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The French Revolution and the Bastille

             Paper Project: French Revolution.
             Being provoked by this collision of the powers of the rising bourgeoisie, a sinking aristocracy defended its privileges, these among other effects led to the financial debt of the government and the long-standing political differences in the government. Over the course of twenty-five years after the Seven Years' War, the government of France could not manage its finances on a sound basis. This was worsened when France aided the American Revolution against Great Britain (The Western Heritage, vol. B: 1300-1815 pp. 626). The Government had reached great financial debt. The problem lied and continued because of the government's inability to tap the wealth of the French nation by taxation. There was a great paradox in France being a rich nation with a government in poverty. .
             The deteriorating finance of the government is what triggered the prolonged differences between the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy. The political differences between the monarchy and the nobles came about after the Seven Years' war also. The increasing debt of the government escalated the hope for the monarchy to resume an "absolute power" status along with Louis XIV. This could not be accomplished because of the doubt that the public had towards the present kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, and the public could not be swayed to help. The only result of the attempts for absolutism by the monarchy was a series of new and increase taxes on the nobles. The aristocracy immediately reacted to these taxes as declaring them unfair and would not accept them. Louis XV began with a series of financial advisors chancellors which all had the intention of saving the monarchy from financial ruin. .
             They made many attempts at taxation, such as a land tax, but each of these were defeated by the nobles -- the Parlements were even destroyed for a brief time, but were later restored by Louis XVI in attempt to gain public support.


Essays Related to The French Revolution and the Bastille

1. Bastille Day: A Turning Point In The French Revolution

... Point in the French Revolution The French Revolution was a political movement devoted to the people, more specifically, the common people. The motto of the Revolution was "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," meaning freedom, equals, and alliance. Although the Revolution was thought to be a bloody tragedy by some, the majority of the people around the world saw the Revolution as much more. The French Revolution, on a technical level, took place between the years of 1789 and 1799.1 It began with the storming of the Bastille, but tensions were mounting long ... before that. However, the taking...

  • Word Count: 1926
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Peasant Desperation and the French Revolution

... outraged the peasants. All the peasants rage manifested itself into the Storming of the Bastille. The peasant's response to the aristocracy became increasingly more and more violent until resulting in the complete anarchy which was the Storming of Versailles. The Storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a Parisian prison that housed men that the aristocracy deemed as criminals. Many of the men in the prison were placed there unjustly and without trial by the French aristocracy. The Storming the Bastille commenced ... on July 17, 1789. The ...

  • Word Count: 1580
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Interpretations Of The French Revolution

... entire happening. I believe the Socialism interpretation of the French Revolution best explains it's causes, nature and events. What occurred during the French Revolution was all due to the frustrations of the have-nots. Karl Marx, the father of Socialism, proposed the idea that the have-nots would eventually overcome the haves. This was the original cause of the French of the Revolution, the have-nots wanting to overcome the haves. The storming of the Bastille in its nature was the beginning of a revolution and the events that occurred ... afterwards such as the Declaration ... ...

  • Word Count: 1194
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. French Revolution

... told them to stop. They stopped firing and let down the bridge to give an apology. The rioters entered Bastille and slaughtered the whole army along with Governor De Launay(Gershoy, pages' 116-117). The next major act of the National Assembly was to make an agreement to help the people of the land. This agreement was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This agreement allowed all men to ... a new problem. The people against the revolution increased in size because of the newfound alliance. The uprising of the people kept on coming, stronger and stronger. The end of t...

  • Word Count: 3516
  • Approx Pages: 14
  • Grade Level: High School

5. French Revolution

... cause of the French Revolution was the storming of the Bastille. Nervous about soldiers in Versailles, the people of France went to the Bastille to sort out rumors that the capital city was going to be taken over. The Bastille was a fortress and a prison located in Paris. In anger, the prison was raided to gain weapons to defend themselves. "The storming of the Bastille was the opening of the bloody battle that was the French Revolution." (Scholastic World History Program: The Age of ... Europe, pg. 233) The Puritan Revolution of 1642 and the French Revolution of 1789 ... ...

  • Word Count: 750
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

6. French And American Revolution

... them to death. It would be the first of many broken promises. Soon the heads, torsos, and hands of the Bastille's former guardians were bobbing along the street on pikes. In all, as historian Otto Scott put it, a glorious victory of unarmed citizens over the forces of tyranny, or so the newspapers and history later said. The French Revolution had begun. Despite the bloodshed at the Bastille and the riots in Paris, there was some clear-headed ... thinking. Mirabeau wanted to keep the Crown but restrain it. We need a government like England's, he said. The French would never accept it tho...

  • Word Count: 2777
  • Approx Pages: 11
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. History of the French Revolution

... reason the French Revolution occurred was the people of the lower classes were fed up with their small role in the Estates General. The clergy and nobles stepped on the people of the Third State, and the Third State had enough. With the great unrest in France and in the government, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General, the first time since 1614. Also during this time, people were afraid of the jail house Bastille. The French government used Bastille ... around Paris, mobs broke out and commoners stormed the Bastille, killing troops and freeing prisoners. This event was...

  • Word Count: 1794
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Financial Crisis During the French Revolution

... ; – Simon Schama The French Revolution shook the foundations of French society to the core, leading to new waves of ideas and institutions. Two hundred and twenty years on, the origins of this unique event are inconclusive. There seems to be a widespread opinion that the outbreak of the French Revolution was on the 14th of July 1789, at the Storming of the Bastille. Even William Doyle highlights the storming of the Bastille as "the climax of the popular movement".1 However ... , the political institutions of Old France were already beyond reconstruction ... ...

  • Word Count: 3440
  • Approx Pages: 14
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Storming of the French Bastille

The fall of the Bastille has been one of the most significant events that started the French Revolution. Till this day, France celebrates the Bastille Day, also known as the French National Day, every year on July 14. People come together and countless ceremonies and parades are held during the day. In the article entitled "On the Taking of the Bastille and Its Aftermath", Edward Rugby discusses the remarkable series of events through his eyes. His letters focuses on ... the ... ...

  • Word Count: 862
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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