The French Revolution was a fight for the people. This fight for the people was an attempt to change the ways of the French Government. Under the rule of Louis XIV, the social class known as the Third Estate, the commoners, were overwhelmed by taxes that left them with half of their yearly income. Many people were left starving and angry, not just because they had to pay these ridiculous taxes, but also because the First and Second Estates didn't have to pay them. As time passed, the social classes were eliminated and the monarchy fell. Soon after, a republic was formed and the feudal acts that troubled many peasants were abolished. Over the years, many constitutions would be written and then destroyed. The Reign of Terror was a very violent time for those who opposed the French Convention. More than 5,000 people were executed for simply opposing the Convention. Fortunately that period only lasted one year. When Napoleon Bonaparte was recognized as a war hero, he slipped into the convention with ease. As the French army began to lose many of its battles, Napoleon atttempted a coup d' etat which proved successful. He and two other directors from the Directory became the primary leaders in the new government. Napoleon administered a new constitution that officially declared an end to the revolution in 1799.
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