10th Grade Writing Class: French Revolution

Wayne Han

Révolution Françaiser

I choose Révolution Française as a topic which is related with Jae-hyoung’s topic. There is three big revolution for democracy that French Revolution, English Revolution (Glorious Revolution) and American Revolution. French Revolution was progressed 1787 to 1789(Britannica, Révolution Française). It was happened by many reasons, I will introduce some of them, it is because of the increasing prosperous elite of wealthy commoners, the peasant were aware of their situations, participation in the American Revolution had driven the government to the brink of bankruptcy, and crop failures in 1788, made them a long period of economic difficulties(Britannica Révolution Française).

Now I will introduce a person who underwent French revolution and huge change after revolution. He was a farmer, but he became revolution activist. He will talk us about his experience of revolution. Please give him a big hand.

Hi, my name is Robert Fournier. Today, I’m happy to talk about my experience about French Revolution. It was progressing on 1787 to 1789. I was 35 years old, when French Revolution was started. I couldn’t forget my 35 to 37 age memories. Oh, I want to introduce my family first. I have my pretty wife, and 4 children who are Elisa, Quantin, Laetitia, and Martin. They will appear many times on my story.

Let’s start. Um... When I was 34 years old, there was a huge drought in the France. But still Louis XVI and Maria Antonia’s persecution was so strong to ordinary farmers. The government took more than 80 percent of my income. When they build something, then, we had to give more tax than we earn and also we have to give our work. By our tax and work, 1 percent of nobles, and clerics made different special position. And they live luxuriously and elegantly (Doopedia, French Revolution, Révolution Française).

Day by day, powerless commoner and bourgeois’ complaint was soaring high. By that time, philosophy of enlightenment was peppered throughout fast. Philosophy of enlightenment is so important, it’s no exaggeration to say that philosophy of enlightenment lead citizens to revolution. Enlightenment is mostly made by Montesquieu and Rousseau. It is idea that God, reason, nature, and man synthesize into a world view that human’s reason power and trusting human’s unlimited potential for development. Also, the way of progressing humankind is overcoming ignorant and superstition and reform old customs and systems. (Doopedia)

Start of Revolution was États Généraux (Estate General). At 1789, Louis XVI resumed Estate General because of worsening finance. But on way of voting, there was big controversy. So 3rd identities ran out Estate General, because it was unfair that 1st and 2nd identities have 2 votes each, and 3rd identities only have 1 vote. After that 3rd identities made National Assembly that was consisted by 3rd. They vow in the tennis court about this assembly must not break up before make a law and recover society’s order. (Doopedia)

It is really famous event in French Revolution. Yes, it is the storming of the Bastille. I was at spearhead of citizen crowd. It was so thrilled. Anyway, we invaded to the Bastille to release political prisoner, but also we need good weapon to fight. By us, army of government deleted by a moment. This storming had spread to all of the country, that caused farmers' revolt. This revolt had been getting bigger and bigger, a constitutional assembly finally passed the Declaration of Human Rights. I thought it will be done because they passed the Declaration(Doopedia). Because of the storming of Bastille, we took sovereignty back from novels(먼나라 이웃나라).

The Declaration of Human Rights is based on human's natural right (freedom, ownership, etc. In order to preserve it, they allow the political union and country's formation, formation's basic principle is Sovereignty rests with the people(주권재민), seperation of power, and the law legislation(법률제정권). This Declaration effected many law of the world and politics including 1891 French Constitution(Doopedia).

So, the period of legislation just opened. But there was confliction between Girondins party and Jacobins party, because of the way of reformation. Girondins wanted to reform progressively, however Jacobins wanted to reform rapidly. Because Girondins have more money than Jacobins, so hey have to keep their money. During this confliction, the international situation was kind of hard to us. England, Austria, or Deutschland was planning to fight with France, because they didn't want to be like France's situation.(Doopedia)

It called a revolutionary war. Start of this war was only between France and Austria. However, after Affair Varennes (Louis XVI tried to run out from France), Louis killed by citizen, so marginal countries participated into a Revolutionary War on Austria's side. Oh I forgot something, by Louis' death, Frace established Constitutional Monarchy. War had a decided advantage to Austria's side. However, by Montagnards (belonging to Jacobins), we established to the war basis. We regained most of our territory.(Doopedia)

Around the war, Robespierre did Reign of Terror. Start of it was to overcome economical problem. But Robespierre abused his power. He killed a lot of person who hated. That is why it called Reign of Terror. Robespierre was Jacobins. Giordins rose in revolt to kill him. So after his death, Giordins established Directoire, but in France, there was still economical and political problem. So Napoleon appeared sadly...(Doopedia)

I am proud of this revolution, because by us it is not exaggerative that democracy and Constitution is started from this. My story is the end. Thank you guys to hear my boring story haha. This is about my memorization. Thank you!

Bibliography

Britannica. "French Revolution." Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Chicago: Britannica Inc. 2012.

Doopedia. "French Revolution,Révolution Française" Doopedia.