French Revolution

Erin Smith

Period 4

February 28, 2006

Mr. Patrick

The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era produced profound change in Europe. The gains and loses of the different social classes had a major effect on the way that Europe functioned. Even though the different classes had many different gains and lose, they all were one step closer to liberalism and equality.

The social classes of the French Revolution all were affected differently. The nobility lost something that was very crucial, their power. Since the nobles were for a monarchy and in the end, the people had more power, they were unhappy. The Second Estate also lost power to the National Assembly. When the National Assembly stormed the Bastille, the Second Estate lost all their power since the National assembly was gaining power. The Bourgeoisie was another social group that was affected by the revolution. This group was also made up of the peasants. The Bourgeoisie and the peasants had gained gunpowder after the storming of the Bastille. They also gained more power. Since they had taken the king out of power, they destroyed the monarchy. The people would now hold power and the Bourgeoisie and the peasants wouldn't be taxed. The Bourgeoisie and the peasants may have lost many of their people but gaining liberalism and equality was more important.

Just like the Bourgeoisie and the peasants, the women and workers gained and lost something during the revolution. The workers had lost their pride. The collapse of economic controls hit the working poor very hard. Even though the workers had lost pride in their jobs, they were now treated equally. They weren't going to have high taxes. Women also had a hard time. Even though the Declaration of the Rights of Man was passed, women were exempt from it. People didn't trust women and thought that they would give in too easily to the kings' demand. However, they did gain reforms. They could now inherit land, seek divorce, and were allowed to collect child support. After the women helped in the storming of the Bastille, the king felt that they could gain these reforms.

During the Napoleonic Era, the same social group had gains and loses. Napoleons defense of the new economic order also appealed successfully to the peasants, who had gained both land and status from the