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'''The French Revolution''' is one of the most famous revolutions in all of history.  It started out with hope and promise, but then there was a "[[Reign of Terror]]", a chaos wherein anyone could be killed at any time. At least 18,000 people were executed on the [[Guillotine]].

'''The French Revolution''' is one of the most famous revolutions in all of history.  It started out with hope and promise, but then there was a "[[Reign of Terror]]", a chaos wherein anyone could be killed at any time. At least 18,000 people were executed on the [[Guillotine]].

Before the Revolution, France had three levels in its social system: The First, Second, and Third Estates.  The [[First Estate]] was about 1% of the population, but it controlled 10% of the land.  The First Estate consisted of the clergy, and they did not pay any taxes.  The [[Second Estate]] was about 2% of the population and they controlled 20% of the land.  These were the nobility, and they too payed very little taxes.  The [[Third Estate]] was everyone else, and they were badly overtaxed by the monarch.  This overtaxing was a major cause of the French Revolution.  Interestingly, taxes also helped to spark the [[American Revolution]].

Before the Revolution, [[France]] had three levels in its social system: The First, Second, and Third Estates.  The [[First Estate]] was about 1% of the population, but it controlled 10% of the land.  The First Estate consisted of the clergy, and they did not pay any taxes.  The [[Second Estate]] was about 2% of the population and they controlled 20% of the land.  These were the nobility, and they too payed very little taxes.  The [[Third Estate]] was everyone else, and they were badly overtaxed by the monarch.  This overtaxing was a major cause of the [[French]] Revolution.  Interestingly, taxes also helped to spark the [[American Revolution]].

The leaders of the Third Estate were the middle class, called the [[bourgeoisie]].  They were educated in the ideas of the [[Enlightenment]], most importantly [[Jean Jacques Rousseau]].  Rousseau's book, "The Social Contract" supported a [[direct democracy]], rather that the republican government that had been adopted in [[America]].  The social contract spoke against titles for nobility and demanded complete equality for all people.  These ideas later inspired communist writers like [[Karl Marx]].

The leaders of the Third Estate were the middle class, called the [[bourgeoisie]].  They were educated in the ideas of the [[Enlightenment]], most importantly [[Jean Jacques Rousseau]].  Rousseau's book, "The Social Contract" supported a [[direct democracy]], rather that the republican government that had been adopted in [[America]].  The social contract spoke against titles for nobility and demanded complete equality for all people.  These ideas later inspired communist writers like [[Karl Marx]].