French Revolution

            What were the goals of the French Revolution produced by the Enlightenment? .
             The Age of Enlightenment in the eighteenth century brought forth a new freedom through an uprising middle class of people. Principle goals of the Enlightenment included freedom of thought, religion, political liberties and governments representative of the people. Over a vast period of time, revolutionary governments were created according to ration, liberty, and equality. The Monarchs were slowly swept away under the quick wit and brilliance of these newly enlightened societies. The Americans led the way of revolutionizing by crossing the Atlantic and settling on a new continent, away from Britain's ruthless Monarchy. The French sought to end their own political injustices, although freedom within the monarchy would have to be established in France because there was no place other than France they wished to go. .
             As soon as the French movement to end political injustices spiraled into a revolution in 1789, a hero of the American Revolution, Marquis de Lafayette, proposed a Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. With the American Declaration in mind, he had Thomas Jefferson assist him in writing the French Declaration. The task of writing a Declaration and proposing it to King Louis XVI, was far more difficult than starting a government from fresh as the Americans did. "The slogan of the French Revolution was Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity" (174). This slogan entails that the French Revolution was a movement to end inequality amongst men, and to rid determination of wealth upon what family you were born into, in hopes of changing the disparity in the country. .
             The seventeen points in the Declaration were clear, concise references to what people now desired and believed they deserved as citizens of France. The first point says, "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights; social distinctions may be based only upon general usefulness" (175).