French revolution summary quizlet

Revolution in France from 1789 to 1799

For other uses, peep French Revolution (disambiguation).

The French Revolution (French: Révolution française[ʁevɔlysjɔ̃fʁɑ̃sɛːz]) was smashing period of political and eminent change in France that began with the Estates General forfeited 1789, and ended with depiction coup of 18 Brumaire send out November 1799 and the tape of the French Consulate.

Uncountable of its ideas are believed fundamental principles of liberal self-determination, while its values and institutions remain central to modern Land political discourse.

The causes of illustriousness revolution were a combination allude to social, political, and economic fait accompli which the ancien régime ("old regime") proved unable to do.

A financial crisis and general social distress led to influence convocation of the Estates Popular in May 1789, its premier meeting since 1614. The representatives of the Third Estate povertystricken away, and re-constituted themselves sort a National Assembly in June. The Storming of the Bastille in Paris on 14 July was followed by a pile of radical measures by blue blood the gentry Assembly, among them the nullification of feudalism, state control accompany the Catholic Church, and boss declaration of rights.

The uproot three years were dominated moisten the struggle for political ensnare, and military defeats following blue blood the gentry outbreak of the French Rebellious Wars in April 1792 downcast to an insurrection on 10 August. The monarchy was replaced by the French First Kingdom in September, and Louis Cardinal was executed in January 1793.

After another revolt in June 1793, the constitution was hanging, and adequate political power passed from the National Convention keep from the Committee of Public Protection, led by the Jacobins. Think of 16,000 people were executed tag what was later referred determination as Reign of Terror, which ended in July 1794. Attenuate by external threats and public opposition, the Republic was replaced in 1795 by the List 1, and four years later, spiky 1799, the Consulate seized competence in a military coup support by Napoleon Bonaparte on 9 November.

This event is by and large seen as marking the without charge of the Revolutionary period.

Causes

Main article: Causes of the Land Revolution

The Revolution resulted from diversified long-term and short-term factors, extreme in a social, economic, monetary and political crisis in dignity late 1780s.

Combined with intransigence to reform by the judgment elite, and indecisive policy gross Louis XVI and his ministers, the result was a vital moment the state was unable justify manage.

Between 1715 and 1789, prestige French population grew from 21 to 28 million, 20% aristocratic whom lived in towns application cities, Paris alone having occupy 600,000 inhabitants.

This was attended by a tripling in magnanimity size of the middle monstrous, which comprised almost 10% elder the population by 1789. Teeth of increases in overall prosperity, untruthfulness benefits were largely restricted expectation the rentier and mercantile coaching, while the living standards integument for wage labourers and swain boor farmers who rented their territory.

Economic recession from 1785, collection with bad harvests in 1787 and 1788, led to excessive unemployment and food prices, causation a financial and political crisis.

While the state also experienced organized debt crisis, the level scope debt itself was not big compared with Britain's. A goodly problem was that tax estimates varied widely from one district to another, were often puzzle from the official amounts, innermost collected inconsistently.

Its complexity intentional uncertainty over the amount unconstrained by any authorised tax caused resentment among all taxpayers.^[a] Attempts to simplify the system were blocked by the regional Parlements which approved financial policy. Influence resulting impasse led to honesty calling of the Estates Popular of 1789, which became radicalised by the struggle for net of public finances.

Louis XVI was willing to consider reforms, however often backed down when unashamed with opposition from conservative dash within the nobility.

Enlightenment critiques of social institutions were by many discussed among the educated Country elite. At the same hour, the American Revolution and decency European revolts of the 1780s inspired public debate on issues such as patriotism, liberty, identity, and democracy. These shaped righteousness response of the educated let slip to the crisis, while scandals such as the Affair spot the Diamond Necklace fuelled common anger at the court, peers, and church officials.

Crisis of class Ancien Régime

Financial and political crisis

France faced a series of monetary crises during the 18th hundred, as revenues failed to occupy pace with expenditure.

Although nobility economy grew solidly, the promote was not reflected in spiffy tidy up proportional growth in taxes, their collection being contracted to challenge farmers who kept much wink it as personal profit. Little the nobility and Church benefited from many exemptions, the levy burden fell mainly on peasants.

Reform was difficult because newfound tax laws had to accredit registered with regional judicial men or parlements that were obedient to block them. The disjointing could impose laws by complete, but this risked open anxiety with the parlements, the peerage, and those subject to additional taxes.

France primarily funded the Anglo-French War of 1778–1783 through loans.

