The Four Phases Of The French Revolution

The French Revolution lasted around ten years in between 1789 and 1799. This revolution was a major turning point in history and has lasting effects to this day. There were four phases of the revolution: the moderate phase, the radical phase, the directory, and Napoleon. The events that led to the first phase remain in discussion among historians. However, many infer that the revolution can be traced back to Martin Luther. The religious conflicts of the Protestant Reformation led to absolutism as a solution that caused the period of Enlightenment sparking the first phase of the French Revolution. Martin Luther was one of the main contributors to the Protestant Reformation, which began when he published the 95 Theses. Martin Luther believed that “salvation and justification come through faith…God’s word is revealed only in scripture, not in the traditions of the church” (Reading 1, 07). He expresses this idea in the 95 …show more content…
The religious conflicts made absolutism a solution, however, people began to question their lifestyle in the Enlightenment. Thus, the Third Estate rose up and fought for what they perceived as right. One document that embodies the effects of Martin Luther, absolutism and the Enlightenment is The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The article defends religious rights, which were in conflict during the Protestant Reformation. Also, the document mentions that people can have a say in their taxes, which they did not during absolutist rule. Furthermore, it states how men can say whatever they wish and print it freely as they wanted to in the Enlightenment. The French Revolution lasted for many years after this document was created, and ideals of the revolution can still be found in the 21st century. The French Revolution was a pivotal turning point in the evolution of human