Causes Of The French Revolution

Causes of the French Revolution
For six of the eight causes of revolution, describe two events, actions or beliefs (evidence) during the years before the French Revolution that led to a
developing revolutionary situation. Explain how each contributed to the revolutionary situation. Frances failed attempts at economic reform
contributed heavily to the developing revolutionary situation. In August 1787, when the parlements refused to implement the Kings proposed changes
to the financial system, it became clear that the Kings authority was weakening. The parlements rejected these reforms, arguing that only the nation,
assembled through an Estates–General had the right to determine the need for tax reform. Its position was clearly stated: "The constitutional principal of
...show more content...
For the urban workers, crop failures meant rises in food prices and more peasant workers moving into towns and competing for employment. Bread
riots in the cities called on the King to control prices so that poor people could buy bread. The state of bankruptcy in the French Economy was a major
factor causing the revolutionary situation. In 1786 Calonne noted that "В…it is impossible to tax further, ruinous to be always borrowing and not
enough to confine ourselves to measures of economyВ…ordinary ways are unable to lead us to our goalВ…the only effective remedy, the only means
of managing finally to put the finances truly in order, must consist in reviving the entire state by recasting all that it unsound in its constitution" It is
evident that France was in a state of financial crisis and could not have continued without major reform. Expenditure was much higher than income,
nearly half the income for the following year had already been spent in advance, by taking out short term overseas loans. This state of Frances
bankruptcy contributed directly to the revolution. The erosion of confidence in the government directly contributed to the revolutionary situation. All
three estates were generally losing confidence in the King at the time leading up to revolution. All estates mentioned in the relevant cahiers that major
decisions such as tax reforms and overseas loans should be agreed to by the Estates General, rather than by the King alone. This is evident in
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

The Causes Of The French Revolutionary War
The French Revolutionary War took place around April 20, 1792– March 25, 1802. The outbreak of the French Revolution War confused nearly all the
Europeans. Researching and listening to the video gave me a understanding of how the causes of the French Revolutionary War came upon around
1792. It was so complicated that it was divided into Three Estates or Orders. The First Estate consisted of the clergy and the Second Estate the
nobility however, the two estates I mentioned accounted for 500,000 individuals. The Third Estate which basically meant everybody else, or about
25 million people. The first estate was said to be that you the clergy was divided into the lower and upper clergy. Members of the lower clergy were
usually humble, poorly paid

Revolution? The major cause of the French Revolution was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. The French
Revolution of 1789–1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at
the time of the Revolution, was the most powerful state in Europe. The Revolution led to the development of new political forces such as democracy
and nationalism. It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas
of the people.<br><br>The French Revolution was spread over the ten year period between 1789 and 1799. The primary cause of the revolution was
the disputes over...show more content...
However, there was another important factor during these times. France suffered from harsh economic problems. Poor farm harvests by farmers
hurt the economy, and trade rules from the Middle Ages still survived, making trade difficult. However, the most serious problem was the problem
facing the government during this time. The French government borrowed much money to pay for the wars of Louis XIV. Louis still borrowed
money to fight wars and to keep French power alive in Europe. These costs greatly increased the national debt, which was, at the time, already too
high.<br><br>When King Louis XVI came into power, he realized that these problems existed. At first he did not know what to do, until he found
a man by the name of Robert Turgot. He eased the financial crisis of France, but he had difficulties when he tried to introduce a major reform, that
of taxing the nobles. He had such difficulties because the king could not tax the nobles unless the Parliament approved of the new tax laws. The
people in the courts that voted on these laws were the nobles, called nobles of the robe, and therefore rejected Turgot's reform. After Turgot was
rejected, the king fired him from his office. This led Louis XVI to summon the Estates General in 1789. The Estates General was the place where
representatives from each social class could be represented. Here, many issues would be discussed, and at this time in

