Chapter 1: Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Ancien Régime

Question 1

What was the Marxist interpretation of history?
How does this apply to the French Revolution?

Answer 1

History was a series of class based struggles

Regarded as a bourgeois revolution- class struggle between RISING bourgeois and DECLINING aristocracy

Bourgeoisie had become stronger economically in 18th century but kept out of positions of power

Question 2

Describe the navy
What did the navy do?

Answer 2

Strong
Defend coastline and empire

Question 3

What was the army needed for?

Answer 3

Defending vulnerable borders

Question 4

What is a risk of harvests?
What did this risk cause?
What helped?

Answer 4

Harvest failures not uncommon

Poverty and destitution in town and country

Increasing mechanisation of agriculture (eg seed drill) secured higher yields

Question 5

What was one major problem with the taxation system causing France to be poor and unrest amongst the common people?

Answer 5

Clergy and nobles (together richest people in country) didn’t pay direct taxes

Question 6

Why was trade between different drive ins unprofitable?

Answer 6

Customs barriers

Question 7

What did everyone do?
What did nobles think?

Answer 7

Payed taxes
Their duty to pay more than poorer people

Question 8

What did a developed banking system and national bank mean?

Answer 8

Cheap to borrow money

Question 9

What parts of the feudal system still existed?

Answer 9

3rd estate still owed feudal service to their lords