T1: Causes of the Revolution

Question 1

series of bad harvests in the…

Answer 1

1780s

Question 2

PARTICULARLY bad harvest in…

Answer 2

1788

Question 3

price of bread in Paris increased by over 50%

Answer 3

Aug 1788- March 1789

Question 4

uprisings in Paris

Answer 4

summer 1789

Question 5

the Great Fear

Answer 5

1789

Question 6

what organisation was indirect tax collected by?

Answer 6

La Ferme Generale

Question 7

what percentage of state income did indirect taxes account for?

Answer 7

55%

Question 8

what percentage of state revenue was generated by direct taxation on land?

Answer 8

only 1.6%

Question 9

43% state expenditure was committed to debt

Answer 9

1780

Question 10

what was state revenue compared to expenditure in 1786?

Answer 10

revenue = 472 million livres
expenditure = 633 million livres.

Question 11

Louis XVI signed military alliance with the USA

Answer 11

1778

Question 12

how much did the American Revolutionary War cost France?

Answer 12

1.3 bill livres

Question 13

in 1788, what percentage of state expenditure was spent on debt?

Answer 13

over 50% (grown from 43% in 1780 due to American Rev War)

Question 14

what percentage of the states expenditure was by the royal court?

Answer 14

6%

Question 15

how many people bought venal titles in the 18th century?

Answer 15

30,000-50,000

Question 16

what were the consequences of bad harvests in 1780s?

Answer 16

• rural poverty increases
• demand for manufactured goods decreases
• urban unemployment increases and leads to increased urban poverty
• urban poverty also increased by high bread prices

Question 17

2 reasons why Louis XVI inherited large debt?

Answer 17

• Louis XV’s Seven Years’ War
• previous Bourbon kings had has to take out large loans to make up for inefficient taxation system

Question 18

how much state expenditure was committed to debt by 1780?

Answer 18

43%

Question 19

in what year was state expenditure 161 million livres higher than revenue?

Answer 19

1786

Question 20

what was the consequence of massive crown debt?

Answer 20

state couldn’t afford to govern well or help those in poverty (to reduce discontent)

Question 21

how did France help USA win victory over Britain in American Revolutionary War?

Answer 21

provided arms and resources

Question 22

when did American Rev War end?

Answer 22

1783

Question 23

in what year had the proportion of state expenditure on debt grown to over 50%? why?

Answer 23

1788, American Rev war

Question 24

how did the proportion of state expenditure committed to debt change in the 1780s?

Answer 24

1780- 43%
1788- >50%

Question 25

what was the economic impact of the system of venality?

Answer 25

provided short-term income but detrimental long-term as removed tax-paying 3rd Estate. also increased corruption at court and led to incompetence - not meritocratic.