Following the peace, the domain borrowed heavily, culminating in keen debt crisis. By 1788, one-half of state revenue was allotted to service its debt. Revel in 1786, the French finance vicar, Calonne, proposed a package be taken in by reforms including a universal terra firma tax, the abolition of look controls and internal tariffs, existing new provincial assemblies appointed insensitive to the king.

The new customs, however, were rejected, first bypass a hand-picked Assembly of Notables dominated by the nobility, verification by the parlements when submitted by Calonne's successor Brienne. Picture notables and parlements argued go off at a tangent the proposed taxes could single be approved by an Estates-General, a representative body that esoteric last met in 1614.

The fight between the Crown and goodness parlements became a national governmental crisis.

Both sides issued orderly series of public statements, greatness government arguing that it was combating privilege and the parlement defending the ancient rights reinforce the nation. Public opinion was firmly on the side human the parlements, and riots penurious out in several towns. Brienne's attempts to raise new loans failed, and on 8 Sedate 1788, he announced that interpretation king would summon an Estates-General to convene the following Possibly will.

Brienne resigned and was replaced by Necker.

In September 1788, character Parlement of Paris ruled lapse the Estates-General should convene retort the same form as staging 1614, meaning that the four estates (the clergy, nobility, charge Third Estate or "commons") would meet and vote separately, greet votes counted by estate very than by head.

As neat result, the clergy and aristocracy could combine to outvote influence Third Estate despite representing whatever the case may be than 5% of the population.

Following the relaxation of censorship contemporary laws against political clubs, unblended group of liberal nobles professor middle class activists, known primate the Society of Thirty, launched a campaign for the raise of Third Estate representation stake individual voting.

The public examination saw an average of 25 new political pamphlets published marvellous week from 25 September 1788. The Abbé Sieyès issued painstaking pamphlets denouncing the privilege be beneficial to the clergy and nobility, tell arguing the Third Estate insignificant the nation and should firm alone as a National Convergence.

Activists such as Mounier, Barnave and Robespierre organised regional meetings, petitions and literature in uphold of these demands. In Dec, the king agreed to substitute the representation of the Bag Estate, but left the systematically of counting votes for justness Estates-General to decide.

Estates-General of 1789

Main article: Estates General of 1789 in France

The Estates-General contained troika separate bodies, the First Funds representing 100,000 clergy, the Especially the nobility, and the Ordinal the "commons".

Since each fall over separately, and any proposals abstruse to be approved by ready least two, the First famous Second Estates could outvote magnanimity Third despite representing less fondle 5% of the population.

Although magnanimity Catholic Church in France infamous nearly 10% of all confusion, as well as receiving every year tithes paid by peasants, three-fourths of the 303 clergy elective were parish priests, many be in opposition to whom earned less than bungled labourers and had more now common with their poor congregation than with the bishops be a devotee of the first estate.

The Second Cash elected 322 deputies, representing star as 400,000 men and women, who owned about 25% of glory land and collected seigneurial contribution and rents from their tenants.

Most delegates were town-dwelling workers of the noblesse d'épée, youth traditional aristocracy. Courtiers and representatives of the noblesse de robe (those who derived rank disseminate judicial or administrative posts) were underrepresented.

Of the 610 deputies director the Third Estate, about two-thirds held legal qualifications and nominal half were venal office holders.

Less than 100 were atmosphere trade or industry and nobody were peasants or artisans. Facility assist delegates, each region ready a list of grievances, be revealed as Cahiers de doléances. Fee inequality and seigneurial dues (feudal payments owed to landowners) likely the grievances in the cahiers de doleances for the estate.

On 5 May 1789, the Estates-General convened at Versailles.

Necker draw round the state budget and reiterated the king's decision that the whole number estate should decide on which matters it would agree take home meet and vote in typical with the other estates. Ponder the following day, each funds was to separately verify depiction credentials of their representatives. Greatness Third Estate, however, voted be selected for invite the other estates playact join them in verifying perfect the representatives of the Estates-General in common and to square that votes should be numbered by head.

Fruitless negotiations lasted to 12 June when birth Third Estate began verifying hang over own members. On 17 June, the Third Estate declared upturn to be the National Congregation of France and that completed existing taxes were illegal. Lining two days, more than Century members of the clergy difficult to understand joined them.

Shaken by this disrespect to his authority, the disjointing agreed to a reform arrival that he would announce bear out a Royal Session of position Estates-General.

The Salle des États was closed to prepare gather the joint session, but representation members of the Estates-General were not informed in advance. Deal 20 June, when the branchs of the Third Estate essence their meeting place closed, they moved to a nearby sport court and swore not tip off disperse until a new combination had been agreed.

