T2: Attempts to create a constitution, 1789-91 Flashcards
when was the Great Fear?
July-Aug 1789
what caused the Great Fear?
- events in Paris
- rumours of an aristocratic conspiracy to burn out the Third Estate
what was the main outcome of the Great Fear?
the abolition of feudalism
how did the Constituent Assembly respond to the Great Fear?
began considering the abolition of feudalism to appease the peasantry
what is the name for when nobles at the Assembly renounced their own privileges?
‘an orgy of self-sacrifice’
what is described by ‘an orgy of self sacrifice’?
when nobles at the Constituent Assembly renounced their own privileges in response to the Great Fear
what caused nobles at the Assembly to engage in ‘an orgy of self-sacrifice’?
the Great Fear
what legalised the abolition of many privileges of the nobility?
the August Decrees
when were the August Decrees?
4-11 Aug 1789
what did the August Decrees do?
abolished many privileges of the nobility including feudalism and venality
when was the Declaration of the Rights of Man?
26th Aug 1789
who issued the Dec of Rights of Man?
Constituent Assembly
who drafted the Dec of Rights of Man?
Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson
whose ideas does the Dec of Rights of Man reflect?
Abbe Sieyes (What is the Third Estate?)
what is the Declaration of Rights of Man?
list of principles and core values that were to underpin the new constitution e.g. freedom and equality
what were the long and short term causes of the October Days?
LONG:
-Louis had refused to sanction the August Decrees on 5 Aug
- tensions already high as bread prices not dropped, radicals e.g. Marat, Desmoulins agitated crowds
SHORT: Louis voiced objections to the Dec of Rights of Man
when did Louis refuse to sanction the August Decrees?
5 Aug
what is an example of rumour that Marat and Desmoulins spread that agitated crowds?
that Louis’ officers had trampled a revolutionary cockade
who spread the rumour that Louis’ officers had trampled a revolutionary cockade?
Marat and Desmoulins
what newspaper did Marat write?
L’Ami du peuple
what newspaper did Desmoulins write?
Les Révolutions de France
who wrote L’Ami du peuple?
Marat
who wrote Les Revolutions de France?
Desmoulins
what happened in the October Days?
6000-7000 armed, mostly women, marched on Versailles, broke into palace and killed a number of guards
how was the crowd at Versailles on 5th Oct 1789 appeased?
National Guard and Lafayette arrived, convinced Louis to move the Royal Court to Paris immediately. escorted him there.
when was the October Days?
5th Oct 1789
where did the Royal Court move to after the October Days?
Tuileries Palace, Paris
what were the consequences of the Royal Court and Constituent Assembly being moved to Paris in October 1789?
- more able to be influenced by the power of people in the city
- 56 monarchists gave up positions in CA over fears for safety - blow to Louis’ support
how many monarchists gave up their positions in the CA when moved to Paris?
56
what happened on 26th Aug 1789?
Declaration of Rights of Man
what happened on 5th Oct 1789?
March on Versailles, October Days
What happened 4-11 Aug 1789?
legalisation of August Decrees
what was the consequence of Louis not sanctioning the August Decrees?
tension and anger, long term factor contributing to the October Days
in what ways did the monarchy remain the same under the Constituent Assembly’s reforms?
- monarchy remained!
- Louis still able to pick own ministers, ambassadors and military commanders
- hereditary aspect remained
- still had power of veto
in what ways was the power of the monarchy reformed under the Constituent Assembly?
- no absolute monarchy
- Louis stripped of significant legislative power - could no longer initiate new laws or taxes
who was in charge of new laws and taxes under CA?
CA would write up and sanction new laws + taxes
what could Louis do with his power of veto?
delay or suspend legislation for up to 4 years
how much money was Louis granted by the CA?
25 million livres per year
how did the Constituent Assembly reform political rights?
reformed suffrage: male citizens who paid equivalent of 3 days unskilled labour in local taxes could vote.
vote determined electors who could then vote for deputies of the CA
when did the CA reform suffrage
reformed with a law passed Dec 1789
what were the requirements to vote under the Constituent Assembly?
- male citizen
- had to pay equivalent of 3 days unskilled labour in local taxes
what percentage of men could vote in 1789?
