1. Causes of the French Revolution
Mr. Meester
AP European History
Pages:

2. Financial Crisis & Taxes
Following the Seven Years’ War & American Revolution The French Government was severely in debt.
France had problems getting enough tax revenue
Attempts to tax the nobility were stopped by the Parlements
Rene Maupeou nearly broke the Parlements but was dismissed
The Parlements were run by the Nobles but had public support
Sex scandals and living in Versailles marred the public’s view of the monarchy

3. Necker, Calonne, & Brienne
In 1781, Finance Minister Jacques Necker issued a report that the situation wasn’t as bad as people believed.
Necker was removed from office
In 1786, Charles de Calonne became Minister of Finance
He tried to encourage internal trade and new land taxes
Calonne needed public support from the Assembly of Notables but couldn’t get it
Etienne de Brienne replaced Calonne but couldn’t gain approval for new taxes
Eventually Necker was brought back & the Estates General was called

4. Problems at the Estates General
The 3 Estates clashed immediately
The 3rd Estate refused to let the Aristocracy & Monarchy to determine the future alone
The organization & voting in the Estates General was also debated
Old social & political differences still existed
Public outrage caused the “Doubling of the Third”
Most representatives brought Cahiers de Doleances
Showed a great deal of similarity in grievances between the estates

5. The National Assembly & Oath
The 3rd Estate refused to sit a separate order & invited the aristocracy to form a new legislature.
Formed the National Assembly
Louis XVI tried to reassert control over the Estates General
Locked National Assembly out of its meeting room
Led to the Tennis Court Oath
Finally agreed to voting by head
Change would spread beyond the government

6. Fall of the Bastille
Louis tried again to regain control this time by using the army and firing Necker
The National Assembly wanted a limited monarchy
Louis sided with conservative aristocrats
The people of Paris reacted to these events and the price of bread violently on July 14th 1789
Storming of the Bastille
The next day the National Guard gave command to Marquis de Lafayette
This set the precedent of common citizens influencing the fight

7. The Great Fear
Unrest also existed in the French countryside where the Great Fear led to peasant uprisings
The Night of August 4th say the aristocrats in the National Assembly tried to end uprisings.
They voluntarily gave up their special privileges
It abolished the social distinctions of the Old Regime
Louis XVI failed to understand the significance of these events
The National Assembly had an ally in the people against the king and conservative aristocrats

8. The Declaration of the Rights of Man
On August 27th the National Assembly issued a broad list of political principles known as the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Drew on the Enlightenment and other documents
It was directed at the abuses on the Old Regime
It wasn’t an accident that it was addressed only to men

9. Women’s March on Versailles
Louis didn’t immediately sign the Declaration
Bread price had remained high for months
7000 armed women marched to Versailles demanding bread
They forced him to not only sign but also move back to Paris