french revolution

Question 1

four reasons which caused the revolution

long-term

Answer 1

1. the structure of the royal government
2. the taxation system
3. the structure of French society
4. the enlightenment

Question 2

issues with the royal government

Answer 2

The king was only answerable to God. Were bound by the laws and customs of the kingdom, independent bodies such as the assembly of the clergy had rights and privileges that the king couldn’t interfere.
Council of ministers and advisers to make laws, a large amount of power was with a small number of men.
Marie Antoinette, people believed the king was putting her interests before France’s (Austrian party)

Question 3

Taxation system

Answer 3

The system was chaotic and inefficient. As the tax was collected by a system called tax farming. Farmers-generals were complete control of collecting tax and agreed on a sum to give to the government, which was a low amount. The French government didn’t receive enough money to cover for expenditure and had to borrow. Increasing their debt.
Corruption and wastage resulted in the crown not receiving an adequate income, tax wouldn’t reach the treasury.

Question 4

French society

The first estate

Answer 4

Clergy.
plurality and absenteeism, holding more than one position within the church. Which was unpopular for many ordinary people as they believed the bishops were more interested in money than the religion.
Tithes, most of the church’s wealth came from land. (largest single landowner in France, 10% ) The tithe was charged to the church for the upkeep and poor relief.
Power over people, the church influenced many, the church had wide-ranging powers of censorship over books and kept of list of marriages and deaths.
THE REISTANCE TO NEW IDEAS MADE THEM UNPOPULAR WITH MANY PEOPLE.

Question 5

French society

The second estate

Answer 5

Nobility. (most power)
Main source of income was from land.
Privileges: tried in their own courts, exempt from military services and taxes.
Joining the nobility, direct appointment from the king or buying certain offices that carried hereditary titles.

Question 6

French society
The third estate
Bourgeoisie

Answer 6

bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie, rich business workers. The group was rising in wealth but also in numbers. Even with the increasing number of bourgeoisie there was no conflict between the nobility until the closing years of the ancient regime.
They felt the power and wealth should reflect within the political system as it bore such a substantial part of tax revenue paid to the crown.

Question 7

French society
the third estate
peasantry

Answer 7

85% of the population.
at the top, a small group of farmers: owned their land and employed labourers to produce and sell to others.
1/2 of peasants were sharecroppers who didn’t own their land but farmed it and gave 1/2 of their crops to the landlords instead of rent.
Some parts of France serfdom continued to exist. They were the bottom of the French society structure.

Question 8

French society
the third estate
grievances

Answer 8

Peasants bore the burden of taxation, made them resentful. All had to pay a tithe to the church, feudal dues to their lords and taxes to the State.
peasants were also tried in seigneurial court, the lord acted as the judge and jury.

Question 9

French society
the third estate
urban workers

Answer 9

Small property owners and sans-culottes. (unskilled and poor)
Preceding the revolution the worsening economic situation caused considerable resentment among urban dwellers, contributing to the long term cause of the revolution.

Question 10

The enlightment

Answer 10

This movement questioned and challenged religion, nature and absolute monarchy.
These intellectuals were called philosophes. most famous were Voltaire, Montesqieu and Rousseau.
Their aims was to apply rational analysis to all activities. The main objects of their attack were the church and despotic government.
Their ideals and approaches influenced many who would become revolutionaries.

Question 11

four short causes of the revolution

Answer 11

1. foreign policy
2. financial crisis
3. political crisis
4. economic crisis

Question 12

Foreign policy

Answer 12

The seven years’ war: during this war, French forces in India and North America suffered a series of defeats at the hands of Britain. most of France’s overseas empire were lost in 1763.
The American war of independence: (1776-1783) France intervened the side of the rebels, providing both financial and military support. The war cost a great deal of money and in the short term worsened the already weak financial situation of the crown.
French soldiers who fought were exposed to ideas such as liberty and demanded similar rights for the people of France.

Question 13

Financial crisis

Answer 13

Deficit the government was building up. 20 august 1786, Calonne, the control general told Louis XVI that the government was on the verge of bankruptcy. The deficit increased in two to 126 million livres 20% of total expenditure.

Question 14

Financial reform

Answer 14

After Necker’s dismissal 1781, his successor Joly de Fleury realised the true nature of France’s finances. Treasury was 160 million livres short for 1781 and 295 million livres short for 1782.
Fleury and Calonne undid much of Necker’s work by resuming the practice of selling offices. They both borrowed a large amount of money than Necker did .
Calonne has to deal with the taxation system: by to tax the land rather than the person; effecting church and the nobility. Plus he proposed abandoning controls of grain trade and abolishing internal customs barriers , preventing free movement of grain to another part of France.

Question 15

The failure of the financial reform

Answer 15

Estate general was brought to approve the reforms. They were rejected as being too unpredictable.
Assembly of Notables refused to back the reform.
Realising the strength of opposition to Calonne, Louis dismissed him in April 1787

Question 16

Political crisis

Answer 16

Browne retained Calonne’s land tax and introduced a number of new reforms following on from Necker’s earlier plans

Question 17

What was the nature of the royal power?

Answer 17

Absolute power. The king having a small group of men that would advise him and make laws.

Question 18

why was the taxation system an issue?

Answer 18

It was corrupt and inefficient. Not enough money going into the treasury, making the government to borrow money. Increasing the deficit.

Question 19

Why was the first estate unpopular?

Answer 19

People started to believe that the bishops were most interested in money rather than the religion itself.
Exempt from paying tax.
Received tithes.

Question 20

what were the benefits of belonging to the second estate?

Answer 20

Exempt from paying tax, labour work and military services.
They were tried in their own courts
They had exclusive rights to hunting and fishing.

Question 21

How could an individual enter the nobility ?

Answer 21

From family or buy an a office which carried hereditary titles. ( venal offices)

Question 22

Why did the third estate consider itself to be disadvantage ?

Answer 22

The third estate had the burden of paying tax, didn’t have any input within political matters.

Question 23

What role did the enlightenment play in bringing about the revolution?

Answer 23

They questioned religion and the absolution power, which influenced others.

Question 24

How did the foreign policy contribute to the outbreak of the revolution ?

Answer 24

Foreign policy showed how much money France had, which wasn’t enough to fund for the wars. From the seven years’ war, losing a lot of their empire overseas.
The war cost a great deal amount of money and a short term worsened the already weak financial situation of the crown.

Question 25

Economic crisis

Answer 25

Bad harvests , rising bread prices
Less consumption, un employment
Grain and food riots

Question 26

The end of the ancient regime

The estates-general: concerns

Answer 26

1. what method to vote
2. who would be elected as deputies to the estate-general?
3. To what extent should grievances noted in the cahiers be addressed?
4. what would happen when the estate-general met?

Question 27

The end of the ancient regime

Method of voting

Answer 27

1789, bourgeois leaders of the third estate began to suspect that the privileges orders who wanted voting by order had opposed the government because they wanted justice for the nation as a whole.
Third estate demanded more deputies and vote by head, which would give the third estate a majority as first estate’s deputies were poor parish priests who were likely to support the demands of the third estate.
December 1788, king’s council doubled the third estates deputies. They believed they were voting by head whilst the other two estates believed they were voting by order.