French Revolution Dbq

The French revolution began on May 6th 1789 due to the unfair, and high taxation of the lower class. However the higher class, also known as aristocrats paid no taxes at all and lived lavishly, while the lower class could barely afford basic necessities such as food. In June of 1789 the French people decided to take matters into their own hands and they formed a national assembly, which they used to demand more rights. In this assembly they wrote “rights of man and citizen” this declaration was published during the summer of 1789. This document stated that all men were equal under the law, this was not amended to include women despite protests. This assembly lasted until July 9th 1789, however their demands were left unanswered by their king who seemed to have no regard for his people's well being. The people were outraged by the king’s failure to heed their requests, and violence erupted on the streets of France. On July 14th the French commoners stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress, and prison. During this event they also

Maximilien Robespierre was a leader in the French revolution and he campaigned for equal rights for all men. He later came to lead the new parliament, and soon after started an era known as the reign of terror. The reign of terror was a period of violence during which over 2,000 people were guillotined in Paris alone. The reign of terror started when the king was beheaded and lasted until 1794. During the reign of terror France had a revolutionary government led by Maximilien, he imprisoned and executed thousands of aristocrats and other people that he saw as a threat to the revolution. The beginning of the reign of terror is marked by the executions of King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoninette, the end of the reign of terror is marked by the execution of Maximilien