Education for everyone, especially in the cities, became an important task and many were beginning to accept the idea that we live in a mechanical world ruled by laws of math and science. During the period of the enlightenment the distribution of the written word was easier than ever and more people were able to read. In France, more and more people were reading the ideas of Enlightenment philosophers and philosophes and agreed with the ideas. France was an absolute monarchy, which meant that the king held all the power and the people living in the country had no say in the government structure or the activities of the government. With the popularization of the Enlightenment's ideas of political reform and that all people are equal, the people of France were starting to question their government and hints of a revolution began to surface. .
Along with the Enlightenment the American Revolution influenced the French Revolution. Using ideas of the Enlightenment the American Revolution set up a government based on equality. These ideas were unheard of in Europe and gave the French reformers hope that they could accomplish the same. It also set an example of a government for France to follow with their reforms. The division among French society at that time was another major cause of the French Revolution. French society was based, not around classes, but around the system of estates. There were three estates. The first estate consisted of the clergy. The second estate consisted of the nobility. The third estate was the most diverse. It consisted of all the people, which did not fit into the other categories. This included the bourgeoisie, peasants and urban laborers. The French nobility and clergy were very privileged in comparison to the third estate at the time of the revolution. They were exempt from and avoided much taxation. This caused the third estate, especially the peasants and village inhabitants, which to feel resentment because they had to pay most of the taxes.