Brief description of the French RevolutionThe French Revolution is a key event in the history of Europe. It began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s. The main goal of the revolting French was to get rid of the monarchy that was tearing France apart. The French Revolution followed the American Revolution and was somewhat inspired by the American Revolution. The ideas of the Enlightenment also inspired the French. These ideas, along with the upper class's destruction of France, triggered the revolution. Intended Audience The primary audience for this article is Dr. Ernest Enchelmeyer and members of the English Department at Arkansas Tech University. The secondary audience is made up of students interested in European history. Main Causes of the Revolution There are a few causes of the French Revolution and they are mostly caused by the failures of the monarchy. One of the major causes of the French Revolution was French involvement in the American Revolution. France's involvement in the American Revolution pushed the French economy almost into bankruptcy. The mistreatment of the peasants by the elites with obscenely high taxes really shocked them. The big catalyst that really pushed the lower class over the edge was the bad harvest of 1788 which caused starvation and made the economy suffer even more than it already was. French States Three states governed France. The First Estate was made up of the Catholic clergy and made up a very small portion of the population. The second estate represented the nobles and was also represented by a very small part of the population. The third estate was made up of commoners who made up 98% of the population. The first and second estates could veto anything... mid-paper... the canon basically allowed him to do so without hesitation as he was a proven leader, proven by his many war victories. The rise of Napoleon marked the end of the French Revolution, and Napoleon would lead the French to heights they would never reach again. Conclusion The French Revolution had an impact throughout Europe during the late 1780s and 1790s. It is undoubtedly one of the most important events in European history. He also reflects on the imperfections of mankind. For example, Robespierre started out as a figure of good but slowly became more and more corrupt as he gained more power. This event as a whole shows how fear can cause complete chaos, as demonstrated by the Reign of Terror. The French Revolution was a dark time for France, but it was ultimately necessary and gave birth to Napoleon who ended up taking France to the top of the world through conquest.