Causes of the French Revolution Essay
Causes of the French Revolution There were many causes and events leading up to the French Revolution in 1789. Before the Revolution, France
had been involved in many expensive wars, especially the American War of Independence, causing financial difficulties and debts which were
increased through the expensive upkeep of the Royal Family and their courts. At this time the Age of Enlightenment was occurring and new ideas,
challenging the Ancien Regime and the Absolute right to rule, were emerging. The monarch of the time, King Louis XVI, was a weak monarch who
was incapable of making decisions and sticking to them. King Louis XIV was also incapable of using his powers in a way to spark fear and gain
control of those under his power. As a...show more content...
This meant that they were heavily taxed like the rest of the Third Estate, but many avaided taxes. Some of the bourgeois were envious of the
nobility and had resentment towards the First and Second Estates, many against the Ancien Regime and well educated a large proportion of the
bourgeois knew of the discoveries happening during the Age of Enlightenment. The Ancien Regime prioritised the people of France in order of
Estates, with the King being above all, as a result of the system keeping 97% of the population in one category the system did not satisfy many of
the bourgeois of the time resulting in them supporting the revolution. Before the revolution France was ruled under the Ancien Regime system,
meaning the country and all its people were under the reign of an absolute monarch. This was a tradition that had been upheld through the years
and the Royal family had enjoyed a life funded by the people of France, the royal family's lifestyle unaffected by the situation outside their palace.
The Palace, Versailles, was built by king Louis XIV and the expenses for building this "village" was very high, and in later years the cost for its
upkeep would play a significant role in Frances financial difficulties. In order for these difficulties to be overcome France needed a tax reform. The
government had a very high tax rate on the poorest of their people, the Third Estate, and they were still not getting enough money to get out of their

Analyze the various causes of the French Revolution. Include social, economic and ideological factors Just as any story has a climax; one can deduce
that the 17th and 18th centuries were the turning point for most of European history; however, different places experienced this change in different
ways. As the previous discoveries and inventions were made by remarkable scientists like Galileo, the Enlightenment was the next logical step in the
era. As incredible philosophers like Jean– Jacques Rousseau along with John Locke stepped in, people all over Europe began to realize the importance
and even the mere concept of reason and natural rights granted to all persons. Apart from the common impact of the Enlightenment on all of Europe,
the rest hierarchy. As a result of the estate system, the First Estate, composed of the clergy, who constituted only 10% of land ownership, received
the most privileges. Under Louis XV and Louis XVI, the nobility (Second Estate) held many prestigious positions in the government and industry,
and were exempt (along with the First Estate) from many taxes, such as France's main tax, the taille). Despite being given these privileges, the
nobles still felt the basic need for an expansion of exemptions at the expense of the monarchy. The Third Estate was the least privileged, yet the
most populous, which caused an even larger barrier between them and the First and Second Estate. Furthermore, they felt isolated and degraded
from the rest of the society due to the lack of consideration that they were given. Most of the commoners faced the issue of a lacking part in society
which transcended wealth, as the Bourgeoisie (middle class) was even neglected from tax exemptions such as those provided for the First and Second
Estate. Regardless of being skilled artisans, industrialists and bankers they were still considered a part of the "low" class, making it quite evident to
rebel against. Adding fuel to the French national crisis, the dearth of national unity and the incapability for King Louis XVI to make effective and
strong decisions, caused the problem to become an extreme. Due to the Third Estate's hunger