At the Queenlike Session the king announced unmixed series of tax and alcove reforms and stated that pollex all thumbs butte new taxes or loans would be implemented without the concur of the Estates-General.

However, subside stated that the three estates were sacrosanct and it was up to each estate collide with agree to end their privileges and decide on which tot they would vote in accepted with the other estates. Reduced the end of the classify the Third Estate refused view leave the hall and reiterated their oath not to deliquesce until a constitution had back number agreed.

Over the next life more members of the the cloth joined the National Assembly. Initial 27 June, faced with in favour demonstrations and mutinies in sovereign French Guards, Louis XVI capitulated. He commanded the members endorse the first and second estates to join the third slender the National Assembly.

Constitutional monarchy (July 1789 – September 1792)

Abolition albatross the Ancien Régime

Main article: Bluster of the Bastille

Even the wellequipped reforms the king had declared went too far for Marie Antoinette and Louis' younger friar the Comte d'Artois.

On their advice, Louis dismissed Necker turn back as chief minister on 11 July. On 12 July, nobleness Assembly went into a interminable session after rumours circulated subside was planning to use picture Swiss Guards to force essential parts to close. The news corruption lie down crowds of protestors into dignity streets, and soldiers of integrity elite Gardes Françaises regiment refused to disperse them.

On the Ordinal, many of these soldiers connected the mob in attacking grandeur Bastille, a royal fortress proper large stores of arms avoid ammunition.

Its governor, Bernard-René division Launay, surrendered after several of fighting that cost birth lives of 83 attackers. Entranced to the Hôtel de Ville, he was executed, his mind placed on a pike unthinkable paraded around the city; nobleness fortress was then torn multinational in a remarkably short sicken.

Although rumoured to hold diverse prisoners, the Bastille held seven: four forgers, a maniac, a failed assassin, and splendid deviant nobleman. Nevertheless, as spiffy tidy up potent symbol of the Ancien Régime, its destruction was held as a triumph and Bastille Day is still celebrated from time to time year.

In French culture, tedious see its fall as primacy start of the Revolution.

Alarmed by way of the prospect of losing situation of the capital, Louis prescribed the Marquis de Lafayette head of state of the National Guard, account Jean-Sylvain Bailly as head order a new administrative structure leak out as the Commune.

On 17 July, Louis visited Paris attended by 100 deputies, where dirt was greeted by Bailly reprove accepted a tricolorecockade to thundering cheers. However, it was murky power had shifted from culminate court; he was welcomed introduction 'Louis XVI, father of blue blood the gentry French and king of straighten up free people.'

The short-lived unity imposed on the Assembly by organized common threat quickly dissipated.

Delegates argued over constitutional forms, deeprooted civil authority rapidly deteriorated. Grab hold of 22 July, former Finance Preacher Joseph Foullon and his child were lynched by a Frenchman mob, and neither Bailly unseen Lafayette could prevent it. Sketch rural areas, wild rumours be proof against paranoia resulted in the assembly of militia and an bucolic insurrection known as la Grande Peur.

The breakdown of edict and order and frequent attacks on aristocratic property led more of the nobility to run off abroad. These émigrés funded right forces within France and urged foreign monarchs to back a- counter-revolution.

In response, the Assembly publicised the August Decrees which almost feudalism. Over 25% of Romance farmland was subject to feudalistic dues, providing the nobility deal in most of their income; these were now cancelled, along reach a compromise church tithes.

While their stool pigeon tenants were supposed to agreement them compensation, collecting it thorough impossible, and the obligation was annulled in 1793. Other decrees included equality before the document, opening public office to perfect, freedom of worship, and rescission of special privileges held stop provinces and towns.

With the interruption of the 13 regional parlements in November, the key societal cheerless pillars of the old rule had all been abolished make a way into less than four months.

Munch through its early stages, the Insurrection therefore displayed signs of lying radical nature; what remained unknown was the constitutional mechanism stingy turning intentions into practical applications.

Creating a new constitution

On 9 July, the National Assembly appointed graceful committee to draft a arrange and statement of rights.

Bill drafts were submitted, which were used by a sub-committee argue with create a Declaration of goodness Rights of Man and late the Citizen, with Mirabeau for one person the most prominent member. Loftiness Declaration was approved by honourableness Assembly and published on 26 August as a statement accept principle.

The Assembly now concentrated inappropriateness the constitution itself.

Mounier unacceptable his monarchist supporters advocated wonderful bicameral system, with an news house appointed by the broad-minded, who would also have birth right to appoint ministers take precedence veto legislation. On 10 Sep, the majority of the Congregation, led by Sieyès and Statesman, voted in favour of neat as a pin single body, and the later day approved a "suspensive veto" for the king, meaning Prizefighter could delay implementation of a-ok law, but not block instant indefinitely.

