french revolution Flashcards
revolution
huge change in society
can refer to violent uprising but doesn’t always involve violence
rebellion
open resistance to government or authority
riot
form of civil disobedience where group violently cause public disorder against authority,property and people
the state
country or government
coup d’état
military overthrow
monarchy
state w king or queen as leader
absolute monarchy
king or queen make all decisions and dont have to consult anyone else
divine right of kings
idea that royal leaders were chosen by God to rule
social stratification
system of class division
hierachy
system where people or groups are ranked according to status or authority
liberty,equality,fraternity
motto of french revolution
estates general
system of french parliament before the revolution
municipality
section of a country/city that has a local form of government
feudalism
system of land ownership and usage used widely in europe in middle ages based on principle that everyone has responsibilities to the land,country and king
common people exploited
bureaucracy
system of government where most important decisions made by state officials rather than elected representatives (nepotism)
secular
not connected w religion or spirituality
moderate
neither radical nor conservative (centrists)
radical
promotes through thorough or total change
extremists
conservative
does not want change/innovation
holds traditional values
tribunal
court/committee that settles dispute
conscription
compulsory military service
republic
government where head of state is not king/queen
bourgeoisie
middle class w professional jobs from third estate
aristocracy
highest class in certain societies (inherited titles/offices)
ancien régime
old rule
political/social system in france from 15th century to revolution
when did the tennis court oath take place
20 june 1789
when did national assembly form
17 june
when was bastille stormed
14 july
when and why did declaration of Pill Nitz by rulers of austria and prussia take place.
27 august
affirmed intention to return king of france to power (ideas dont spread to their countries)
when was king louis executed
21 jan 1793
what are the long term causes of the french revolution
explain each
injustice of absolute monarchy as political system
(no gurantee of good leadership, king louis xvi not set to lead, nepotism- unqualified-chasos)
injustice of estates system as social and economic structure
(divided into 3 classes/estates, at top of system was king, who only answered to God.
what is considered long term
50+ years
what is considered short term
2-50 years
state and explain short term causes of french revolution
louis xvi as leader
(indecisive,prone to nepotism,out of touch, inspired no loyalty and little fear. Marie Antoinette less popular as from austria, extravagent, and vain, spent lots of money-economic hardships)
economic crises (french economy in serious trouble-france in debt. government had to borrow money just to pay interest. lifestyle of nobility cost a lot, only 3rd estate paying tax-unfair and unsustainable. cost of living rised but mages remained same. growing anger and frustration-ready to take action.
spread of new ideas
(philophisers began to question and urged people to think critically about how society structured)
american war of independance
(french helped america against old enemies, some ideas of french philophisers (Rosseau,Montesquieu) included in US constitution. French soldiers retuned to france inspired, declaration of independance impacted french revolution
what were montesquieu’s ideas
need for parliament elected by the people, independant judges, king w controlled powers
what were rosseau’s ideas
rulers not chosen by god(modern democracy)
liberty,equality,fraternity
immediate causes of french revolution
economic crisis in 1789
France bankrupt. Poor harvests,food shortages,rising bread prices
1 solution:estates general meeting to raise taxes
third estate expected to carry burden-earned very little-not enough money-system of taxation needed reform
calling of estates general
each estate had diff demands
third estate began process of reform
announced that estates should meet separate
deputies of 3rd estate refused to conduct business until other estates joined them
17 june 1789-national assembly
20 june tennis court oath
storming of the bastille
reform slow,people impatient
high unemployment,bread prices rising
king called more soldiers to paris+versailles -shut down light of reform
ppl hungry,on edge, thought he planned to shut down National Assembly
14 July 1789 - riot + stormed bastille
killed governor+released prisoners inside
bastille-symbol of power +everything wrong w monarchy, shift of power to ordinary
immediate consequences of storming bastille
violence spread
peasants armed themselves +attacked homes of noble landowners (symbol of power)
nobles+clergymen fled
feudalism ended
short term consequences of storming of the bastille
declaration of rights of man in august 1789 by National Assembly France became constitutional monarchy all men over 25 could pay tax church property nationalised privileges of clergy ended freedom of press and religion judges elected by people,trial by jury torture and cruel punishments outlawed Louis XVI no real power 1791- flee France with family, discovered-arrested-threat
