Essay Questions Flashcards
Why did the Ancien Regime fail?
Financial Crisis : 116.1 million livres debt - 1789, Estate General called May 1789
Louis’ character : Assembly of Notables called due to distrust of Louis, Calonne’s reforms in 1786
Structure of the Ancien Regime : Nobles exempt from taille (land tax) and occupied high positions in military and church
Enlightenment: Jean Jacques Rousseau - Despotic monarch can be overthrown by the people, Voltaire - criticized the power of the Catholic Church, Montesquieu - criticized Absolutism, Desmoulins prompted the storming of the Bastille 1789
Why did the Revolution occur in 1789?
Finance : Meeting of the Estates General - May 1789
Louis : Locked Doors - June 1789, dismissed Necker - 12th July 1789
Enlightenment : Dec of R of Man - Aug 1789, Desmoulins’s lamppost speech
Food Shortages : Prices peaked - 1789, October Days - 5th October
Why did the Constitutional Monarchy fail?
Louis’ actions : Flight to Varennes - June 1791. Veto on emigres - Nov 1791
Political Clubs and Sans-culottes : Storming of the Tuileries - August 1792 Camp de Mars massacre - July 1791
War : Broke out - April 1792, Brunswick Manifesto - July 1792
Food shortages : Food riots in Paris - Jan-March 1791
Why did the Republic slide to Terror?
War : Formation of the First Coalition - 1792
Robespierre and his dictatorship : Law of Suspects - September 1793, Law of Prairial June 1794
The sans-culottes : The Religious Terror - 1794, Law of General Maximum, Law of Frimaire - December 1793
Clubs : Expulsion of the Girondins June 1793, execution of the Indulgents and Hebertists - April 1794
Why did Napoleon rise to power?
Discontent with the Directory : Jourdan’s Law - September 1789, Coup of Prarial - June 1779 and following economic insecurity
Napoleon’s Military Successes : Italian Campaign - 1796
Napoleon’s character : Propaganda, Constitution of the Year X - 1802
Why was Napoleon Successful on the Battlefield?
Strategy of the Central position e.g Battle of Ligny - 1815, Corps System e.g. Battle of Ulm - October 1805
His Enemy’s weakness - Treaty of Tilsit - June 1807
The Strength of the Grand Armee - Davout and Battle of Jena - Oct 1806, meritocratic promotion
Were Napoleon’s reforms successful?
Political Reforms : Napoleon appointed prefects - 1800, Constitution of the Year X - 1802
Legal Reforms : The Civil Code - 21 March 1804
Financial Reforms : The Bank of France - 1800, Franc De Germinal
Social Reforms : Concordat - 1801, The Imperial University - 1808
Why did Napoleon fall from power?
Russian Campaign : Invasion in 1812, 500,000 soldiers dead, 70,000 French soldiers dead, 30,000 horses dead, ruined his legacy
Peninsular War : Lasted from 1807-1814, constant drain on resources, drain on moral
Continental System : Caused invasion of Russia and Spain, effected French industry of rope making and ship building
Strength of the Allies : The Treaty of Chaumont - March 1814