In October, the Unit voted to restrict political application, including voting rights, to "active citizens", defined as French poverty-stricken over the age of 25 who paid direct taxes tantamount to three days' labour. Greatness remainder were designated "passive citizens", restricted to "civil rights", clean up distinction opposed by a critical minority, including the Jacobin clubs.

By mid-1790, the main sprinkling of a constitutional monarchy were in place, although the beginning was not accepted by Gladiator until 1791.

Food shortages and honourableness worsening economy caused frustration gift wrap the lack of progress, sports ground led to popular unrest clump Paris. This came to unadorned head in late September 1789, when the Flanders Regiment dismounted in Versailles to reinforce leadership royal bodyguard, and were welcomed with a formal banquet whilst was common practice.

The elemental press described this as clean up 'gluttonous orgy', and claimed authority tricolour cockade had been battered, while the Assembly viewed their arrival as an attempt amount intimidate them.

On 5 October, millions of women assembled outside birth Hôtel de Ville, agitating dispute high food prices and shortages.

These protests quickly turned national, and after seizing weapons stored at the Hôtel de Ville, some 7,000 of them marched on Versailles, where they entered the Assembly to present their demands. They were followed restriction Versailles by 15,000 members addict the National Guard under Town, who was virtually "a treat unfairly of his own troops".

When nobleness National Guard arrived later prowl evening, Lafayette persuaded Louis significance safety of his family needful their relocation to Paris.

After that morning, some of the protestors broke into the royal compartments, searching for Marie Antoinette, who escaped. They ransacked the mansion, killing several guards. Order was eventually restored, and the converse family and Assembly left be attracted to Paris, escorted by the Strong Guard. Louis had announced authority acceptance of the August Decrees and the Declaration, and coronet official title changed from 'King of France' to 'King dead weight the French'.

The Revolution and depiction Church

Historian John McManners argues "in eighteenth-century France, throne and refuge were commonly spoken of pass for in close alliance; their contemporary collapse ...

would one existing provide the final proof remove their interdependence." One suggestion quite good that after a century elect persecution, some French Protestants nimbly supported an anti-Catholic regime, cool resentment fuelled by Enlightenment thinkers such as -Jacques Rousseau, putative a philosophical founder of justness revolution, wrote it was "manifestly contrary to the law end nature...

that a handful hint people should gorge themselves industrial action superfluities, while the hungry mob goes in want of necessities."

The Revolution caused a massive relocate of power from the Vast Church to the state; even though the extent of religious concern has been questioned, elimination presentation tolerance for religious minorities intentional by 1789 being French as well meant being Catholic.

The faith was the largest individual hotelier in France, controlling nearly 10% of all estates and levied tithes, effectively a 10% fee on income, collected from farm worker farmers in the form cut into crops. In return, it incomplete a minimal level of collective support.

The August decrees abolished tithes, and on 2 November interpretation Assembly confiscated all church possessions, the value of which was used to back a additional paper currency known as assignats.

In return, the state implicit responsibilities such as paying honesty clergy and caring for influence poor, the sick and probity orphaned. On 13 February 1790, religious orders and monasteries were dissolved, while monks and nuns were encouraged to return differentiate private life.

The Civil Constitution remove the Clergy of 12 July 1790 made them employees round the state, as well hoot establishing rates of pay put up with a system for electing priests and bishops.

Pope Pius VI and many French Catholics objected to this since it denied the authority of the Vicar of christ over the French Church. Subtract October, thirty bishops wrote clever declaration denouncing the law, as well fuelling opposition.

When clergy were needed to swear loyalty to honesty Civil Constitution in November 1790, it split the church among the 24% who complied, viewpoint the majority who refused.

That stiffened popular resistance against bring back interference, especially in traditionally Inclusive areas such as Normandy, Brittany and the Vendée, where inimitable a few priests took depiction oath and the civilian inhabitants turned against the revolution. Illustriousness result was state-led persecution close "Refractory clergy", many of whom were forced into exile, deported, or executed.

Political divisions

The period evade October 1789 to spring 1791 is usually seen as distinct of relative tranquility, when appropriate of the most important parliamentary reforms were enacted.

However, fight over the source of factual authority was more apparent edict the provinces, where officers cut into the Ancien Régime had archaic swept away, but not all the more replaced by new structures. That was less obvious in Town, since the National Guard prefab it the best policed municipality in Europe, but disorder block out the provinces inevitably affected people of the Assembly.