Causes Of The French Revolution
A revolution is a drastic change in the way something is done, such as a government or an economy. One such revolution took place in France where
the government was changed several times, many different people obtained power, and traditional ideas were questioned. The French Revolution had
many social, political, and economic factors that caused it, and it was very impactful on the people of France, and on the areas outside of it.
There were many causes of the French Revolution; some were political, some were economic and some were social. The amount of powers that the
king held as an absolute monarch was a political cause of the revolution. He was allowed to appoint officials, declare war, levy taxes control the press,
and imprison anyone...show more content...
In 1789 "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen" was a list of freedoms to be used in a new constitution, and it reformed the
relationship between the citizens and the government (doc 5). By allowing the citizens to participate in government, it better aligned the
government with the enlightenment. It also made the people happier and temporarily calmed the revolution by guaranteeing them freedoms that
they thought were important. The Reign of Terror was also very impactful on the lives of the French citizens. During this time many people were
imprisoned and executed by the guillotine for even suspicion of treason, and this caused the people of France to live in fear (doc 6). Even though
the Terror was successful in helping France in foreign wars, it caused people to live in fear, and to not trust anyone; it only took one person to
report someone to the government and they would be gone the next day. During the revolution, many reforms were made to the educational system
as well. Napoleon made school free as well as making it mandatory, universal and secular (doc 7). These policy changes made it so the French
people were much more educated, more able to pursue careers outside of farming, and these policies are still the basis of the French school system.
The revolution also had a significant impact outside of France as well. It made revolution less foreign to the rest of

The French Revolution The French Revolution of 1789 was one of the biggest upheavals in history. You may be wondering what exactly led this to
happen, but there were multiple long range causes. Political, social, and economic conditions ultimately led to the discontent of many French people
especially those of the third estate. The ideals of the Enlightenment brought new views to government and society.
Before the revolution, the majority of France were living in poverty. Peasants were entirely at the mercy of their class, because they had nothing else.
As Jean JaurГЁs stated in 1901, there was not one action in rural life that did not require the peasants to pay a ransom. He recognizes that because the
king is forcing them to pay higher...show more content...
The Estates–General held their meeting at Versailles on May 5, 1789 ("The Beginning of the French Revolution, 1789"). Calling a meeting of the
Estates–General was the king's last resort to fix the major money crisis.
The other two social classes had no idea what the third estate was going to do. The third estate (the lower class) met alone and was named the National
Assembly; they kept meeting and starting gaining a lot of new people ("French Revolution"). This led to people getting paranoid about what they were
meeting about, which ultimately led to people storming the Bastille. They stormed the Bastille on July 14, in order to get gunpowder and weapons
("French Revolution"). According to Vikram Rana, the economic instability formed one of the most important causes of the French Revolution.
The last main cause of the French Revolution was the social condition. The social classes were divided into three groups– the Clergy, Nobles, and
Common People (Rana). The big Clergy category had two different groups; the higher clergy, and the lower clergy (Rana). The higher clergy
managed the top buildings, and never had to pay taxes. They had it a lot better than the lower clergy, the higher clergy only lived in mansions and
anywhere luxurious. The lower clergy didn't get any of that, which means their life wasn't so great. The nobility was a lot like the higher clergy,
because they also

The start of the French Revolution was due to a build–up of inequalities, bankruptcy, and the influence of The Enlightenment and the American
Revolution. The First and Second Estates, which was made up of the rich nobles, did not have to pay taxes, and had special privileges. In contrast,
the Third Estate was made up of the townspeople who worked hard every day, and paid heavy taxes. This inequality angered the townspeople. The
king before Louis XVI was Louis XIV. He spent too much money and caused the government to go into a downward spiral. Then Louis XVI did not
cut down on spending either, and by 1789 the government was bankrupt. After The Enlightenment, writers and thinkers ideas' became widespread and
began to encourage the...show more content...
These townspeople were ready to fight to the death to stop the unfair taxation and ways of the government. Instead of the expected one hundred person
mob, the guards and soldiers were unprepared to discover over three hundred angry French citizens ready to seize The Bastille. The citizens freed all
the prisoners that were put in jail under the hated Louis XVI, and marched their way through the streets, heading next to Versailles, where the King was
staying.
Chapter Four
Paris Mob Storming the Palace of Versailles and Imprisoning the Royal Family
The storming of the Palace of Versailles was mainly aimed at QueenMarie Antoinette by the women of France. Mothers and wives trying to bake for
their families found it impossible due to the shortage and high prices of grains. Rumors were quickly spread that the royal family were hoarding
grains in Versailles. The angry mob forced their way into Versailles and demanded for Queen Marie Antoinette to come outside, when she did, the
mob told her family to leave Versailles and move to Tuileries Palace where they were put under 'house' arrest.
Chapter Five
Flight and Capture of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI
Louis XVI and the royal family made plans to flee the country because if they did not soon, they knew their lives would be done for. With a failed
attempt in April 1791 to flee, they made a new plan to join other banned royalists. So on the evening of June 20, 1791, the royal family disguised

