History of Europe

How did the french revolution bring change?

Social Change

- End of feudalism and the privileges of the aristocracy and the clergy

- Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which proclaimed the equality of all men

- Universal male suffrage

- Secularization of society

Political Change

- Overthrow of the monarchy

- Establishment of the French Republic

- Creation of a new constitution that established a separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government

- Adoption of a new system of local government that provided for elected officials and greater local autonomy

Economic Change

- Redistribution of land from the aristocracy and the clergy to the peasantry

- Abolition of guilds and other restrictions on trade and industry

- Introduction of a new system of taxation that was more equitable

- Establishment of the Bank of France to regulate the economy and provide credit

Intellectual Change

- Spread of Enlightenment ideas, such as the importance of reason, science, and individual liberty

- Emergence of new political ideologies, such as liberalism, republicanism, and socialism

Global Impact

- The French Revolution inspired other revolutions around the world, including the Haitian Revolution and the Latin American wars of independence

- It also led to the Napoleonic Wars, which reshaped the European political landscape and spread Enlightenment ideas throughout Europe