The Beginning
The revolution was a terrible time for everyone in France. The lower class was undermined, and tens of thousands of innocents lost their lives. But what caused all this chaos? Research shows that many factors contributed to the rise of disappointment and frustration among the lower class. These factors, which led to the enlightenment of the people, include many political, social, and economic circumstances, most of which had occurred long before the young King Louis XVI came to the throne.
The ongoing economic problems France was forced to face began with the “Sun King,” Louis XIV (see figure A-1), who left the country in great debt. He ruled for 72 years, up until his death, and left France in his great grandson’s hands, Louis …show more content…
Although they admitted defeat, King Louis and his advisors did not approve of the new assembly. As a result, they dismissed Necker when they realized he was a supporter of the Third Estate. This gave peasants reason to believe that the king and other privileged citizens had made a conspiracy to overthrow the Third Estate. So, they formed a national guard and stole thousands of rifles from the Dôme des Invalides, or Dome Church. However, they could not find any powder. They knew that the Bastille, a prison that held citizens opposing the monarchy, had lots of powder sitting in it, and decided to attack it. To their advantage, the prison was only guarded by a few soldiers when they attacked it. The governor, Marquis Bernard-Rene de Launay, feared the revolutionaries, and agreed to meet with representatives inside the Bastille, in order to buy time for the rescue team to come and save them. But when the revolutionaries entered the Bastille, the guards were ordered to fire, and killed hundreds of people. Then, when the rescue team arrived, they fought alongside the revolutionaries instead of the guards, helping turn around the attack, and gaining victory for the mob. “With their canons and their professional soldier skills, they brought victory to the people of France against Louis XVI’s guards in a few hours.” After a while, Launay surrendered, and let the mob enter the Bastille which is when they beheaded him, and placed his head on a stake to carrie around all over Paris as a symbol of victory. The seven prisoners that occupied the prison that night were freed, and then 800 men brought the prison to the ground as they destroyed it brick by brick (literally). That day, when the king was informed of what had happened, he asked his advisor, “Is this a revolt?” He answered, “No Majesty, this is a revolution”
The revolution was a terrible time for everyone in France. The lower class was undermined, and tens of thousands of innocents lost their lives. But what caused all this chaos? Research shows that many factors contributed to the rise of disappointment and frustration among the lower class. These factors, which led to the enlightenment of the people, include many political, social, and economic circumstances, most of which had occurred long before the young King Louis XVI came to the throne.
The ongoing economic problems France was forced to face began with the “Sun King,” Louis XIV (see figure A-1), who left the country in great debt. He ruled for 72 years, up until his death, and left France in his great grandson’s hands, Louis …show more content…
Although they admitted defeat, King Louis and his advisors did not approve of the new assembly. As a result, they dismissed Necker when they realized he was a supporter of the Third Estate. This gave peasants reason to believe that the king and other privileged citizens had made a conspiracy to overthrow the Third Estate. So, they formed a national guard and stole thousands of rifles from the Dôme des Invalides, or Dome Church. However, they could not find any powder. They knew that the Bastille, a prison that held citizens opposing the monarchy, had lots of powder sitting in it, and decided to attack it. To their advantage, the prison was only guarded by a few soldiers when they attacked it. The governor, Marquis Bernard-Rene de Launay, feared the revolutionaries, and agreed to meet with representatives inside the Bastille, in order to buy time for the rescue team to come and save them. But when the revolutionaries entered the Bastille, the guards were ordered to fire, and killed hundreds of people. Then, when the rescue team arrived, they fought alongside the revolutionaries instead of the guards, helping turn around the attack, and gaining victory for the mob. “With their canons and their professional soldier skills, they brought victory to the people of France against Louis XVI’s guards in a few hours.” After a while, Launay surrendered, and let the mob enter the Bastille which is when they beheaded him, and placed his head on a stake to carrie around all over Paris as a symbol of victory. The seven prisoners that occupied the prison that night were freed, and then 800 men brought the prison to the ground as they destroyed it brick by brick (literally). That day, when the king was informed of what had happened, he asked his advisor, “Is this a revolt?” He answered, “No Majesty, this is a revolution”