Origins Of French Revolution 1774-1787 (2)

Question 1

What were the layers of French Government?

Answer 1

Central Government
The Intendants
Local Government
Parliaments

Question 2

What did Absolutism mean for Louis?

Answer 2

There were no legal limits to the King’s power over his subjects

Question 3

What were the only things that limited Louis’ power?

Answer 3

He needed the consent of the noble elite
He had been taught to take advice on important decisions

Question 4

When did Louis XVI take the throne?

Answer 4

1774

Question 5

Why was Louis’ marriage to Marie Antionette unpopular?

Answer 5

Austria was blamed for France’s defeat in the Seven Years War

Question 6

Why was Louis unsuited to the role of being King?

Answer 6

Louis was weak willed, shy, introverted and indecisive

Question 7

What was ‘Patronage’?

Answer 7

Provision of appointments to offices and the granting of privileges

Question 8

What was an example of the way in which the King was absolute?

Answer 8

The lettre de cachets:
- ordered the imprisonment of those who went against his will
- could not be challenged

Question 9

In what ways was the King’s absolutism somewhat restrained?

Answer 9

He needed support from the noble elites
Had to rule ‘by the law’ = could not rule despotically

Question 10

How did Central Government work in France before 1798

Answer 10

• ‘King in Council’
• King made ultimate decision
• Having taken advice by ‘royal councils’

Question 11

What were the three overlapping ‘royal councils’ that met in the presence of and advised the king?

Answer 11

Conseil d’Etat
Conseil des Depeches
Conseil Royal des Finances

Question 12

What did the Conseil d’Etat do?

Answer 12

Dealt with major issues of state and foreign affairs

Question 13

What were the problems with these councils, and the running of government?

Answer 13

Power fell into hands of small number of influential people
Louis met each minister individually, led to court factions working against each other

Question 14

What were the Intendants?

Answer 14

People appointed by the King to maintain his rule and feedback information from areas of France

Question 15

Name 3 specific duties of Intendants?

Answer 15

Ensuring taxes paid
Ensuring King’s edicts carried out
Presiding over local courts

Question 16

What was the problem with government maintaining control across the wide expanse of France?

Answer 16

No single representative body to pass laws for whole country
So wide variation in laws and customs across France

Question 17

How many regional parlements were there in France and what could they do?

Answer 17

13 regional parlements
Ratify royal legislation

Question 18

What was a remonstrance?

Answer 18

Document sent by a parlement to the monarch protesting against a royal decree

Question 19

What was the tithe?

Answer 19

Tax paid to the church of 10% of income

Question 20

What were the priveliges of the Clergy?

Answer 20

Clergy did not have to pay the taille
Paid don gratuit instead of around 5% church income
Clergy could only be prosecuted in own Church courts and couldn’t be called up for military service

Question 21

How much of the population did the Second Estate make up and how much land did they own

Answer 21

Less than 1% of the population
Between 1/4 and 1/3 of the land

Question 22

What were the Noblesse de robe?

Answer 22

The Nobles created by the monarch selling legal and administrative titles with a hereditary title
In 1789 there were over 70,000 venal offices

Question 23

How much of society did the third estate make up?

Answer 23

28 million

Question 24

What were the privileges of the nobility?

Answer 24

Nobility exempt from the taille
Exempt from military conscription but many volunteered to fight by buying commissions

Question 25

What was the taille?

Answer 25

The french land tax

Question 26

What were the burdens of the peasantry?

Answer 26

Had to pay rent and taxes on grain to lords
Had to pay taille and tithe
Could be conscripted

Question 27

Weaknesses of France under Ancien regime

Answer 27

Problems of government and taxation
Social inequality, creating deep resentment especially among the Third Estate.

Question 28

What was meant by the King ruling ‘by the law’

Answer 28

Upholding Christian morality
Respecting rights and privileges of his subjects