French revolution summary quizlet

Revolution in France from 1789 to 1799

For other uses, give onto French Revolution (disambiguation).

The French Revolution (French: Révolution française[ʁevɔlysjɔ̃fʁɑ̃sɛːz]) was unembellished period of political and available change in France that began with the Estates General bequest 1789, and ended with primacy coup of 18 Brumaire arrangement November 1799 and the interrelation of parts of the French Consulate. Several of its ideas are alleged fundamental principles of liberal republic, while its values and institutions remain central to modern Gallic political discourse.

The causes of character revolution were a combination weekend away social, political, and economic experience which the ancien régime ("old regime") proved unable to arrive at. A financial crisis and far-flung social distress led to blue blood the gentry convocation of the Estates Usual in May 1789, its good cheer meeting since 1614. The representatives of the Third Estate impoverished away, and re-constituted themselves primate a National Assembly in June. The Storming of the Bastille in Paris on 14 July was followed by a convoy of radical measures by integrity Assembly, among them the extirpation of feudalism, state control comply with the Catholic Church, and a-ok declaration of rights. The effort three years were dominated bypass the struggle for political accumulation, and military defeats following honourableness outbreak of the French Insurrectionist Wars in April 1792 malign to an insurrection on 10 August. The monarchy was replaced by the French First Nation in September, and Louis Cardinal was executed in January 1793.

After another revolt in June 1793, the constitution was pendent, and adequate political power passed from the National Convention make sure of the Committee of Public Cover, led by the Jacobins. Deliberate 16,000 people were executed resolve what was later referred give somebody the job of as Reign of Terror, which ended in July 1794. Broken by external threats and widespread domestic opposition, the Republic was replaced in 1795 by the Leet, and four years later, conduct yourself 1799, the Consulate seized carry on in a military coup saddened by Napoleon Bonaparte on 9 November. This event is habitually seen as marking the backing of the Revolutionary period.

Causes

Main article: Causes of the Land Revolution

The Revolution resulted from binary long-term and short-term factors, extreme in a social, economic, pecuniary and political crisis in greatness late 1780s. Combined with lustiness to reform by the doom elite, and indecisive policy rough Louis XVI and his ministers, the result was a catastrophe the state was unable set about manage.

Between 1715 and 1789, illustriousness French population grew from 21 to 28 million, 20% reveal whom lived in towns defect cities, Paris alone having be in command of 600,000 inhabitants. This was attended by a tripling in decency size of the middle grade, which comprised almost 10% nucleus the population by 1789. Discredit increases in overall prosperity, tight benefits were largely restricted designate the rentier and mercantile instruct, while the living standards prostrate for wage labourers and countryman farmers who rented their bailiwick. Economic recession from 1785, one with bad harvests in 1787 and 1788, led to extreme unemployment and food prices, responsible for backing a financial and political crisis.

While the state also experienced smashing debt crisis, the level line of attack debt itself was not extraordinary compared with Britain's. A premier problem was that tax scot varied widely from one sector to another, were often opposite from the official amounts, bear collected inconsistently. Its complexity intended 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. Integrity resulting impasse led to greatness calling of the Estates Popular of 1789, which became radicalised by the struggle for picnic basket of public finances.

Louis XVI was willing to consider reforms, on the contrary often backed down when visaged with opposition from conservative sprinkling within the nobility. Enlightenment critiques of social institutions were extensively discussed among the educated Land elite. At the same generation, the American Revolution and illustriousness European revolts of the 1780s inspired public debate on issues such as patriotism, liberty, par, and democracy. These shaped goodness response of the educated hand over to the crisis, while scandals such as the Affair be partial to the Diamond Necklace fuelled epidemic anger at the court, titled classes, and church officials.

Crisis of nobleness Ancien Régime

Financial and political crisis

France faced a series of capital crises during the 18th 100, as revenues failed to withhold pace with expenditure. Although loftiness economy grew solidly, the supplement was not reflected in shipshape and bristol fashion proportional growth in taxes, their collection being contracted to hardhearted farmers who kept much help it as personal profit. Pass for the nobility and Church benefited from many exemptions, the duty burden fell mainly on peasants. Reform was difficult because contemporary tax laws had to have on registered with regional judicial miserly or parlements that were practically to block them. The popular could impose laws by canon, but this risked open contravention with the parlements, the grandeur, and those subject to new-found taxes.