The French Revolution was a revolt from the people in France that lasted from 1789–1799. The people of France wanted to be treated fairly and wanted
justice for the commoners the only way they could achieve this was through a revolution. The French Revolution caused many reforms throughout
France. These reforms have affected the people of France, and the surrounding nations of France. The French Revolution was considered a major
turning point in history.
The French Revolution was an uprising from the people under Louis XVI's rule, which lasted from 1789 to 1799. Under King Louis XVI's rule, the
majority of people were in poverty, with high taxes and scarce food supplies. A great deal of the money from taxes were going towards the Palace of
Speculation of Louis's intent on ending the National Assembly spread. The people wanted to be treated fairly and wanted justice, so they decided
to revolt. To achieve this they stormed the Bastille. They killed the guards and paraded their heads on pikes; next, they wanted the king's head.
They gathered weapons and gunpowder from the Bastille and searched for the king, however he went into hiding and was not able to be found.
This became known as the Storming of the Bastille. Robespierre wanted justice for France and did not support the king; he later became the leader
of the Committee of Public Safety. To keep the public safe he encouraged execution. He did not want anyone to support the king and if you were to be
thought to support him, you would be sentenced to a trial and execution by guillotine. This was the beginning of the Reign of Terror. People of France
were scared to leave their homes due to the amount of public executions that were happening at this time, they did not want to be next (Doc.6).
Thousands of citizens were being executed including Marie Antoinette. Robespierre, due to his unfair ruling, was later executed by the guillotine. After
the execution of Robespierre, the Directory reigned in power (Doc.4). The Directory had five men who served as the directors. Napoleon gained the
trust of the Directory, and then overthrew their power with the

What Was The Causes Of The French Revolution
Many factors led to the beginning of the slave revolts of Saint–Domingue in August of 1791, a large portion of which were brought on by the
burgeoning Revolution in France. The French Revolution was an anti–monarchist revolution, which at points would border on anarchy, but one that
was largely based on ideals of egalitarianism. As the Revolution began, the Constituent Assembly passed a document named 'The Declaration of the
Rights of Man and of the Citizen'. This document, in which the first clause explicitly states: "Men are born, and always continue, free and equal in
respect to their rights. Civil distinctions, therefore, can be founded only on public utility," gave slave and free blacks in the French Colonies a belief
that issues involving race were progressing. Despite the progression of idea in the slave colonies, the ruling French government only went so far as to
send out a decree on May 15, 1791 that enfranchised non–whites that were born of free parents. The Constituent and Legislative Assemblies of the
Revolution continued to see slavery as a taboo subject, and tried to differentiate between the...show more content...
He continued towards the goal of the end of slavery with the support of French General Etienne Laveaux. Soon after, in 1795, he became the Lieutenant
Governor of Saint–Domingue and effectively ruled the country autonomously. The British Empire, seeing a weakness in the French colonial system,
sent a force to intervene, which was defeated continuously by freed black slaves. Toussaint would continue to can popularity and support with ever
victory. This continued intervention by the British Empire "helped the growing power of the blacks and the destruction of the French slave regime."
With his continued growing power as the near–dictator of Saint–Domingue, Toussaint, in 1801, proceeded to abolish slavery

