The French Revolution played a significant role in European history. It is seen as a pivotal time for human rights equality and a leader in the attempt to advocate citizenship to individuals. "Many historians called this period the liberal revolution because it was characterized by the enactment of fundamental legislation incorporating the principles of individual liberty announced in the Declaration of Rights" (Popkin, 44). Man was granted rights never before experienced. Individual and political rights started to be explored by many that never had the "privilege". Publicly discussed and deliberated in the development of human rights were the subjects of religious tolerance, racism, and sexism. "The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen was introduced August 27, 1789 by the National Assembly" (Popkin, 42). This declaration outlined who was and who was not considered a citizen and what rights they had. The word "Man" can have more than one definition. It could mean strictly one sex (male), or it also characterize all individuals as a whole (female and male). This paper will delineate the word "man" from the National Assembly's point of view and will endeavor to understand their definition of a citizen. .
"In passing the Declaration, the assembly encouraged the French people to think of themselves in a new way: as active individuals, endowed with rights they were entitled to protect through political participation" (Popkin, 42). The right to vote was extended to over half of the male population in France and excluded all women. In order to achieve this status of "active citizen" and have the right to participate in political process, a man must have the following: "been born or become a Frenchman - to be fully 25 years of age - to be resident in the city or canton . . . to pay a direct tax equal to at least three days labor. Not to be a servant for wages- to be inscribed upon the roll of the National Guard and to have taken the Civic Oath" (Southgate).