The French Revolution was a period of social and political upheaval that occurred in France from 1789-1799. The revolution itself drew inspiration from liberal and radical ideas of the era and was inspired by other uprisings like the American Revolution that occurred in 1776. The revolution had a dramatic impact on the country of France and an even bigger impact on the continent of Europe as a whole, ending the monarchy in France and establishing a secular government in its place. The subsequently lead the accelerated rise of democracy and liberal ideas on the European continent. During the revolution there was intense and frequent debate over human rights, which reveal a clash between the idea of human rights philosophy and the reality of
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In France there are two significant minorities, which were an important part of the human rights debates throughout the French Revolution. The first is the Protestant Calvinists who lived throughout the country. While both Christians the Calvinists throughout their short 200 years of history in the country had been persecuted Catholics in large-scale massacres during the 1500s and the Thirty Years War. The French Government did enact an edict of tolerance in the 1500s known as the Edict of Nantes, which allowed Protestants the freedom to practice their religion without persecution, but it was overturned in the late 1600s effectively outlawing Calvinism in the country. On the other hand there is the Jewish people, which had been living in France since the time of the Roman Empire. Jews living in France have been persecuted, killed, forcefully converted, expelled from the country and had laws dictating where they could live in the country and what professions they were allowed to take, such as a money lender as it was against Christianity for Christians to commit usury. During the French Revolution the question was raised about what to do with non-Catholics living in the country, which initially was about the Protestants but was expanded to include the Jews and “questionable professions” (actors and executioners). All these groups shared one thing in common; that there were restrictions in place which prevented people whom belonged to the groups from voting or holding local offices. There were barriers to extending these groups rights one of the notable was the considerable economic power in regions that these groups held. For example in France many Calvinist communities where heavily involved in the local textile industries often running and owning the majority of textile businesses in
In France there are two significant minorities, which were an important part of the human rights debates throughout the French Revolution. The first is the Protestant Calvinists who lived throughout the country. While both Christians the Calvinists throughout their short 200 years of history in the country had been persecuted Catholics in large-scale massacres during the 1500s and the Thirty Years War. The French Government did enact an edict of tolerance in the 1500s known as the Edict of Nantes, which allowed Protestants the freedom to practice their religion without persecution, but it was overturned in the late 1600s effectively outlawing Calvinism in the country. On the other hand there is the Jewish people, which had been living in France since the time of the Roman Empire. Jews living in France have been persecuted, killed, forcefully converted, expelled from the country and had laws dictating where they could live in the country and what professions they were allowed to take, such as a money lender as it was against Christianity for Christians to commit usury. During the French Revolution the question was raised about what to do with non-Catholics living in the country, which initially was about the Protestants but was expanded to include the Jews and “questionable professions” (actors and executioners). All these groups shared one thing in common; that there were restrictions in place which prevented people whom belonged to the groups from voting or holding local offices. There were barriers to extending these groups rights one of the notable was the considerable economic power in regions that these groups held. For example in France many Calvinist communities where heavily involved in the local textile industries often running and owning the majority of textile businesses in