What Changed In French Society As A Result Of The Early Events Of The Revolution?
...as the grievances of the people as a result of a combination of bad harvests and rising costs of living. From the early events of the revolution, the third estate had been able to improve their social status, the National Assembly had been able to obtain rights and equality for those who were not protected by the law before and also resulted in the Reign of Terror.
As a result of the early events of the revolution, the third estate had been able to elevate their status and this can be seen by drawing a comparison between the pictures of The Past and The Present as well as A Tenant Farmer In Drudgery and I Really Knew We Would Have Our Chance. Previously before the revolution, the third estate had been able to make ends meet with the decent harvests they reaped. However in the few years before the revolution, the pressing problem of bad harvests due to bad weather had caused many from the Third estate to starve as they incomes decreased. As bad harvests persisted, the bourgeoisie (merchants from the third estate) got furious from the lack of being able to afford decent housing and from the high levels of unemployment as well as the rising costs of bread. The government on the other hand, attempted to collect more taxes by insisting that the first and second estates contributed taxes. However, due to Louis XVI's miscalculation back in 1774 when he revived the Parlement thinking they would be able to back him up, the Parlement who had been primarily made up of Nobles rejected his proposal to tax the clergy and the nobles. Despite these, Louis had sought to keep his popularity by financing the American Wars hoping that by doing so, after the Americans had won the war, he would be seen in a more favourable light. In doing this, he was only worsening France's fiscal crisis. As a result, he was forced to call on the Estates General which last convened in 1614. This...
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