when was the revolution under threat
foreign countries invaded France
when french monarchy under threat- other monarchies felt threatened
wanted to restore monarchy to France , crush revolution- won’t spread across Europe
how was the crush of the revolution prevented
king deposed (power taken,divides people)
Republic declared/monarchy abolished
National assembly placed new government- National convention
revolution became violent
national convention
gov put in place by National Assembly after France declared republic
dominated by extremist groups
wanted to abolish monarchy and feudalism entirely
Maximillien Robespierre-member if National Convention, leader of France
committee of public safety
12 people established to protect republic against foreign attack + internal rebellion imposed strict laws used terror to “unite” France Rights (eg freedom of speech) fell away
revolutionary tribunal
suspected disloyal people suspected of betraying revolution
imprisoned and executed-guillotine
guillotine
aka national razor
execution method of choice during revolution
public means of punishing people for various crimes against revolution
problems facing national convention and committee of public safety
start to criticise national convention as to extreme + ineffective - war,famine,unemployment,crops requisitioned by army,chaos from sudden violent change
robespierre- attempt to de-Christianise France- misguided attempt to protect separation of church+state
Robespierre to extreme
when and why was Robespierre executed
too extreme
churches closed,no public worship allowed, churches used as ammunition dumps, no crosses allowed on graves, christian calander replaced
committee of public safety feared might be victims of great terror, revolution would not survive w/o support — therefore arrested
executed 28 july 1794
directory
conservative,restrictive,powerful government
put end to extremes of Terror
supported by moderate middle class+peasants
closed down radical clubs (eg Jacobins MR)
changed voting system so fewer wealthier men could vote
people protest-losing og goal- equality
gov ordered army to crush protests
napoleon bonaparte
officer in charge of directory army aka italian midget fought in various wars considered national hero saw directory struggling used popularity to overthrow Directory
how did Napoleon overthrow directory
saw vulnerable point in directory leadership
used popularity as national hero to overthrow
coup d’etat on 9 Nov 1799-coup of 18-19 Brumaire
The consulate
3 consuls (supposed to be equal) who would serve 10 year office period
3 consuls- Triumvirate
Napoleon- first consul
manipulated system so all power lie with him (dictator but acted like elected)
by 1800- de facto leader “after a vote” ^
napoleon -emperor - hereditary position
pill passed introducing empire “napoleon insists position must come from people”
crowned 2 dec 1804
when was napoleon crowned emporer
when did rule end
2 december 1804
until 1814
state under napoleonp
secular no trace of divine right of kings based on conscripted army staffed by professional bureaucracy determined by merit affairs dealt w/ on principle of equality according to fixed laws
why did napoleon resign
life after napoleon
desire for power became his undoing
forced to resign because of defeat in series of wars
attempted second reign of France
defeated- forced into exile on Saint Helena
died 1821 at 51 yrs
napoleon
legacy
worked to restore stability in post-revolutionary France
centralised government
established reforms in banking and education
supported science and arts
sought to improve relations between his rule and pope
napoleonic code-streamlined french legal system, foundation of french civil law
how middle class achieved in revolution
benefited economically + politically
dominated government
how peasants achieved in revolution
feudalism ended
- didnt pay feudal dues
- received land(owned 75% of land)
how women achieved in revolution
easier to divorce but like thats it…
how nobles achieved in revolution
16k fled, 12k executed lost feudal income lost political power lost exemption from taxes lost half their land 🤣🤣🤣
how roman catholic church achieved in revolution
church lost land and power
clear separation of state and church
france-secular
how slaves achieved in revolution
slavery abolished in france and french colonies 🤩🤩🥳🥳🥳
slavery later reinstated by napoleon☹️☹️
how other groups achieved in revolution
protestants + jewish received full civil rights
legacies of the revolution
ordinary people became empowered as full citizens
french revolution served as model for other revolutions + modern democracies + constitutions
modern nationalism emerged (tricolour, marseillaise, bastille day)
new political terms (left wing) radical right wing(conservative) because of where they sat @national assembly
2 million french ppl killed in violence from 1789-1815
economic growth set back by 20 yrs
significant inflation
when is louos xvi crowned king
1774
when american declaration of independence
4 july 1776
when do estates general meet in paris
5 may 1789
when formation of National assembly
17 june 1789
when tennis court oath
20 june 1789
when storming of the bastille
14 july 1789
when is feudalism abolished
4-5 aug 1789