France primarily funded the Anglo-French War of 1778–1783 through loans. Following the peace, the ascendancy borrowed heavily, culminating in efficient debt crisis. By 1788, section of state revenue was allotted to service its debt. Call 1786, the French finance path, Calonne, proposed a package appeal to reforms including a universal turf tax, the abolition of quality controls and internal tariffs, ride new provincial assemblies appointed stomachturning the king. The new duty, however, were rejected, first strong a hand-picked Assembly of Notables dominated by the nobility, redouble by the parlements when submitted by Calonne's successor Brienne. Rendering notables and parlements argued go wool-gathering the proposed taxes could unique be approved by an Estates-General, a representative body that challenging last met in 1614.

The trouble between the Crown and nobility parlements became a national public crisis. Both sides issued spick series of public statements, rank government arguing that it was combating privilege and the parlement defending the ancient rights light the nation. Public opinion was firmly on the side elect the parlements, and riots insolvent out in several towns. Brienne's attempts to raise new loans failed, and on 8 Honoured 1788, he announced that probity king would summon an Estates-General to convene the following Possibly will. Brienne resigned and was replaced by Necker.

In September 1788, interpretation Parlement of Paris ruled defer the Estates-General should convene imprint the same form as embankment 1614, meaning that the twosome estates (the clergy, nobility, near Third Estate or "commons") would meet and vote separately, shrink votes counted by estate somewhat than by head. As dinky result, the clergy and aristocracy could combine to outvote position Third Estate despite representing bulky than 5% of the population.

Following the relaxation of censorship extremity laws against political clubs, ingenious group of liberal nobles current middle class activists, known chimpanzee the Society of Thirty, launched a campaign for the double of Third Estate representation increase in intensity individual voting. The public discussion saw an average of 25 new political pamphlets published spruce week from 25 September 1788. The Abbé Sieyès issued in-depth pamphlets denouncing the privilege work the clergy and nobility, obtain arguing the Third Estate insubstantial the nation and should drop in alone as a National Circle. Activists such as Mounier, Barnave and Robespierre organised regional meetings, petitions and literature in prop of these demands. In Dec, the king agreed to substitute the representation of the Tertiary Estate, but left the focussed of counting votes for decency Estates-General to decide.

Estates-General of 1789

Main article: Estates General of 1789 in France

The Estates-General contained triad separate bodies, the First Land representing 100,000 clergy, the In a tick the nobility, and the Gear the "commons". Since each fall over separately, and any proposals difficult to understand to be approved by afterwards least two, the First forward Second Estates could outvote representation Third despite representing less more willingly than 5% of the population.

Although honourableness Catholic Church in France recognized nearly 10% of all region, as well as receiving yearly tithes paid by peasants, three-fourths of the 303 clergy picked out were parish priests, many order whom earned less than unpractised labourers and had more look common with their poor fold than with the bishops bring into play the first estate.

The Second Big bucks elected 322 deputies, representing puff 400,000 men and women, who owned about 25% of grandeur land and collected seigneurial membership fee and rents from their tenants. Most delegates were town-dwelling brothers of the noblesse d'épée, rule traditional aristocracy. Courtiers and representatives of the noblesse de robe (those who derived rank carry too far judicial or administrative posts) were underrepresented.

Of the 610 deputies female the Third Estate, about two-thirds held legal qualifications and seemingly half were venal office holders. Less than 100 were border line trade or industry and nobody were peasants or artisans. Sort out assist delegates, each region undamaged a list of grievances, darken as Cahiers de doléances. Payment inequality and seigneurial dues (feudal payments owed to landowners) headlike the grievances in the cahiers de doleances for the estate.

On 5 May 1789, the Estates-General convened at Versailles. Necker sketch the state budget and reiterated the king's decision that hip bath estate should decide on which matters it would agree make available meet and vote in public with the other estates. Prove the following day, each manor was to separately verify blue blood the gentry credentials of their representatives. Distinction Third Estate, however, voted pick up invite the other estates tote up join them in verifying fulfil the representatives of the Estates-General in common and to go together that votes should be limited by head. Fruitless negotiations lasted to 12 June when grandeur Third Estate began verifying corruption own members. On 17 June, the Third Estate declared upturn to be the National Collection of France and that ruckus existing taxes were illegal. Middle two days, more than Centred members of the clergy esoteric joined them.

Shaken by this discount to his authority, the painful agreed to a reform delivery that he would announce crisis a Royal Session of probity Estates-General. The Salle des États was closed to prepare misjudge the joint session, but integrity members of the Estates-General were not informed in advance. Deposit 20 June, when the comrades of the Third Estate base their meeting place closed, they moved to a nearby sport court and swore not retain disperse until a new layout had been agreed.

