French Revolution Test Notes

Definitions

What is an absolute monarchy?

A style of rule in which the King rules by divine right – He is God’s representative on earth. He has utter control over all aspects of life in his kingdom. He is only responsible to God.

What is a revolution?

1. Major change for large groups of people – it cannot succeed for long without substantial mass support.

2. An action undertaken primarily for freedom: To establish or restore political liberty, social/religious freedom and /or national rights.

3. An abrupt change.

4. Three types: political, (cultural, social and economic changes occur) nationalist (uniting an area into a nation or throwing out a foreign power) and social (new social classes) revolution.

What is a coup?

The struggle within or between political and social elites, generally by army officers. They are not massively popular and do not lead to major change for large groups. A coup d’etate is a military coup where people intent on major social and economic change gain power.

What was the Ancien Regime? 

The French system of government, laws and institutions which preceded the revolution of 1789.

The King:

1. Absolute authority and control.

2. Was not limited by any representative body (i.e. parliament).

3. Was the source of law and justice and responsible only to God.

4. Could issue a letter de cachet and imprison anyone without trial.


5. Some bodies (such as the Assembly and clergy) were exempt from Royal intervention as the King was bound by the laws and customs of the country. These laws guaranteed the rights and privileges of these independent bodies.

6. Consulted his councils whilst making new laws but was not necessarily bound by their advice.

7. Certain ministers (such as the Controller-General who was in charge of finance) held considerable power but there was no cabinet or prime minister whose powers rivaled the King.

8. The Royal expenses were often much higher than the money raised from taxes and therefore as royal debt increased as did the Royal budget for paying off its interest.

The First Estate: 

1. Members of the church who were the single largest landowner in France (owned 10% of land).

2. Were exempt from tax (yet sent a small gift of money to the King every year).

3. Collected a tithe on each year’s crop as well as charging people for the use of church property.

4. Provided poor relief, hospitals and schools.

5. Could censor information.

6. Acted as a modern registry office.

The Second Estate:

1. Made up of nobles and was the most powerful.

2. The highest positions were held by them, but in particular the 4000 court nobility.

3. Land was their main source of income as they owned over ¼ of France’s land.

4. 15-25% of the churches income went to nobles (all bishops were nobles).

5. Were tried in special courts, exempt from military service and forced labor on roads.

6. Did not pay direct taxes.

7. Received feudal dues and exclusive rights to hunting and fishing.

The Third Estate:

1. 98% of the population (peasants, urban workers, bourgeoisie- middle class).

2. Poor peasants had no hope for improvement.

3. All peasants had to pay a tithe to the church, taxes to the state and feudal dues to their lord.

4. Taxes: Taill, (tax on land) tithe to church, poll tax, (5% of wages) gabelle (salt tax) and taxes on food, drink, goods and entering and leaving towns.

What was the Estates General and how did it work?

1. 33 members for each class with one vote for each class (nobles and priests usually banded together).

2. It was inefficient and therefore had last been called over 150 years ago.

3. Was called in 1789 because of France’s financial crisis – the only way the king could tax the nobles was if it was voted upon at the estates general.

What were the causes of the French Revolution of 1789?

1. King lacked leadership and he was unpopular because of his gluttony and his wife’s spending.

2. People paid for the government but had no say in how it was run.

3. Thinkers and philosophers criticized French government and provided leadership and moral basis for revolt.

4. The French army had been influenced by the American war of independence and wanted freedom too.

5. The government was almost bankrupt – the American war and a famine had ruined France’s economy.

6. There was social division – the rich had all the wealth, top jobs and privileges. Poor had to pay all the tax and do all the hard work.

7. Bourgeoisies – middle class resented not being able to advance socially even though they were quite wealthy and educated.

What was the Enlightenment of France?

Intellectuals and philosophers who gathered to discuss the individual’s rights and responsibilities. They also discussed how a country should be governed. This movement stressed the importance of reason over tradition. Philosophers argued that people should accept laws only if they believed them to be fair and reasonable and not simply because they were told to.

These philosophies went against the teachings of the church, questioned the divine right of the king and influenced future leaders of the French revolution. People began to question the whole political system and began to wonder whether they could get rid of the king and develop a new system of government based on the will of the people.

Who were the 3 main French thinkers of the Revolution?

1. Voltaire: believed all men had the right to liberty, to own property and be protected by the law. He believed the best style of government was one led by an absolute ruler who was wise and just.

2. Montesquieu: The government should be ruled by the noble and educated classes that the peasants had no say in. He believed they had nothing to contribute to society as they were illiterate.

3. Rousseau: Social contact: sovereignty belonged to the nation. People lose their individual rights to the government but the final authority lay with the people. The true purpose of the government is to preserve the liberty of the individual.

What were the 3 estates?

The nobles, clergy and the third estate – peasants, city workers and bourgeoisie.

What was the National Assembly and how was it formed? 

When the 3rd estates was told that the voting in the Estates General (old parliament) would be by class and not head their hopes were dashed. When the king had called the Estates General they had seen it as a sign that change was on the way and that they would have a say in how the country was run. Yet when they found that this was not the case then they decided would form their own assembly and walked out on the other classes. They claimed that they represented the wishes of French citizens and declared themselves the National Assembly of France.