that occurred in the history of France. The revolution crumpled the Old Regime and completely transformed the social and political system of France. The people of France sought to establish a more egalitarian society through their newly created Republic. When Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Baron de Montesquieu introduced individual liberty, natural rights and equality the ideas of revolution emergedRead MoreThe Enlightenment Era Of 1620 And 1789910 Words   |  4 Pages Enlightenment Era of 1620 and 1789 The European politics, communication, science and philosophy were radically reoriented between 1685 and 1815, during a time that was referred to as the Age of Reason, or in other words, the Enlightenment Era. 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At the time, the government was in a serious deficit resulting in great taxations. They had spent huge sums of money on the French and Indian War, and the king and nobility consumed much money to keep up with their lavish lifestyles. In addition, there was a severe economic depression at the time. In areas of agriculture, manufacturing, and trade, there were great downturns. Also, revolutionary ideas were instilled within the people duringRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Revolution1180 Words   |  5 PagesLooking at the historical timeline, one can see that the French Revolution derived after the Enlightenment, which brought different ways of thinking, and different outlooks on government and society (553),(555),(558). The Enlightenment also changed the world of public debate, and established some ideas central to the French Revolution. The French Revolution of 1789 occurred due to government debt, class conflict, bankruptcy, the Enlightenment, and the rule of absolutism. These social, economic, andRead MoreCrucial Elements Leading to the French Revolution866 Words   |  3 Pages In the French Revolution, many contributing factors helped give birth to this messy revolution. These Factors included an unfair social system that gave privileges to the first estate, which was the clergy, and the second estate, which was the nobleman. The Rights included special positions, in which only higher classes could obtain, and most importantly an exempt from all taxation. For this reason, citizens in lower, third class France were rightfully upset. Another reason for rebellion was