What caused the french revolution and how did it end??

Question: What caused the french revolution and how did it end!?!?
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Well, the French people were poor because the French court had been putting itself deeper and deeper into debt for a while, and taxing the crap out of the people to make up for it!. That really didn't sit well!. There was also a middle class, but they didn't really do much once it got started!. After the success of the American Revolution, the French decided they'd had enough and would also like to throw off the monarchy!. Then the "three estates" met (represenatives from each of the social classes) and fought about everything, because they had nothing in common except thier country, and then a couple of the poor people decided to go around decaptiating all the rich people, and the "reign of terror" began, and eventually they came up with a Dictator, Napoleon (who wasn't even French)!. You could say that was the end of the Revolution, I guess!.!.!. But Napoleon starte wars because he wanted to make an Empire, and, when he was finally defeated at Waterloo, the British (who had defeated him) restored the Monarchy, and the French had a King again, and they country was fianlly able to begin rebuilding!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

This is a giant topic, one that I've been studying in school for the past 6 months!. I'll try to keep it short!.

The French revolution began chiefly as a tax crisis!. French expenditure during the 7 years war and the American War of Independence had created massive debt, with annual spending exceeding income by about a hundred million livres!. This was due in part to a totally unfair and inefficient taxation system, where most of the taxation fell on the poor Third Estate (peasants, farmers, workers, bourgeoisie) who made up about 97% of the population!. The Second Estate (nobles, 2%) paid very little tax, only the gabelle (salt tax) was the major one!. The First Estate (the Church, 1%) paid no tax at all; instead, it gave a 'don gratuit' or allowance to the King!.
Almost everything was taxed for the Third Estate; using mills, wine presses, ovens, the land, they even had to pay a percentage of their crop to the Church!.

The rights to collect taxers were sold out to 'tax farmers' who often kept a lot of money for themselves!. This meant that very little tax actually reached the King's treasury!. also, the nobles, who had a lot of money, paid no tax on it at all!. Some towns, such as Paris,Orleans etc!. also paid no tax on what they produced!.

The chief cause of debt was war, and the massive loans that had been taken out to finance them!. Court spending by the nobles was, in comparison, insignificant!. However, it was seen by the general population as the main cause of the nation's debt!.

In 1788, the King's chief financial minister attempted to pass a new tax on all people including nobles; he specially picked a group of nobles to pass this law!. When they refused to, he went to the Parlement of Paris (court) to try to force it through!. They too refused, and insisted that the Estates-General (about 360 people representing all three estates) be called!.

In the leadup to the Estates-General, a document was circulated amongst the three Estates called the cahiers, asking for any grievances they had!. This was the first chance in over a hundred and fifty years for the ordinary people to have a say, and this generated a feeling of expectation that something would be done!.

At the Estates-General, voting was done by order; each Estate would recieve one vote!. Usually, this meant that the first two Estates would outvote any proposal favourable to the Third Estate!. The Third Estate, this time, demanded a doubling of it's number (so that it would be equal to the other two Estates combined) and also voting by head, so that each individual would have a vote!. The other two Estates, naturally, disagreed!.

Following a period of ineffectual talks, the Third Estate broke away, proclaiming itself the National Constituent Assembly!. At the famous Tennis Court Oath, they swore to stay together until a consitution for France had been drawn up!. This was an incredibly radical move at the time; none of the cahiers had even mentioned a constitution!. For a simple tax crisis, things were rapidly getting out of hand!.

In support of the National Assembly, the people of Paris rioted; attacking buildings, burning government checkpoints etc!. The King, in response, deployed around 25,000 troops to surround Paris!.

The people of Paris, desperate to arm themselves, ransacked every gun shop in the city!. They then attacked the Invalides, where veteran soldiers lived!. Acquiring guns, but needing powder and ammunition, they went to the Bastille, an imposing medieval fortress now used as a prison!. We will never know who fired first, but shooting broke out!. Mutinous soldiers in the city, who had joined the rioters, arrived with artillery!. At this, the governer lowered the drawdbridge and was killed!.

This action forced the King to withdraw his troops!. The people of Paris had saved the National Assembly, and the Revolution!.

The first two Estates then joined the National Assembly, and it basically ruled the nation!. This is basically the start of the French Revolution, in 1789!. It develops from there, grows, dies, is reborn!.

The French revolution ended with Napoleon's rise to power!. During the French Revolutionary Wars, Napoleon achieved fame with his victories against the First Coalition!. Later on, utilising this power, he deposed the Directorate and become of the Triumvirate, three men who ruled the country!. He removed the other two, and declared himself Emperor!. This is generally agreed to be the end of the French Revolution!.

Of course, it's a lot longer and more complicated than this, but this is just a very simple overview!. Historians such as Lefebvre dedicate their whole lives to this very topic!. Hope it helps :DWww@QuestionHome@Com