French Revolution Causes

Study Notes

Financial Crisis: France was heavily indebted from the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
Social Inequality: The Estates-General system divided society into three classes: clergy, nobility, and commoners, with the top two classes holding most of the power and wealth.
Enlightenment Ideas: Philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu spread ideas of liberty, equality, and democracy.

Estates-General (May 5, 1789): Representatives from the three estates met to address the financial crisis, but disagreements led to the formation of the National Assembly.
Tennis Court Oath (June 20, 1789): National Assembly members vowed to continue their work on a new constitution.
Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789): Parisians stormed the symbol of absolute monarchy, marking the start of the revolution.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 26, 1789): A fundamental document outlining individual rights and liberties.
Reign of Terror (1793-1794): Radical Jacobins, led by Maximilien Robespierre, executed thousands of perceived enemies of the revolution.
Rise of Napoleon (1799): Napoleon Bonaparte seized power, ending the revolution and beginning the Napoleonic Empire.

King Louis XVI: The monarch who struggled to address France's financial crisis, leading to the revolution.
Marie Antoinette: The queen, hated for her Austrian origins and perceived extravagance.
Maximilien Robespierre: A leading Jacobin and architect of the Reign of Terror.
Napoleon Bonaparte: The military general who overthrew the Directory and became Emperor of France.

Establishment of Modern Democracy: The French Revolution inspired similar movements across Europe and shaped modern democratic principles.
Rise of Nationalism: The revolution's emphasis on national identity and sovereignty influenced the development of nationalist movements worldwide.
End of Feudalism: The revolution abolished feudalism, marking a significant shift towards modernity.

France was heavily indebted from the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, leading to a financial crisis.
The Estates-General system divided society into three classes: clergy, nobility, and commoners, with the top two classes holding most of the power and wealth, causing social inequality.
Philosophers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu spread ideas of liberty, equality, and democracy, influencing the population.

The Estates-General, formed on May 5, 1789, was a meeting of representatives from the three estates to address the financial crisis.
The Tennis Court Oath, taken on June 20, 1789, was a vow by National Assembly members to continue their work on a new constitution.
The Storming of the Bastille, on July 14, 1789, marked the start of the revolution as Parisians stormed the symbol of absolute monarchy.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on August 26, 1789, outlined individual rights and liberties.
The Reign of Terror, from 1793 to 1794, was a period of radical violence led by Maximilien Robespierre, resulting in the execution of thousands of perceived enemies of the revolution.
Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in 1799, ending the revolution and beginning the Napoleonic Empire.

King Louis XVI struggled to address France's financial crisis, leading to the revolution.
Marie Antoinette was hated for her Austrian origins and perceived extravagance.
Maximilien Robespierre was a leading Jacobin and architect of the Reign of Terror.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a military general who overthrew the Directory and became Emperor of France.

The French Revolution inspired similar movements across Europe and shaped modern democratic principles.
The revolution's emphasis on national identity and sovereignty influenced the development of nationalist movements worldwide.
The revolution abolished feudalism, marking a significant shift towards modernity.