The attempts to establish a constitutional monarchy

Question 1

Church reforms

Answer 1

• First victim of the assembly
• Due to its association with the ancien regime and privileges enjoyed by the first estate
• Philosophes criticised the church due to the bishops absenteeism and the religious vows that meant the nuns could not reproduce
• Abbe Seiyes was also in favour of church reforms believing the temporal power of the church should be removed in order to concentrate on its spiritual function
• The church was a rich institution

Question 2

Religious changes august 1789 - june 1790

Answer 2

• Pluralism abolished
• Annates ended
• Tithe and don gratuit abolished
• All church property nationalised - 2nd november 1789
• Full citizenship given to protestants december 1789
• Weaken the power of the church
• Provided a way of relieving the burden of the national debt
• February 1790 sells church possessions

Question 3

civil constitution of the clergy

Answer 3

• july 1790
• bishops and priests elected by the people
• Clergy had to swear an oath of loyalty to the constitution

Question 4

consequences of the church reforms

Answer 4

• divided the french nation
• many clergy refused to take the oath, over 50%
• refractory priest
• only 7 out of 85 bishops swear this oath
• condemned by the Pope

Question 5

french constitution of 1791

Answer 5

• balance of powers between the king and the legislative assembly
• king maintained executive powers
  granted a suspensory veto of 2 years
• legislative assembly elected by propertied men

Question 6

judicial reforms

Answer 6

• abolition of the old system of feudal justice
• election of judges
• trial by jury for criminal cases
• simplification of law
• equality before the law
• cruel punishments abolished

Question 7

administrative reforms

Answer 7

• department districts and communes created
• power decentralized power
• governed by people who were elected

Question 8

economic reforms

Answer 8

• end of feudal dues - august decrees
• eliminated inequalities and freed the peasantry from oppressive obligations
• le chapelier law (1791)
• banned guilds trade unions and workers association

Question 9

social reforms

Answer 9

• abolition of noble privileges
• no more hunting rights and titles abolished
• meritocratic government and military reforms

Question 10

challenges to the constitutional monarchy

Answer 10

• flight to varennes represented louis resistant to the changes
• growth of radicalism (jacobins and san culottes )
• push away from constitutional monarchy
• church reforms alienated devout catholics