What Caused The French Revolution Essay

The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was far bloodier and more brutal than its western counterpart, the American Revolution. After aiding the newly formed United States in the American Revolution, the people of France gained their own ideas of freedom and reformation. These ideas were further advanced by the desperate state of the country; after investing so much into American Revolution as well as the Seven Years’ War, famine and economic depression had a tight grip on France. The fact that French monarchy was living lavishly increased the tension as well, by making everyday French citizens bitter. As an added motivation, all of this occurred during the time period of the Age of Enlightenment, where thoughts of individuality were blossoming in the minds of philosophers and commoners
The French monarch, King Louis XVI, soon banned the National Assembly from the conference room, and they then took the first true step of the Revolution. The National Assembly organized in the Versailles tennis court, and took what is now called the Tennis Court Oath. The oath was a promise to overthrow the king and create a Constitution.
The situation escalated to the point of violence shortly thereafter. The National Assembly stormed the Bastille, in order to arm themselves to fight off troops the king had summoned to Paris. The Governor of Bastille, who called for a ceasefire, was stabbed as well as beheaded in the battle. The turbulence in the social, political, and economic climates allowed for the Revolution to overtake France quickly. The Jacobins, who were more radical revolutionaries, created a petition to completely free France from monarchy, though that status did not become official until a few years had