French Revolution Lower Class :: essays research papers

Life from the BottomLower classes give birth always been treated the worst of any other people. I, being a peasant farmer during the French Revolution, have experienced this maltreatment in human beingkind. We made up the largest group within the Third Estate. We were forced to do things that were out of our control. The peasants, such as me, did not kindred being under the pattern of Louis XVI and his spouse Marie Antoinette. We were already deprived of money to begin with, unless we still lost half of what we had due to taxes. We were expected to pay feudal dues to the nobles, tithes to the church, and royal taxes to the kings agent. Also, aside from taxes in money, we owed the corve. The corve was a certain form of tax that was paid by work rather than money. We were expected to do this for a certain number of days out of every year. During the rule of the Old Regime, peasants rights were depleted and our power was oppressed.When the radicals tried Louis XVI for treason an d demanded that he be executed, we peasants were relieved. We now gained more rights and felt freer. The Jacobins were now gaining more power. We didnt like this at all. We were horrified by the beheading of the king. We knew that the beheadings could become a routine within our country. As many an(prenominal) leaders were trying to gain power, one man slowly took control. His name was Maximilien Robespierre. His reign of power was known as the Reign of Terror. We were terrified of Robespierres power. We were all in danger of being guillotined. As many as 40,000 people were beheaded all together, and 80% of them were peasants.After awhile, the members of the National Convention knew none of them were safe from Robespierre. They finally turned against him and executed him on July 28, 1794. This implementation ended the Reign of Terror. Everybody was relieved.If the European monarchies were able to squelch the revolutionary government of France, then Louis and Antoinette would not h ave ruled as long as they did. This would have meant, less tax paying for us peasants.