revolution and failure of constitutional monarchy 1789-93 Flashcards
great fear
rural unrest in summer 1789 in every province of France: excluding Brittany and Lorraine
peasants were tkaing arms against the manors of their lords
‘fear’ created by aristocracy
National guard were deployed to defend the threatened properties of the nobility
abolition of feudalism
to stop unrest assmebly began considering abolition of feudalism
4th august declared end of feudalism
august decrees
4th august-11 august - decrees abolished many privilgies of the nobility including venality (buying tutles and positions)
these positions became ope to all- church, military and civil
more of a statement of intent rather than a transformation
declaration of the rights of man
was the death warrant of the system of privilege
was issued on 26th August 1789
it was a list of principles and core values that were to underpin the new constitution
October days
is an event that forced the royal family to give up residence in Versailles and move to the Tuileries Palace in Paris
deputies of constituent assembly similarly had to relocate from Versailles and convene within the city instead
56 royalist monarchist deputies refused to attend the assembly in effect giving up their positions
March on versailles
October 1789, thousands of Parisians (women), embarked on a 12-mile march to Versailles, the residence of Louis XVI and the National Constituent Assembly
desperately hungry and hoped to petition the king to alleviate bread shortages in Paris wanted the plead with the king to leave Versailles and return to Paris
reforms of constituent assembly
from August 1789 and culminating with louis’ acceptance of the new constitution on 14th Sep 1791 about how France was to be governed
power of monarchy
hereditary principle of monarchy was upheld and retained right to appoint his own minister, ambassadors and military commanders
granted 25 million livres to allow the royal family to continue to live in a manner befitting its status
BUT- stripped of significant legislative power
he could no longer initiate new laws or taxes all of which would now be written and sanctioned by the elected constituent assembly
powerless in regards to taxation
BUt given power of a suspensive veto allowing him to delay or suspend laws created by Constituent Assembly for up to 4 years
political rights
December 1789- it was decided that the vote would only be awarded to those male citizens aged over 25 who paid + of three days unskilled labour in local taxes
Active citizens- those who had righ to vote
BUT even active citizens couldnt vote for deputies in assembly only in local assemblies to determine electors
candidate had to pay eqivalent of 10 dayss labourer in taxes
electors would then vote in the secondary assemblies
DIFFICULT CRITERIA-hard to work out extent of the franchise
economic reforms
got rid of unpopular taxes; gabelle and tithes
state monopolies and practice of tax framing was eliminated
2nd November - assembly nationalised all land belonging to the Catholic Church and the emigres
400 million livres worth of land -boost in finance
to purchase the biens nationaux prospective buyers would first have to buy bonds from the gov called assignats (began to be used paper currency)
they overprinted assignants- led to depreciation in their value and inflation
January 1791- a new system of taxation came into effect
3 new taxes; a tax on transfer of goods, a tax on commercial/business profits, and universal land tax from which no one was exempt
religious changes
church provided only education and healthcare that less wealthy could afford= yet constitutions closed
civil constitution essentially put the church under the state control
priests to be paid by state and elected by citizens of France
27th November- Oath of Allegiance to the assembly and constitution
7/83 bishops took the oath and over 1/2 parish priests refused
other reforms
upheld freedom of expression by removing restrictions on the press and ending press censorship
abolition of parlements and replaced by JPS
country being divided into 83 departments
