Causes of the French Revolution

Long Term
1. Absolutism
  1. Idea that monarchs had divine rights
    1. Autocratic power
      1. Sole control over:
        Nobles
        Economy
        Power
        Government
    2. Monarchy regulated..
      1. Taxation
      2. Religion
      3. Government
        Government spending
2. Ancien Regime
  1. Three Estates
    1. 1. Clergy
    2. 2. Nobility
    3. 3. Peasantry
  2. Third Estate Discontent
    1. American Revolution
      1. Liberty, equality, fraternity
    2. Financial burden
    3. Bad harvest and famine
3. Age of Enlightenment
  1. Period of intellectual growth
    1. Liberty
    2. New political ideas
      1. Logic and reason over tradition and superstition (i.e Divine Right of Kings)
  2. The 'philosophes'
    1. Pamphlets
      1. Distributed in salon parties
        Distributed by middle class women- liberal thinkers
    2. Rosseau, Diderot, Tom Paine
      1. Rosseau = Conffesions
        Became a Cultural Hero
Medium Term
1. Taxation System
  1. First two estates exempt
    1. Peasants caried financial burden
    2. Louis XIV
      1. Left France in debt
        7 Years War
  2. Gabelle Tax
    1. Salt
      1. Staple in French diet
      2. Preseerved meat
      3. VITAL
  3. Feudal Rights and Dues
    1. Tithes
      1. 10% of earnings to church
2. Louis XVI- economic mismanager
3. 1787- Assembly of Notables disagree to tax where rich pay the most
  1. 1788- Clergy deny help
  2. First and Second Estates refuse to help Louis
4. Rising population
  1. Scarce resources
  2. Higher prices
Short Term
1. Marie Antoinette
  1. The 'Austrichienne'
  2. No interest in subjects
  3. Madame Deficit
    1. Le Petit Trianon
    2. Hairstyles
      1. Symbol of Unusefulness and debt
2. Louis XVI
  1. No politcal interest
  2. Personality
    1. Shy
    2. Indecisive
    3. Awkward
    4. Narrowminded
  3. Despot
    1. Letter de Cachets
      1. 14 000 sent
      2. Sent numerous people to prison
3. Tennis Court Oath
  1. 20th June 1789
  2. Estates General called to agree to new taxes
    1. Third Estate sat at back
      1. Demanded new government and equality
        Estates General closed down until Louis could regain control
        All estates made oath to never stop meeting until allowed to run country and had rights recognised
        National Assembly formed
  3. 1791- Jacque-Louis David painting of Tennis Court Oath

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Causes of the French Revolution

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	Created by Calista Kusuma over 10 years ago