The french revolution

• France was ruled by an absolute monarch in the 17th century, with famous rulers like Louis XIV and Louis XVI
• Absolutism means the king has total power over all his subjects, and the people have no say in government
• An absolutist king would be in charge of:

  • Going to war whenever he wants
  • Imprisoning or killing someone for any reason
  • Imposing high taxes on the people
• France was divided into 3 groups:

  • The clergy: consisted of high clergy and bishops who lived in luxury and were members of the king's court
  • The nobility: landowners who lived off the income from their land and were only noble by birth, many were part of the king's court
  • Everyone else: peasants, lawyers, doctors, merchants, the only group that had to pay taxes
• Inequalities between the 3 estates:

  • Only the third estate had to pay taxes, the other two estates were exempt
  • During a trial, the word of someone from the third estate was worth less than someone from the other estates
  • Members of the third estate received harder punishments compared to other estates
  • The nobility, who did not work, did not like or respect the third estate who had to work for a living
• The nobility loved their privileges and resisted changes to the societal organization
• Bourgeoisie:

  • Members of the 3rd estate
  • Worked for a living and valued hard work
  • Included merchants, lawyers, doctors
• Bourgeoisie were angry that the nobility got status and privilege because they were born into it and not because they worked for it
• Louis XIV reigned from 1643 to 1715
• Under Louis XIV's reign, the monarchy was the strongest
• In theory, he had absolute control over his subjects
• Kings were believed to rule by divine right, meaning they were chosen by God
• When a king was crowned, the church declared him divine
• The king protected the interests of the church
• French society before the revolution was known as the Ancien Regime
• Factors that led to the French Revolution:

  • Influence of enlightenment philosophers led to questioning of absolute monarchy
• Financial crisis in France:

  • The king spent a lot of money on expensive wars and lived an extravagant lifestyle
  • Couldn't borrow money from banks as 50% of spending went to paying off debts
  • Main source of income was taxes, with the 3rd estate being the main taxpayers
• Agricultural crisis in France:

  • Peasants, who were the poorest and most heavily taxed, farmed the land
  • Had to pay tithes (taxes to the church) and taxes to the king
  • Bad harvests in 1787 and 1788 increased poverty and led to a rise in bread prices
  • Rise in bread prices led to people being unable to afford basic goods, causing factories to close and workers to become unemployed
• In France, most people were peasants who farmed the land
• Peasants were the poorest and heavily taxed, paying tithes to the church and taxes to the king
• Bad harvests in 1787 and 1788 increased poverty
• Bad harvests led to a rise in bread prices, making it difficult for people to afford basic goods
• As a result of high bread prices, factories closed and workers became unemployed
• In 1786, the Estates General was meeting to discuss a possible constitution for France
• Only the rich were allowed to elect duplicates to represent and vote during the Estates General
• The 3rd estate made up 98 percent of the population, mostly peasants, but the deputies elected to represent them were mostly businessmen and lawyers
• The king hoped the Estates General would solve the financial crisis, while the 3rd estate believed the problem could be solved if the nobility and clergy paid taxes
• The clergy and nobility refused to pay taxes
• The 3rd estate demanded the drawing up of a constitution
• The people stormed the Bastille prison in Paris, a symbol of the king's power to imprison without trial
• The nobility and clergy were against these decisions but feared the 3rd estate
• The Ancien Regime ended, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and citizen was adopted, guaranteeing individuals' freedoms and equality among citizens
• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens was inspired by the English revolution and Enlightenment
• The declaration did not apply to women or inhabitants of the French colonies
• Women did not have the right to vote or participate in public life
• Slavery continued in the colonies; it was banned in 1794 but restored a few years later
• Abolition of the 3 states
• Abolition of privileges for the clergy and nobility
• Subject replaced by citizen
• Male citizens who worked, paid taxes, and had the right to vote