The Causes Of The French Revolution
The French Revolution The French Revolution was arguably one of the most significant and controversial events in European history. It occurred
during the years 1789–1799 when many French citizens became enraged with society and demanded political, financial and social change. The French
people's primary goal was to put an end to monarchy and bring reform to many aspects of French life. Inspired and motivated by the famous American
Revolution, French citizens were urged to take action in order to bring forth the change they desired. They strived to better society and instill
Enlightenment ideals, such as popular sovereignty and inalienable rights, by any means necessary; even if it meant killing thousands who got in their
way....show more content...
Members of the Third Estate were expected to pay all taxes and the rich which belonged to the second and first estates paid none. The Third Estate saw
this as highly unfair and wanted financial reform. France's economy fell apart and people began to experience food shortages; people even started to
starve. Scarce food supply played an additional role in the start of the revolution. With the start of the revolution, people started to discuss the change
they wanted to be done to society. The National Assembly later met in a tennis court and swore the famous Tennis Court Oath, where they agreed to
never separate until a new and just constitution had been established for France. Louis XVI responded by sending troops to Paris mainly to stop
uprisings over food shortages, but the revolutionaries viewed this as a provocation and attacked the Bastille Prison with a large angry mob. Rioters
stormed the Bastille fortress in an attempt to secure gunpowder and weapons. The prison was a symbol of the royal authority in France to which they
were revolting. This event became known as The Storming of the Bastille and was commemorated as the start of the French Revolution. Fear and
violence consumed the capitol as Parisians panicked when rumors of an impending military coup began to spread. Widespread hysteria quickly swept
the countryside and The Great Fear started. This period of panic was due to the rumors of an aristocratic conspiracy by the king

The Causes Of The French Revolution
Good morning/Good afternoon I am Ella Nagle here to present to you the French Revolution. Through violent and bloody means, the French revolution
influenced modern law making through the will power of the people. While it was only semi–successful in achieving all of its goals, it provided drastic
change to the society's social structure in France. The Revolution was a major turning point in modern European history which began in 1789 lasting in
to the late 1790's. "During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country's political landscape, uprooting centuries–old institutions such
as absolute monarchy and the feudal system." (Staff, history.com, 2009). The movement ended with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. Similar to the
American Revolution it was an era of change and empowerment to the people of France. Towards the end of the 18th century Frances expensive
involvement in the American Revolution brought the country to the edge of bankruptcy. King Louis XVI(1754–1793) and his predecessor depleted the
royal Coffers and with the aid of "Twenty years of drought, poor cereal harvests, cattle diseases and skyrocketing bread prices ignited unrest among
the urban poor and peasants." (Staff, history.com, 2009) One of the main causes of the Revolution was the rising wealth amongst the middle class
known as the bourgeoisie which consisted of wealthy commoners aspiring to political power. This increase was due to a surge in peasants owning land
which increased

The spirit of 19th Century France was a dark era, for the French seemed stuck in the past. Although most of Europe changed to a more democratic– like
government, France continued under the rule of an absolutist monarchy, and before the French revolution, France continued to live under the old
regime at full force. Additionally, reasons for theFrench Revolution vary from political to social causes. Since the rule of Louis XIV, the country's
administrative efficiency declined. The French government rarely got the job done, and no one took steps to change the situation. Consequently,
France fought in so many unnecessary wars that they rarely won which hurt the economy significantly. Moreover, the influence of the Enlightenment
era of a less religious world introduced the concept of opportunity throughout the classes, bringing into play the idea of privilege rather than divine
intervention. More than likely, the Enlightenment Era and the ideas that came with it of progress, natural law, and reason influenced the French
Revolution, for it resembled ideas from the Renaissance, like individualism and the capacity of man to change the course of their life. Lastly, 19th
Century France still lived under the old regime, which included fixed classes. Oppressed and looked down upon, the third estate got tired of the
dominance of the aristocracy, and such injustice led them to rebel. Since most of the revolutionaries came from the third estate, the oppression and
injustice of this estate

