What caused the French Revolution

The French Revolution challenged the traditional power structures of Europe, rooted in the Enlightenment-era’s promotion of reason and human freedom over tradition and religion. Peasants, who had been taxed heavily and denied basic rights, formed the National Assembly, declared themselves the true representatives of the French people and abolished feudalism. After the execution of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the government, claiming to defend the Revolution’s democratic values. After decades of alternating between monarchy and revolt, the next Republic was formed in 1871, raising questions that are still being asked today.

Chat With Your XTutor About This Video Lesson

Lesson Article

The Underlying Questions and Challenges

What rights do people have and where do they come from? Who gets to make decisions for others and on what authority? And how can we organize society to meet people’s needs? These questions challenged an entire nation during the upheaval of the French Revolution.

Background of the French Revolution

By the end of the 18th century, Europe had undergone a profound intellectual and cultural shift known as the Enlightenment. Philosophers and artists promoted reason and human freedom over tradition and religion. The rise of a middle class and printed materials encouraged political awareness, and the American Revolution had turned a former English colony into an independent republic.

Conditions in France Before the Revolution

Yet France, one of the largest and richest countries in Europe, was still governed by an ancient regime of three rigid social classes called Estates. The monarch King Louis XVI based his authority on divine right and granted special privileges to the First and Second Estates, the Catholic clergy, and the nobles. The Third Estate, middle-class merchants and craftsmen, as well as over 20 million peasants, had far less power and were the only ones who paid taxes, not just to the king, but to the other Estates as well.

Financial Crisis and Attempts at Reform

But as France sank into debt due to its support of the American Revolution and its long-running war with England, change was needed. King Louis appointed finance minister Jacques Necker, who pushed for tax reforms and won public support by openly publishing the government’s finances. However, the king’s advisors strongly opposed these initiatives.

Call for the Estates-General

Desperate for a solution, the king called a meeting of the Estates-General, an assembly of representatives from the Three Estates, for the first time in 175 years. Although the Third Estate represented 98% of the French population, its vote was equal to each of the other Estates. And unsurprisingly, both of the upper classes favored keeping their privileges.

Beginning of the Revolution

Realizing they couldn’t get fair representation, the Third Estate broke off, declared themselves the National Assembly, and pledged to draft a new constitution with or without the other Estates. King Louis ordered the First and Second Estates to meet with the National Assembly, but he also dismissed Necker, his popular finance minister. In response, thousands of outraged Parisians joined with sympathetic soldiers to storm the Bastille prison, a symbol of royal power and a large storehouse of weapons. The Revolution had begun.

Abolition of Feudal System and Royal Escape Attempt

As rebellion spread throughout the country, the feudal system was abolished. The Assembly’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen proclaimed a radical idea for the time – that individual rights and freedoms were fundamental to human nature and government existed only to protect them. Their privileges gone, many nobles fled abroad, begging foreign rulers to invade France and restore order. And while Louis remained as the figurehead of the constitutional monarchy, he feared for his future.

The Downfall of the Monarchy

In 1791, he tried to flee the country but was caught. The attempted escape shattered people’s faith in the king. The royal family was arrested, and the king charged with treason. After a trial, the once-revered king was publicly beheaded, signaling the end of one thousand years of monarchy and finalizing the September 21st declaration of the first French republic, governed by the motto “liberté, égalité, fraternité.” Nine months later, Queen Marie Antoinette, a foreigner long-mocked as “Madame Déficit” for her extravagant reputation, was executed as well.

The Reign of Terror and Beyond

But the Revolution would not end there. Some leaders, not content with just changing the government, sought to completely transform French society – its religion, its street names, even its calendar. As multiple factions formed, the extremist Jacobins led by Maximilien Robespierre launched a Reign of Terror to suppress the slightest dissent, executing over 20,000 people before the Jacobins’ own downfall.

Rise of Napoleon and the Aftermath of the Revolution

Amidst the chaos, a general named Napoleon Bonaparte took charge, becoming Emperor as he claimed to defend the Revolution’s democratic values. However, his rule marked the beginning of a new era of authoritarianism and imperial expansion.

All in all, the French Revolution saw three constitutions and five governments within ten years, followed by decades alternating between monarchy and revolt before the next Republic formed in 1871. And while we celebrate the French Revolution’s ideals, we still struggle with many of the same basic questions raised over two centuries ago.

