French Revolution Cheat Sheet

Long Range Causes:

Social Causes​—unequal structure of French society
– Nobles lived in luxury supported by gov’t pensions
– Bourgeoisie (middle class)—angry about restrictions placed on them
– Peasants—They are hungry!
• 3​rd​ Estate could only advance to a certain point in government and Church employment
• Peasants had ​NO SAY​ in taxes!

Political causes​—abuse of power by the French monarchy

– You could be arrested w/o charge
– Secret trials w/o juries
– Success of American Revolution
Economic causes​—unfair system of taxation in France
– Heavy taxes levied to pay for lavish spending of the Sun King—Louis XIV (Versailles) and war
debts of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI
– Burden fell on the middle and lower classes
– 1​st​ and 2​nd​ Estate ​DO NOT​ pay taxes!!!!
Voting Problems:
• Third Estate angered they represented 97% of the population and could be outvoted 2-1 by First and
Second Estates
• Leads to the Tennis Court Oath
• 3​rd​ Estate → National Assembly
• Goal: Vote by individual not by estate
• Will not disband until a new constitution is written for France
• King takes no action at first—BUT—he is desperate for $ and finally recognized the NA
• Lack of trust among the People
o They feared Louis XVI would call in troops to stop them
Storming of the Bastille—July 14, 1789—​OFFICIAL START OF THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION!!!!

7 guards killed, 7 prisoners freed—5 criminals and 2 mad men, 98 rioters killed
The Great Fear: Peasant Revolt—July 20, 1789
● It was rumored that nobles were hiring groups of bandits to attack peasants and ruin their land.
● In response peasants throughout France burned feudal papers and noble property

Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen—August 26, 1789

● Influenced by Am. Declaration of Independence & Constitution, English Bill of Rights
● Liberty!
● Property!
● Resistance to oppression!
March of Women: October 5-6, 1789​—Women want BREAD!!! Their families are hungry!

The Great Escape:​ Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette try to escape France dressed like peasants—discovered
and brought back to Paris.
December of 1792 Louis was tried and convicted of conspiring “…against the liberty of the nation”
January 1793 he was beheaded on the guillotine (new innovation—“humane” means of execution)

Reign of Terror

Jacobins—radicals and defenders of revolution and voice of the people take over France (Maximilien
Robespierre and Georges-Jacques Danton)

Maximilien Robespierre:
• rules almost like a dictator
• Enemies of the Revolution were tried in the morning and beheaded in the afternoon—Including Marie
Antoinette!

• No one is safe: In 1794 Robespierre sent Danton to his death

• “Don’t forget to show my head to the people. It’s well worth seeing.” —George Danton
• Later that same year—Robespierre “heads off” to the guillotine ending the ​Reign of Terror
• A conservative, 5 man ​Directory​ rules
• Weak and ineffectual

Results of the French Revolution:

• Political Power shifts to Middle Class

• Nobles power declines
• Nationalism increases…everywhere!
• Ideals of the FR spread throughout Europe
• Monarchs Beware!