Below are a set of pamphlets and articles from outside Special Collections that may offer further insight:

What is the Third Estate? by Abbe Sieyes (January 1789)

In What is the Third Estate? (January 1789), Abbé Sieyès boldly argues that the Third Estate, the common people, constitutes the true strength and foundation of the nation, yet remains politically invisible and oppressed. He declares that the Third Estate is “everything” in terms of labor and contribution, but treated as “nothing” in the political order. Calling for representation and equality, Sieyès’s pamphlet became a powerful manifesto for revolutionary change and a rallying cry against the privileges of the clergy and nobility.

Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) is a foundational document of the French Revolution that proclaims liberty, equality, and fraternity as the natural rights of all men. Inspired by Enlightenment ideals, it asserts that sovereignty belongs to the people, guarantees freedom of speech and religion, and demands equal justice under the law. Rejecting the old regime’s privileges, the Declaration became a cornerstone for modern human rights and democratic governance.

The Declaration of the Rights of Woman by Olympe de Gouges (September 1791)

In The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen (1791), Olympe de Gouges challenges the male-focused ideals of the French Revolution by demanding full political and social equality for women. Modeled on the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, her manifesto asserts that women are born free and equal to men and must have the same rights in law, property, education, and government. Bold and ahead of its time, the work stands as a pioneering call for gender equality during the revolutionary era.

The Fall of the Bastille (July 14, 1789)

The Fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, marked a turning point in the French Revolution as Parisian crowds stormed the medieval fortress, a symbol of royal tyranny and oppression. Seeking weapons and protesting the king’s military presence near the city, the people’s victory over the Bastille became a powerful symbol of popular resistance and the collapse of absolute monarchy. The event galvanized revolutionary momentum and is still celebrated in France as a national holiday.

Intellectual History and the Causes of the French Revolution

This article dives deep into the intellectual ferment of late-18th century France, analyzing how Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu shaped the revolutionary mindset. It examines how concepts like natural rights, popular sovereignty, and rational governance migrated from philosophy salons and pamphlets into public consciousness and ultimately helped fuel revolutionary demands for systemic change. By highlighting the transition from abstract theory to concrete political action, the article underscores the Revolution as not just a social upheaval but also a battle over ideas.