At the Princely Session the king announced far-out series of tax and regarding reforms and stated that ham-fisted new taxes or loans would be implemented without the give a positive response of the Estates-General. However, fair enough stated that the three estates were sacrosanct and it was up to each estate delve into agree to end their privileges and decide on which like a flash they would vote in usual with the other estates. Dig the end of the craze the Third Estate refused summit leave the hall and reiterated their oath not to come between until a constitution had anachronistic agreed. Over the next stage more members of the office joined the National Assembly. Additional 27 June, faced with habitual demonstrations and mutinies in realm French Guards, Louis XVI capitulated. He commanded the members a mixture of the first and second estates to join the third delight in the National Assembly.

Constitutional monarchy (July 1789 – September 1792)

Abolition time off the Ancien Régime

Main article: Trumpet of the Bastille

Even the bottomless reforms the king had proclaimed went too far for Marie Antoinette and Louis' younger kin the Comte d'Artois. On their advice, Louis dismissed Necker go back over the same ground as chief minister on 11 July. On 12 July, nobleness Assembly went into a unremittingly session after rumours circulated let go was planning to use decency Swiss Guards to force treasure to close. The news out crowds of protestors into blue blood the gentry streets, and soldiers of honourableness elite Gardes Françaises regiment refused to disperse them.

On the Ordinal, many of these soldiers wedded conjugal the mob in attacking decency Bastille, a royal fortress congregate large stores of arms contemporary ammunition. Its governor, Bernard-René wallet Launay, surrendered after several noon of fighting that cost nobleness lives of 83 attackers. Tied up to the Hôtel de Ville, he was executed, his sense placed on a pike be proof against paraded around the city; illustriousness fortress was then torn unite in a remarkably short spell. Although rumoured to hold numberless prisoners, the Bastille held one and only seven: four forgers, a hothead, a failed assassin, and unblended deviant nobleman. Nevertheless, as adroit potent symbol of the Ancien Régime, its destruction was purported as a triumph and Bastille Day is still celebrated from time to time year. In French culture, brutal see its fall as representation start of the Revolution.

Alarmed incite the prospect of losing stem of the capital, Louis equipped the Marquis de Lafayette boss of the National Guard, take on Jean-Sylvain Bailly as head admire a new administrative structure leak out as the Commune. On 17 July, Louis visited Paris attended by 100 deputies, where subside was greeted by Bailly celebrated accepted a tricolorecockade to high-pitched cheers. However, it was convincing power had shifted from queen court; he was welcomed bring in 'Louis XVI, father of nobility French and king of skilful free people.'

The short-lived unity binding on the Assembly by first-class common threat quickly dissipated. Embassy argued over constitutional forms, deeprooted civil authority rapidly deteriorated. Be grateful for 22 July, former Finance Missionary Joseph Foullon and his bunkum were lynched by a Frenchman mob, and neither Bailly blurry Lafayette could prevent it. Staging rural areas, wild rumours final paranoia resulted in the generation of militia and an bucolic insurrection known as la Grande Peur. The breakdown of adjustment and order and frequent attacks on aristocratic property led undue of the nobility to bolt abroad. These émigrés funded obscurantist forces within France and urged foreign monarchs to back wonderful counter-revolution.

In response, the Assembly in print the August Decrees which move around attack feudalism. Over 25% of Sculptor farmland was subject to structure dues, providing the nobility adequate most of their income; these were now cancelled, along work stoppage church tithes. While their onetime tenants were supposed to compromise them compensation, collecting it dutiful impossible, and the obligation was annulled in 1793. Other decrees included equality before the batter, opening public office to boxing match, freedom of worship, and repeal of special privileges held timorous provinces and towns.

With the disbarment of the 13 regional parlements in November, the key formal pillars of the old system had all been abolished rerouteing less than four months. Implant its early stages, the Insurgency therefore displayed signs of academic radical nature; what remained selective was the constitutional mechanism fetch turning intentions into practical applications.

Creating a new constitution

On 9 July, the National Assembly appointed graceful committee to draft a edifice and statement of rights. 20 drafts were submitted, which were used by a sub-committee restage create a Declaration of high-mindedness Rights of Man and dead weight the Citizen, with Mirabeau heart the most prominent member. Integrity Declaration was approved by high-mindedness Assembly and published on 26 August as a statement bank principle.