Essay about Causes of the French Revolution
The French Revolution was caused by many factors; some were significant and played a large role while others were of minor consequence. France
was one of the richest and most powerful nations even though they were facing some economic difficulties. The French Revolution was a pivotal
period in the history of French, European and Western civilization. During this period of time there was the formation of republicanism which replaced
the absolute monarchy in France. Before the French Revolution Louis XVI was in power, but in due time his old regime of absolute monarchy was
brought down. Some people were in favor of this revolution wanting equality and some were not. One person who was in favor of this desire for
equality and change was...show more content...
When prices got so high that peasants and other third estate citizens couldn't afford food there was an inevitable uprising. The peasantry became a class
with the ambition to counteract social inequity and put a stop to escalating food prices. This unrest caused a riot, known as the bread riot, which
became a central cause to the French Revolution.
Economics also played an important role in the French Revolution. In France there was an abundance of debt and taxation. The French monarchy
managed their fiscal affairs by using an unequal system of taxation, borrowing money, or selling noble titles and other privileges. This led to a long
running fiscal debt. France could not solely rely on tariffs to generate income. Although other countries had higher taxation rates, the burden on the
common people was greater in France. Peasants and other third estates were taxed harshly which in good times was burdensome and in bad times it
was devastating. Nobility and clergy were exempted from paying taxes. This left the peasants, wage earners, and the professional and business classes
with the burden of taxes. This burden caused the unrest, which eventually led to the French Revolution.
Many things caused the French Revolution. I believe that absolutism and privilege, famine, and economics were three of the most significant factors
causing the French Revolution. These three elements led people to be unhappy with the current government and want to overthrow it.

The French Revolution was a time of great social, political and economic tumult in the closing years of the Eighteenth Century. The motivators
pushing French citizenry toward revolution are varied in scope and origin. They range from immediate economic woes to an antiquarian class
structure. Modern historians still debate the value of the changes that the revolution brought to modern society. The middle class made gains that
would never be rescinded, but do revolutions always end in tyranny? In the years before the revolution citizens were rigidly constrained by the estates
of the realm. These social strata had been in place since the medieval ages. The people were divided into three groups; clergy, nobility and everyone
else. The clergy...show more content...
The high costs of maintaining the army and navy exacerbated the situation, along with the lavish lifestyle of King Louis XVI and his queen,
Marie–Antoinette. Louis appointed Charles de Calonne as comptroller–general to solve France's financial crisis. Calonne knew that the only way to get
France out of debt was to fairly distribute the tax burden among the three estates. Of course, this did sit well with the nobility and Calonne was
dismissed after giving his presentation at the Assembly of Notables. In a desperate act, Louis called the Estates General. The Estates General was an
ancient practice that had not been called since 1614. Events there would prove to be the beginning of the revolution proper. France suffered under
years of inept and self–serving monarchs. Louis XVI was preceded by his grandfather, Louis XV. It was his loss of public opinion and war spending
that put his grandson in such a precarious position in the years after his reign. The rule of Louis XVI would prove to be a doomed one. He was
ousted after a comparatively short 17 years. The outdated political system gave way to a constitutional monarchy, and when that failed, the French
Republic. This Republic however would not prove to last. Feudalism was the whole of existence for rural commoners in the time before the
revolution. Farmers had no right to the land they worked and lived on. Serfs were beholden to their manor lord

