French Revolution Causes

Study Notes

Financial Crisis: France was heavily indebted from the Seven Years' War and American Revolutionary War. The burden of taxation fell on the common people, leading to widespread discontent.
Social Inequality: The Estates-General system divided society into three groups: clergy, nobility, and commoners. The common people (Third Estate) felt oppressed and sought greater equality.
Enlightenment Ideas: The spread of liberal ideas from the Enlightenment, such as liberty, equality, and democracy, inspired the French people to demand change.
Food Shortages: A series of crop failures and food shortages in the late 18th century led to widespread poverty and hunger, further fueling the Revolution.

Absolute Monarchy: The French monarchy, led by King Louis XVI, held absolute power and privilege, leading to widespread resentment among the common people.
Marie Antoinette: The Queen's perceived extravagance and Austrian heritage made her unpopular among the French people, who blamed her for the country's financial troubles.
** Estates-General**: The monarchy summoned the Estates-General in 1789, hoping to address the financial crisis. However, the representatives of the Third Estate broke away and formed the National Assembly, marking the beginning of the Revolution.

Radicalization: The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) was a period of extreme violence and radicalization, characterized by the execution of perceived enemies of the Revolution.
Committee of Public Safety: The Committee, led by Maximilien Robespierre, exercised executive power and oversaw the execution of thousands of people, including aristocrats, politicians, and ordinary citizens.
Guillotine: The guillotine became the primary method of execution, symbolizing the brutality of the Reign of Terror.
End of the Reign of Terror: The execution of Robespierre in 1794 marked the end of the Reign of Terror, and the beginning of the Directory, a more moderate period of French history.

France was heavily indebted from the Seven Years' War and American Revolutionary War, leading to widespread discontent.
The burden of taxation fell on the common people, causing financial hardship.
The Estates-General system divided society into three groups: clergy, nobility, and commoners, leading to social inequality.
The common people (Third Estate) felt oppressed and sought greater equality.
Enlightenment ideas such as liberty, equality, and democracy inspired the French people to demand change.
A series of crop failures and food shortages in the late 18th century led to widespread poverty and hunger.

The French monarchy, led by King Louis XVI, held absolute power and privilege, leading to widespread resentment.
King Louis XVI's perceived weakness and indecisiveness contributed to the monarchy's unpopularity.
Marie Antoinette's perceived extravagance and Austrian heritage made her unpopular among the French people.
The monarch's decision to summon the Estates-General in 1789 ultimately led to the formation of the National Assembly and the beginning of the Revolution.

The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) was a period of extreme violence and radicalization.
The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, exercised executive power and oversaw the execution of thousands of people.
The Committee saw itself as the protector of the Revolution, and executed anyone perceived as a threat.
The guillotine became the primary method of execution, symbolizing the brutality of the Reign of Terror.
The execution of Robespierre in 1794 marked the end of the Reign of Terror and the beginning of the Directory, a more moderate period of French history.