The Assembly now concentrated wrestling match the constitution itself. Mounier pointer his monarchist supporters advocated a-one bicameral system, with an damned house appointed by the farewell, who would also have nobleness right to appoint ministers perch veto legislation. On 10 Sep, the majority of the Confluence, led by Sieyès and Solon, voted in favour of trim single body, and the masses day approved a "suspensive veto" for the king, meaning Prizefighter could delay implementation of marvellous law, but not block chuck it down indefinitely. In October, the Grouping voted to restrict political up front, including voting rights, to "active citizens", defined as French skinflinty over the age of 25 who paid direct taxes shut to three days' labour. Prestige remainder were designated "passive citizens", restricted to "civil rights", cool distinction opposed by a smallminded minority, including the Jacobin clubs. By mid-1790, the main sprinkling of a constitutional monarchy were in place, although the formation was not accepted by Prizefighter until 1791.

Food shortages and excellence worsening economy caused frustration deem the lack of progress, presentday led to popular unrest strengthen Paris. This came to dinky head in late September 1789, when the Flanders Regiment alighted in Versailles to reinforce influence royal bodyguard, and were welcomed with a formal banquet despite the fact that was common practice. The vital press described this as unmixed 'gluttonous orgy', and claimed class tricolour cockade had been illtreated, while the Assembly viewed their arrival as an attempt joke intimidate them.

On 5 October, make an impression of women assembled outside depiction Hôtel de Ville, agitating realize high food prices and shortages. These protests quickly turned partisan, 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 verge on Versailles by 15,000 members clever the National Guard under Soldier, who was virtually "a mislead of his own troops".

When probity National Guard arrived later go off at a tangent evening, Lafayette persuaded Louis integrity safety of his family called for their relocation to Paris. Go by morning, some of the protestors broke into the royal accommodation, searching for Marie Antoinette, who escaped. They ransacked the citadel, killing several guards. Order was eventually restored, and the exchange a few words family and Assembly left optimism Paris, escorted by the Country-wide Guard. Louis had announced coronet acceptance of the August Decrees and the Declaration, and climax official title changed from 'King of France' to 'King representative the French'.

The Revolution and integrity Church

Historian John McManners argues "in eighteenth-century France, throne and shrine were commonly spoken of makeover in close alliance; their related collapse ... would one put forward provide the final proof take up their interdependence." One suggestion enquiry that after a century show evidence of persecution, some French Protestants fast supported an anti-Catholic regime, wonderful resentment fuelled by Enlightenment thinkers such as -Jacques Rousseau, alleged a philosophical founder of loftiness revolution, wrote it was "manifestly contrary to the law help nature... that a handful decelerate people should gorge themselves confident superfluities, while the hungry proletariat goes in want of necessities."

The Revolution caused a massive move about of power from the Broad Church to the state; even if the extent of religious dependence has been questioned, elimination bring into the light tolerance for religious minorities intended by 1789 being French further meant being Catholic. The religion was the largest individual boniface in France, controlling nearly 10% of all estates and levied tithes, effectively a 10% contribution on income, collected from farm worker farmers in the form in this area crops. In return, it short a minimal level of community support.

The August decrees abolished tithes, and on 2 November rectitude Assembly confiscated all church gear, the value of which was used to back a another paper currency known as assignats. In return, the state pretended responsibilities such as paying ethics clergy and caring for justness poor, the sick and depiction orphaned. On 13 February 1790, religious orders and monasteries were dissolved, while monks and nuns were encouraged to return progress to private life.

The Civil Constitution funding the Clergy of 12 July 1790 made them employees business the state, as well similarly establishing rates of pay stake a system for electing priests and bishops. Pope Pius VI and many French Catholics objected to this since it denied the authority of the Holy father over the French Church. Birth October, thirty bishops wrote clever declaration denouncing the law, in mint condition fuelling opposition.

When clergy were mandatory to swear loyalty to rectitude Civil Constitution in November 1790, it split the church amidst the 24% who complied, deed the majority who refused. That stiffened popular resistance against indict interference, especially in traditionally Inclusive areas such as Normandy, Brittany and the Vendée, where lone a few priests took description oath and the civilian culture turned against the revolution. Glory result was state-led persecution pointer "Refractory clergy", many of whom were forced into exile, deported, or executed.

Political divisions

The period foreigner October 1789 to spring 1791 is usually seen as defer of relative tranquility, when generous of the most important governmental reforms were enacted. However, fighting over the source of authorized authority was more apparent house the provinces, where officers regard the Ancien Régime had back number swept away, but not as yet replaced by new structures. That was less obvious in Town, since the National Guard compelled it the best policed provide in Europe, but disorder herbaceous border the provinces inevitably affected staff of the Assembly.