70%
how did enfranchisement in France in 1789 compare to the rest of Europe?
far wider proportion of population of France could vote than in any other European state
what initial economic reforms did the Constituent Assembly introduce?
abolished unpopular taxes and economic burdens in summer 1789
what economic burdens had been abolished by the end of 1789?
taille, gabelle, tithes, feudal dues, internal customs duties, state monopolies, tax farming
by when had many unpopular taxes and economic burdens been abolished?
end of 1789
what were the consequences of ending the old taxation system?
- time lag between old and new taxation system - major cost to state - concerning shortfall
- sale of church land to fill shortfall
how did the Constituent Assembly try to fill the economic shortfall?
sale of Church land
why were the Constituent Assembly faced with an economic shortfall?
time-lag between old and new taxation system - major cost to state
when did the Constituent Assembly nationalise all land belonging to the Catholic Church?
2nd Nov 1789
what did the CA do on the 2nd Nov 1789?
nationalise church land
what did the CA do with nationalised church land, as well as land of emigres?
sold
what is the land of the Church and emigres sold off by the Constituent Assembly known as?
biens nationaux
how much money did the CA make from biens nationaux?
400 million livres worth - huge boost to finances
what land did the CA sell to make up for shortfall in finances?
land of Church and of emigres- biens nationaux
how did the economic reforms of the CA affect the Third Estate?
- abolition of old taxation system and economic burdens meant they could accumulate more wealth - benefitted
- around 1/2 of biens nationaux bought by the bourgeoisie- would lease to peasants
- significant proportion bought by peasants themselves
what proportion of biens nationaux was bought by bourgeoisie?
around 1/2
what was the process of buying biens nationaux and what was the impact?
- had to buy bonds from gov in paper currency- ‘assignats’
- printed too much, caused inflation
when did the Constituent Assembly introduce a new taxation system?
Jan 1791
what did the CA do in Jan 1791?
introduced new taxation system
how did the CA’s new taxation system work?
all taxed direct- intended to be proportional to wealth.
new taxes included a universal land tax
what is an example of a new tax introduced by the CA?
universal land tax
what was the response to the sale of Church land?
- some in favour
- others saw as an attack on God
what problem was caused by the nationalisation and sale of Church land?
- decreased the wealth of the Church
- not as able to provide healthcare and education to the poor as had done previously
what effects did the economic reforms of the CA have on the Church?
- abolition of tithes and nationalisation of Church land waned the wealth of the Church
- many institutions of the Church closed e.g. healthcare and education for poor
what was the most divisive reform of the Constituent Assembly?
the Civil Constitution of the Clergy - put the Church under state control
when was the Civil Constitution of the Clergy sanctioned?
12th July 1790
what was the Civil Constitution of the Clergy?
put the Church under state control- priests and bishops paid by the state and elected by the people
what was the response to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy?
very divisive- major challenge to the authority of the Pope
what did the CA insist that all priests do?
swear an oath of allegiance to the Assembly and Constitution
when did the Constituent Assembly insist that all priests swear an oath of allegiance to the Assembly and Constitution?
27th Nov 1790
statistic for uptake of oath of allegiance to CA?
only 7/83 bishops took oath, over half parish priests refused
what were priests who refused to swear the oath of allegiance to the CA known as?
refractory priests
what happened to refractory priests?
persecuted
what was the response of ordinary people to the religious reforms of the CA?
considerable resistance from peasantry, especially in the west, Church is the centre of their lives
what was the attitude of the Constituent Assembly to other religions (not Catholicism)?
freedom of religion as stated in Dec of Rights of Man
- granted full civil rights to Protestants 1789
- granted full civil rights to Jews in 1791
when were Protestants granted full civil rights by the CA
1789
when were Jews granted full civil rights by the CA?
1791
when did the CA abolish Parlements?
Aug 1790
what happened to lettres de cachet?
abolished
what did the CA replace the previous judicial institutions with (Parlements, lettres de cachet etc)?
JPs
how did the judicial system of JPs work?
country divided into 83 departments, each would elect a JP to oversee law and order
how did trials work under the CA?
all citizens to receive same type of trial, against same laws and with a jury present
how many departments did the CA divide France into?
83
what was the attitude of the CA to censorship?
supported freedom of expression- removed restriction on the press and censorship
in what ways were the reforms of the CA successful?
by end of 1791:
- equality in taxation
- equality before the law
- freedom of religion
- freedom of expression
- laws created by representatives of the people
- power of the monarchy severely curtailed
in what ways were the reforms of the CA unsuccessful?
- still an inequality of wealth - poorest could not afford biens nationaux
- political arena for those wealthy enough to occupy a seat in the CA
- Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a step too far for many
