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Summary Quick Revision Notes for French Revolution
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- French Revolution
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- CIE
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French RevolutionCauses of the 1789 Revolution:
1. Ancien Régime and Louis XVI's problems and policies:
Ineffective leadership: Louis XVI was indecisive and lacked strong
leadership skills.
Extravagant spending and corruption: The royal court was known for its
lavish lifestyle, which strained the nation's finances.
Rigid social hierarchy (three Estates): The First Estate (clergy), Second
Estate (nobility), and Third Estate (commoners) perpetuated social and
economic inequality.
Economic mismanagement: High levels of debt from wars and poor financial
management led to attempts at tax reforms, which were met with resistance
from the privileged Estates.
Resistance to reform: Louis XVI was unwilling to make substantial changes
to the political and social system.
2. Pressures for change:
Enlightenment ideas (democracy, human rights, separation of powers):
Thinkers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu inspired new ways of
thinking about government, society, and individual rights.
Growing and discontented middle class: The bourgeoisie, influenced by
Enlightenment ideas, sought greater political representation and social
equality.
Economic hardships (taxation, food scarcity): The French population
suffered from increased taxes and food shortages, which exacerbated social
tensions.
3. Louis XVI's reaction to attempts at reform:
Indecision and reluctance: Louis XVI wavered on crucial decisions and
showed little enthusiasm for meaningful change.
French Revolution 1
, Convening the Estates-General: The King called the Estates-General in
1789 to address the financial crisis, but his refusal to grant meaningful power
to the Third Estate fueled tensions.
Immediate outcomes of the 1789 Revolution:
1. Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789):
Beginning of the Revolution: The attack on the Bastille marked a turning
point, signifying popular defiance of royal authority.
Collapse of royal authority: The storming of the Bastille led to a power
vacuum and widespread chaos, weakening the monarchy's control.
2. March of the Women (October 1789):
Protest against food scarcity: Thousands of Parisian women marched to
Versailles to demand bread and express their anger at the royal family.
Forced royal family to move to Paris: The protesters successfully forced
Louis XVI and his family to relocate to Paris, which limited the King's ability
to govern from afar.
3. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 1789):
Established principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity: The declaration
outlined the core values of the Revolution and served as a foundation for
future constitutions.
Asserted natural rights and popular sovereignty: The document proclaimed
the rights of individuals and the importance of government by the will of the
people.
4. The August Decrees (August 1789):
Abolition of feudal privileges: The National Assembly voted to end the feudal
system, dismantling the legal and economic privileges of the nobility and
clergy.
Introduction of land reforms: The decrees redistributed land, removing
various forms of tenure and making property more accessible to the
peasantry.
French Revolution 2
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