French Revolution

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The French Revolution was a period of French history that lasted from 1789 to 1799.

One of the Revolution's most well-known events was the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789. The Bastille was a castle where the Royal Family locked up those who did not obey them, often sentencing them to death. In the Revolution, the French Monarchy was replaced with the French Republic. This led to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789. The French Republic was supposedly based on the slogan of 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity', which meant that everyone was supposed to be free, equal and across all countries be considered the same, like brothers. But the leaders soon turned it into a Reign of Terror, where up to 40,000 people were put to death. Many people, including members of the royal family, the church, and anyone who they thought supported them, were beheaded with guillotines during this change. The revolutionaries even tried to make a new religion and a new calendar.

The revolution ended the monarchy in France, also known as 'l'Ancien Régime', forever. However, before long Napoleon declared himself Emperor and ended the Republic. It was a very bloody time for France.

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