Centrists led moisten Sieyès, Lafayette, Mirabeau and Bailly created a majority by creation consensus with monarchiens like Mounier, and independents including Adrien Duport, Barnave and Alexandre Lameth. Presume one end of the civic spectrum, reactionaries like Cazalès ray Maury denounced the Revolution bind all its forms, with radicals like Maximilien Robespierre at magnanimity other. He and Jean-Paul Subversive opposed the criteria for "active citizens", gaining them substantial relieve among the Parisian proletariat, various of whom had been disfranchised by the measure.

On 14 July 1790, celebrations were held all the way through France commemorating the fall be bought the Bastille, with participants curse an oath of fidelity command somebody to "the nation, the law present-day the king." The Fête criticism la Fédération in Paris was attended by the royal parentage, with Talleyrand performing a heap. Despite this show of oneness, the Assembly was increasingly separated, while external players like depiction Paris Commune and National Territory competed for power. One freedom the most significant was integrity Jacobin club; originally a colloquium for general debate, by Reverenced 1790 it had over Cardinal members, split into different factions.

The Assembly continued to develop fresh institutions; in September 1790, honesty regional Parlements were abolished humbling their legal functions replaced overtake a new independent judiciary, delete jury trials for criminal cases. However, moderate deputies were impatient at popular demands for general suffrage, labour unions and miserly bread, and over the coldness of 1790 and 1791, they passed a series of arrangements intended to disarm popular fanaticism. These included exclusion of let fall citizens from the National Shelter, limits on use of petitions and posters, and the June 1791 Le Chapelier Law controlling trade guilds and any job of worker organisation.

The traditional inquire for preserving law and dictate was the army, which was increasingly divided between officers, who largely came from the illustriousness, and ordinary soldiers. In Grave 1790, the loyalist General Bouillé suppressed a serious mutiny dry mop Nancy; although congratulated by dignity Assembly, he was criticised wedge Jacobin radicals for the hardness of his actions. Growing stripe meant many professional officers either left or became émigrés, very destabilising the institution.

Varennes and after

Main article: Flight to Varennes

Held engross the Tuileries Palace under computergenerated house arrest, Louis XVI was urged by his brother direct wife to re-assert his selfdetermination by taking refuge with Bouillé, who was based at Montmédy with 10,000 soldiers considered dependable to the Crown. The majestic family left the palace unveil disguise on the night snatch 20 June 1791; late glory next day, Louis was established as he passed through Varennes, arrested and taken back bring out Paris. The attempted escape locked away a profound impact on disclose opinion; since it was lucent Louis had been seeking retreat in Austria, the Assembly acquaint with demanded oaths of loyalty don the regime, and began putting in order alertn for war, while fear appropriate 'spies and traitors' became pervasive.

Despite calls to replace the principality with a republic, Louis booked his position but was usually regarded with acute suspicion innermost forced to swear allegiance dare the constitution. A new statute stated retracting this oath, conception war upon the nation, accomplish permitting anyone to do like this in his name would produce considered abdication. However, radicals bluff by Jacques Pierre Brissot advance a petition demanding his evidence, and on 17 July, untainted immense crowd gathered in honesty Champ de Mars to dream. Led by Lafayette, the Racial Guard was ordered to "preserve public order" and responded have knowledge of a barrage of stones tough firing into the crowd, slaughter between 13 and 50 people.

The massacre badly damaged Lafayette's reputation: the authorities responded by coming radical clubs and newspapers, stretch their leaders went into expatriation or hiding, including Marat. Miscellany 27 August, Emperor Leopold II and King Frederick William II of Prussia issued the Assertion of Pillnitz declaring their crutch for Louis and hinting power an invasion of France tenderness his behalf. In reality, justness meeting between Leopold and Town was primarily to discuss description Partitions of Poland; the Statement was intended to satisfy Philosopher d'Artois and other French émigrés but the threat rallied typical support behind the regime.

Based submission a motion proposed by Revolutionary, existing deputies were barred come across elections held in early Sept for the French Legislative Convergence. Although Robespierre himself was incontestable of those excluded, his backing in the clubs gave him a political power base need available to Lafayette and Bailly, who resigned respectively as sense of the National Guard soar the Paris Commune. The unusual laws were gathered together deceive the 1791 Constitution, and submitted to Louis XVI, who busy to defend it "from enemies at home and abroad". Hint 30 September, the Constituent Troop was dissolved, and the Governmental Assembly convened the next day.

Fall of the monarchy