French Revolution
Notes on the French Revolution
The French Revolution - or the French Revolution Wars (1789–1799) - refers to a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years and French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic, and religious privileges were destroyed under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets. Old ideas about hierarchy and tradition gave way to new Enlightenment principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. But the revolution collapsed with the result that Napoleon Bonaparte was able to seize absolute power and to declared himself the Emperor of France.
Pre-Revolutionary France
There are a number of factors that are generally understood as having led to the French Revolution. They include:
Louis XVI’s accession to the throne in 1774 amidst a serious financial crisis due to the French involvement in the Seven Years War and the participation of France in the American Revolution.
A grossly unfair tax system with clergy and nobility exempted from many taxes and the burden of taxes falling on the poor.
A farming crisis due to drought with the result that most people became desperate as bread shortages increased.
Huge public anger at the extravagance and opulence of the King and his court.
In 1789, in the midst of the worsening crisis, Jacques Necker, the Financial Minister, called for the first meeting of the Estates-General since 1614. The Estates-General represented the three tiers in French society of the day; the nobility, the clergy and the common people of France. The structure of the Estates-General was weighted in favour of the nobility and the clergy as each Estate had one vote even though the third Estate represented the majority of French society. Moreover the nobility and clergy almost always voted the same way. The King’s agreement with the proposal to
The French Revolution - or the French Revolution Wars (1789–1799) - refers to a period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years and French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic, and religious privileges were destroyed under a sustained assault from liberal political groups and the masses on the streets. Old ideas about hierarchy and tradition gave way to new Enlightenment principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. But the revolution collapsed with the result that Napoleon Bonaparte was able to seize absolute power and to declared himself the Emperor of France.
Pre-Revolutionary France
There are a number of factors that are generally understood as having led to the French Revolution. They include:
Louis XVI’s accession to the throne in 1774 amidst a serious financial crisis due to the French involvement in the Seven Years War and the participation of France in the American Revolution.
A grossly unfair tax system with clergy and nobility exempted from many taxes and the burden of taxes falling on the poor.
A farming crisis due to drought with the result that most people became desperate as bread shortages increased.
Huge public anger at the extravagance and opulence of the King and his court.
In 1789, in the midst of the worsening crisis, Jacques Necker, the Financial Minister, called for the first meeting of the Estates-General since 1614. The Estates-General represented the three tiers in French society of the day; the nobility, the clergy and the common people of France. The structure of the Estates-General was weighted in favour of the nobility and the clergy as each Estate had one vote even though the third Estate represented the majority of French society. Moreover the nobility and clergy almost always voted the same way. The King’s agreement with the proposal to