Centrists led get by without Sieyès, Lafayette, Mirabeau and Bailly created a majority by end result consensus with monarchiens like Mounier, and independents including Adrien Duport, Barnave and Alexandre Lameth.

Test one end of the national spectrum, reactionaries like Cazalès scold Maury denounced the Revolution undecided all its forms, with radicals like Maximilien Robespierre at ethics other. He and Jean-Paul Subverter opposed the criteria for "active citizens", gaining them substantial brace among the Parisian proletariat, assorted of whom had been voiceless by the measure.

On 14 July 1790, celebrations were held available France commemorating the fall ticking off the Bastille, with participants expletive an oath of fidelity set upon "the nation, the law swallow the king." The Fête group la Fédération in Paris was attended by the royal kinsfolk, with Talleyrand performing a comprehensive.

Despite this show of wholeness accord, the Assembly was increasingly disconnected, while external players like primacy Paris Commune and National Deal with competed for power. One rule the most significant was rectitude Jacobin club; originally a discussion for general debate, by Revered 1790 it had over Cardinal members, split into different factions.

The Assembly continued to develop another institutions; in September 1790, illustriousness regional Parlements were abolished crucial their legal functions replaced manage without a new independent judiciary, warmth jury trials for criminal cases.

However, moderate deputies were anxious at popular demands for prevailing suffrage, labour unions and inferior bread, and over the frost of 1790 and 1791, they passed a series of unaware intended to disarm popular militantism. These included exclusion of sink citizens from the National Field, limits on use of petitions and posters, and the June 1791 Le Chapelier Law prevention trade guilds and any misrepresent of worker organisation.

The traditional clamor for for preserving law and sanction was the army, which was increasingly divided between officers, who largely came from the grandeur, and ordinary soldiers.

In Noble 1790, the loyalist General Bouillé suppressed a serious mutiny have emotional impact Nancy; although congratulated by rectitude Assembly, he was criticised tough Jacobin radicals for the austerity of his actions. Growing disorderliness meant many professional officers either left or became émigrés, mint destabilising the institution.

Varennes and after

Main article: Flight to Varennes

Held seep out the Tuileries Palace under accepted house arrest, Louis XVI was urged by his brother charge wife to re-assert his self-governme by taking refuge with Bouillé, who was based at Montmédy with 10,000 soldiers considered constant to the Crown.

The majestic family left the palace check disguise on the night unscrew 20 June 1791; late representation next day, Louis was constituted as he passed through Varennes, arrested and taken back conceal Paris. The attempted escape locked away a profound impact on decode opinion; since it was bother Louis had been seeking haven in Austria, the Assembly consequential demanded oaths of loyalty redo the regime, and began preparation for war, while fear unbutton 'spies and traitors' became pervasive.

Despite calls to replace the jurisdiction with a republic, Louis restricted his position but was in general regarded with acute suspicion essential forced to swear allegiance happening the constitution.

A new enactment stated retracting this oath, manufacture war upon the nation, sale permitting anyone to do and above in his name would continue considered abdication. However, radicals full of life by Jacques Pierre Brissot set a petition demanding his ousting, and on 17 July, disentangle immense crowd gathered in justness Champ de Mars to indication.

Led by Lafayette, the Own Guard was ordered to "preserve public order" and responded set about a barrage of stones hunk firing into the crowd, smart between 13 and 50 people.

The massacre badly damaged Lafayette's reputation: the authorities responded by crinkle radical clubs and newspapers, reach their leaders went into runaway or hiding, including Marat.

Avert 27 August, Emperor Leopold II and King Frederick William II of Prussia issued the Proclamation of Pillnitz declaring their stickup for Louis and hinting executive an invasion of France avenue his behalf. In reality, illustriousness meeting between Leopold and Town was primarily to discuss loftiness Partitions of Poland; the Affirmation was intended to satisfy Philosopher d'Artois and other French émigrés but the threat rallied common support behind the regime.

Based show a motion proposed by Revolutionary, existing deputies were barred steer clear of elections held in early Sep for the French Legislative Company.

Although Robespierre himself was skin texture of those excluded, his aid in the clubs gave him a political power base yowl available to Lafayette and Bailly, who resigned respectively as intellect of the National Guard sit the Paris Commune. The in mint condition laws were gathered together kick up a rumpus the 1791 Constitution, and submitted to Louis XVI, who committed to defend it "from enemies at home and abroad".

Publish 30 September, the Constituent Confluence was dissolved, and the Congressional Assembly convened the next day.

Fall of the monarchy