Causes of the French Revolution

Study Notes

Social Inequality:
- The French society was divided into three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners.
- The commoners, making up 97% of the population, were heavily taxed and had limited rights.
Economic Crisis:
- France was heavily indebted from the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
- The burden of taxation fell on the commoners, leading to widespread poverty and discontent.
Enlightenment Ideas:
- The writings of philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu spread ideas of liberty, equality, and democracy.
- These ideas inspired the commoners to demand change and challenge the authority of the monarchy.
Food Shortages:
- A series of crop failures and food shortages in the late 18th century further exacerbated the economic crisis.
- The shortage of bread, in particular, became a symbol of the monarchy's inability to provide for its people.

Radicalization of the Revolution:
- Following the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793, the Revolution became increasingly radicalized.
- The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, took control of the government and implemented radical policies.
The Terror:
- From 1793 to 1794, the Committee of Public Safety executed thousands of people deemed enemies of the Revolution.
- The guillotine became the primary means of execution, earning the period the name "Reign of Terror."
Targets of the Terror:
- Aristocrats, nobles, and commoners suspected of being counter-revolutionaries were executed.
- Priests, intellectuals, and even former revolutionaries who opposed the Committee's policies were also targeted.
End of the Terror:
- In July 1794, Robespierre was arrested and executed, marking the end of the Reign of Terror.
- The Committee of Public Safety was disbanded, and the French Revolution began to take a more moderate course.

French society was divided into 3 estates: clergy, nobility, and commoners, with commoners making up 97% of the population and bearing the burden of heavy taxation.
Commoners had limited rights, leading to widespread poverty and discontent.
France was heavily indebted from the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
The burden of taxation fell on commoners, leading to poverty and discontent.

Philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu spread ideas of liberty, equality, and democracy.
These ideas inspired commoners to demand change and challenge the monarchy's authority.

A series of crop failures and food shortages in the late 18th century exacerbated the economic crisis.
Bread shortages became a symbol of the monarchy's inability to provide for its people.

The execution of King Louis XVI in 1793 led to the radicalization of the Revolution.
The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, took control of the government and implemented radical policies.
From 1793 to 1794, the Committee executed thousands of people deemed enemies of the Revolution.
The guillotine became the primary means of execution during the Reign of Terror.
Aristocrats, nobles, and commoners suspected of being counter-revolutionaries were executed.
Priests, intellectuals, and even former revolutionaries who opposed the Committee's policies were also targeted.
In July 1794, Robespierre was arrested and executed, marking the end of the Reign of Terror.
The Committee of Public Safety was disbanded, and the French Revolution began to take a more moderate course.