Discussion Questions

  1. How did the French Revolution challenge traditional power structures?
  2. How did the American Revolution inspire the French people to demand their own independence?
  3. What issues did the Third Estate face that led to their revolt?
  4. Why did King Louis XVI appoint Jacques Necker as finance minister?
  5. In what ways did the National Assembly declare itself the true representative of the French people?
  6. What was the impact of the storming of the Bastille?
  7. What led to the eventual downfall of the Jacobins?
  8. How did Napoleon Bonaparte take charge of the French Revolution, and what were the implications of his actions?

Lesson Vocabulary

French RevolutionA period of political and social upheaval in France between 1789 and 1799 that led to the overthrow of the French monarchy – Example sentence: The French Revolution transformed the nation’s social, political and economic order.

Three EstatesThe medieval and absolutist French social system that divided the population into three classes: the First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (everyone else) – Example sentence: The Three Estates were a major source of discontent for the lower classes during the French Revolution.

National AssemblyA legislative body established during the French Revolution, consisting of members of the Third Estate, and later other members of society – Example sentence: The National Assembly was first established in 1789 and was responsible for issuing the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

Tax ReformsChanges to the taxation system that are meant to make it more fair, efficient or equitable – Example sentence: The Tax Reforms of the late 18th century in France aimed to increase taxes on the First and Second Estates while reducing them for the Third Estate.

Estates-GeneralA French legislative body composed of representatives of the three Estates, which had not been convened since 1614 – Example sentence: The Estates-General was convened by King Louis XVI in 1789, a major event that launched the French Revolution.

Third EstateThe lowest of the three Estates in medieval and absolutist France, composed of the commoners, merchants, and artisans – Example sentence: The Third Estate was the most populous of the Estates, but it had the least amount of representation in government.

Divine RightThe belief that a monarch’s right to rule is bestowed by God and is thus not subject to challenge or resistance by the people – Example sentence: The French people had long opposed the concept of Divine Right, and it was a major factor contributing to the French Revolution.

Jacques NeckerThe French finance minister who was influential in creating the Estates-General and whose dismissal in 1789 helped trigger the French Revolution – Example sentence: Jacques Necker’s dismissal from his ministerial post in 1789 was seen as a major affront to the Third Estate, and it was a major catalyst for the beginning of the French Revolution.

BastilleA military fortress in Paris that was stormed by revolutionaries on July 14, 1789, a major event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution – Example sentence: The storming of the Bastille is a major event that symbolizes the start of the French Revolution and the overthrow of the French monarchy.

Declaration of Rights of Man and CitizenA document drafted by the National Assembly in 1789 that established the rights of all citizens, such as freedom of speech and religion, as well as equal access to justice – Example sentence: The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen was a major accomplishment of the French Revolution and it remains an important part of French law today.

King Louis XVIThe last king of France before the French Revolution, who was overthrown and executed in 1793 – Example sentence: King Louis XVI was a major figure of the French Revolution, and his execution in 1793 marked the end of the French monarchy.

Reign of TerrorA period of extreme violence and repression that was implemented by the National Convention during the French Revolution, lasting from 1793-1794 – Example sentence: The Reign of Terror was a major event during the French Revolution, and it resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.

Maximilien RobespierreA French lawyer and statesman who was a major figure in the French Revolution and who headed the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign of Terror – Example sentence: Maximilien Robespierre was a major leader of the French Revolution and his work on the Committee of Public Safety is widely seen as instrumental in ending the Reign of Terror.

Napoleon BonaparteA French military and political leader who rose to power during the French Revolution and was Emperor of France from 1804 to 1814 – Example sentence: Napoleon Bonaparte was a major figure of the French Revolution, and his rise to power is seen as the end of the Revolution and the start of a new era.

Liberté, Égalité, FraternitéA slogan that was adopted by the revolutionaries during the French Revolution, which translates to “liberty, equality, fraternity” – Example sentence: The slogan “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” was a major rallying cry of the revolutionaries during the French Revolution and is still used today as a symbol of French national identity.

Share This Lesson:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Email

Advertisement

Scroll to Top

Create a Free Account Free Membership

working on laptop.png

Create a free account on ClassX to enjoy all the benefits we have to offer.