The French Revolution – Revision

The French Flag The 3 Estates

The ancient regime
- King Louis XVI lived a lavish lifestyle
- Inherited an empty treasury (involvement in the American war for
independence)
- Maintain a huge army to fight the war and its colonies
- Forced to impose taxes on the people (direct and indirect) tithe and taile
- Only the 3rd Estate paid these taxes
Poor harvests, severe winters, drought and famine led to no food in the country. Poor
people were starving, still needed to pay the taxes levied – leading to a subsistence
crisis
Society in France - divided into 3 Estates
1st Estate – clergy
2nd Estate – nobles
3rd Estate – commoners (middle class – bourgeoisie
The king was above all this – believed in ‘divine right of kings’

Education taught the (middle class) bourgeoisie – all men are equal - no one is above
the law – no one should be - privileged by birth
The philosophers, writers, thinkers began to enlighten the people,
John Locke – Jean Jacques Rousseau – believed in freedom for all members of society
and equal laws
Locke – refuted the doctrine of divine and absolute right/power
Rousseau – proposed Social Contract – representative form of government
Montesquieu – proposed division of power within the government
The Storming of the Bastille
The 14th of July 1789 – poor peasants stormed into the fortress - stood for the power of
the monarch – peasants having little or no weapons stormed the impregnable fortress
defying the king – in a display of strength and unity, as they wanted change
Outbreak of the Revolution
- Estates General – political body comprising of representatives of the 3 Estates
- Louis called for a meeting – proposal for new taxes
- The first 2 Estates sent 300 representatives – 3rd Estate 600 representatives
- Voting was conducted (past-each Estate had one vote) members of the 3rd
Estate demanded a change in the voting – each member would have ONE vote
(democratic principle put forth by Rousseau – Social Contract) this was rejected
- The 3rd Estate later assembled – Tennis Court-declared themselves the National
Assembly – drafted a Constitution for France – limit the powers of the king
- Mirabeau – Abbe Sieves led this group – Constitutional Monarchy
- The Assembly – abolished feudal system
- Members of the clergy – had to give up their privileges – tithes abolished and
lands owned by the Church confiscated
- Voting rights given to men above 25 and property owners (paid taxes equal to at
least 3days of a labourer’s wages)
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

- The beginning – underlying statement of most Constitutions in democracies –

all over the world
- All men are born and remain free and equal in rights
The Reign of Terror – 1793-1794
Many political clubs were formed – the Jacobin Club led by Maximillian
Robespierre was the most successful -
During this time, all men above the age of 21 regardless of wealth had the right to vote
This elected assembly – called the Convention
The Convention abolished the monarchy declaring France a Republic (people elect the
government including the head of government)
This period – policy of severe control and punishment – anyone they believed were the
enemy of the state were guillotined – were accused of treason
A Directory rules France
Fall of the Jacobin Club – wealthier class seized power
- Two elected legislative councils formed
- Appointed a Directory (executive body made up of 5 members)
 - The 5 members constantly fought – paving the way for military rule
The ideals of freedom
Equality before the law
Fraternity – man should live together as one – a kind of brotherhood (no matter the
religion, gender, race and so on)
Rise of Napoleon - 1804
An army officer – later crowned himself emperor of France

- A moderniser, an able administrator introducing laws for the protection of

private property, a uniform system of weights and measures, provided a new
decimal system
- A liberator, brought about stability and reform in France
- Created many new administration ideas, developed many parks and gardens in
Paris
Some of the consequences of the revolution were -

 Ideas of liberty and democratic rights

 Ideas of a Constitution
 Abolishment of the monarchy and establishment of a republic
 The source of sovereignty resides in the nation – in its people/consent of the
people
 Liberty, equality, fraternity and law or justice recognised by all
 Other countries began to follow the happenings in France and wanted change
for their nations as well
 Many countries started to fight oppression and started the struggle for
independence (India)
 The preservation of natural rights and resistance to oppression
 Fundamental rights granted in democracies throughout the world
 The ideals of freedom
 Equality before the law
 Fraternity – man should live together as one – a kind of brotherhood (no matter
the religion, gender, race and so on)

Having read the above answer the following

1. Even though Robespierre introduced many reforms in France, his reign was
termed the ‘reign of terror’. Examine this statement. (3)
2. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was historic not only for
France but also for the entire world. Substantiate this statement with 3 valid
points of reason. (3)
3. Why was France called a Constitutional monarchy in 1791? (1)
4. What is meant by the subsistence crisis? (1)
 5. What were some of the consequences of the French revolution of 1789? (5)
Choose the correct option
1. In France, the 18th century witnessed the emergence of a social group, termed
as the bourgeoisie –
i. Working class
ii. Middle class
iii. Aristocratic class
iv. Noble class
2. A political club which has less prosperous members of the society as its
members were –
i. Manorial Club
ii. Society of revolutionary women
iii. Jacobian Club
iv. Robespierre Club
3. Which of the following theories was proposed by Montesquieu
i. Theory of democracy
ii. Theory of division of powers
iii. Theory of popular sovereignty
iv. Theory of Social Contract
4. The greatest achievement of the National Assembly convened in France in 1789
was –
i. Issuing of the Declaration of Rights
ii. Passing of laws checking the power of the monarch
iii. Establishment of a new judiciary
iv. Establishment of a new legislature
5. In the context of France, what was the convention?
i. A French school
ii. The newly elected assembly
iii. The clubs
iv. A women’s organisation

************************