Final answer:
The French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals such as liberty, equality, and social contract, leading to the end of monarchical rule and establishment of a constitutional government.
Step-by-step explanation:
Amidst the cries for liberty and the clashing of societal classes, Enlightenment ideals profoundly influenced the French Revolution. Philosophers like John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu presented revolutionary ideas that questioned the longstanding notions of governance and social order. The outraged third estate, burdened with injustices and inspired by Enlightenment thinking, propelled France into a period of upheaval.
These ideas penetrated French society, where Liberté, égalité, et fraternité became the rallying cry demanding an end to absolutism. The National Assembly, imbued with the spirit of the Enlightenment, crafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, espousing liberty, equality, and brotherhood. This document, mirroring the principles of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, professed the people's sovereignty and natural rights, challenging the monarchy’s power.
Moreover, the reality of a turbulent France facing economic crisis due to the king’s extravagant spending and the cost of aiding the American Revolutionary War exerted additional pressures. This, coupled with the influence of Enlightenment intellectuals like Rousseau and the resolve of Parisian militias, signaled a seismic shift from monarchical rule to the inception of a constitutional government that prioritized the general will and social contract.