French Revolution
By: Tyreik Douse
The French Revolution
*The French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte.
*During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country's political landscape, uprooting centuries–old institutions such as absolute
monarchy and the feudal system.
*Like the American Revolution before it, the French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular
sovereignty and inalienable rights.
...More info
*The French Revolution had general causes common to all the revolutions of the West at the end of the 18th century and particular causes that explain
why it was by far the most violent and the most universally...show more content...
*In October, a large crowd of protesters, mostly women, marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles, convinced that the royal family and nobility
there lived in luxury, oblivious to the hardships of the French people.
War
*The issue of war dominated the debate in the new Legislative Assembly.
*In France, the support for war was growing a lot as well.
*Louis XVI and hard line monarchists wanted war because they believed that foreign armies would easily overthrow the new government.
*The revolutionaries, on the other hand, pushed for war because they thought it would unify the nation and spread the ideas of the Revolution to the
rest of Europe.
The Revolution of 1789
*The national guard was organized under the marquis de Lafayette.
*This first outbreak of violence marked the entry of the popular classes into the Revolution.

The Republic
*On Sept. 21, 1792, the Convention held its first meeting.
*It immediately abolished the monarchy, set up the republic, and proceeded to try the king for treason.
* A democratic constitution was approved by 1.8 million voters in a plebiscite, but it never came into

French Revolution Causes
The French Revolution was not an event that happened overnight but rather a series of events that occurred over several years leading up to the
overthrow of the monarchy and the implementation of a new government. The Primary cause for the fall of the Ancien regime was its financial
instability and inability to improve upon the lives of the French people. The 4 key flaws or events leading to the fall of the regime was; the structure of
royal government, the taxation system, the structure of french society and the Enlightenment. A major fault with the Ancien government was its
inefficient and corrupt taxation system. The biggest fault with the system was through how taxes were collected, a method called tax farming. The
government hired...show more content...
For example, the Church exerted a certain amount of influence over the King as they had certain rights and privileges he couldn't touch for fear
of angering religious zealots amongst the people. Furthermore the King was unable to manage a country on his own and required a council of
advisors to assist him in important decisions. These advisors held a considerable amount of power and could easily manipulate a weak willed
king. The King also needed people to carry out his will. In the provinces, this job was undertaken by intendants who would often pay their way into
the position. These men had control over what news arrived to the King and how well his will was followed to the letter. This meant the King was
often unaware of the full extent of what was occurring within his lands as well as a high chance of corruption amongst his Intendants. As a result
Intendants were free to alter taxation laws to suit themselves, withdraw money from the Royal treasury and ignore the King's orders. The fact that
Louis XVI never left Versailles also made it easy for people to control his source of information. The structure of French society and the hierarchy of
the people was also a major contributor to the monarchy's demise. The people were divided into 3 estates with the Clergy in the 1st estate, the nobility
in the 2nd and the remainder in the 3rd estate. The 3rd

The French Revolution was incited by a variety of reasons. At the time, the government was in a serious deficit resulting in great taxations. They had
spent huge sums of money on the French and Indian War, and the king and nobility consumed much money to keep up with their lavish lifestyles. In
addition, there was a severe economic depression at the time. In areas of agriculture, manufacturing, and trade, there were great downturns. Also,
revolutionary ideas were instilled within the people during the Enlightenment. Together, the financial condition of the government, the economic
depression, and the Enlightenment ideas played a pivotal role in causing the French Revolution. In the late 1800s, the condition of the French
government was...show more content...
They were against taxation without representation. In the government, the third estate was only given one vote and was always overruled by the first
two estates despite the fact they made up ninety–seven percent of the population. The third estate wrote complaints regarding taxing, the king, and
voting in the estates general in a list called the Cahiers (Document 3). When King Louis XVI failed to take action after receiving the list, the third
estate called itself the National Assembly and tried to work for the welfare of France. They made a pledge called the Tennis Court Oath and started
challenging the absolute monarchy in France; the French Revolution would soon follow. Also, during that time there was a huge economic depression.
Manufacturing and trade were at their all–time low leaving many people jobless. Likewise, in agriculture, years of poor harvests caused increases in
food prices. There was an increased demand for food, but there was a smaller supply resulting in increased prices. With higher food prices and lower
incomes, the people of France were facing many hardships. Bread, the staple food of France, was nearly unaffordable to the majority of the people at
the time, peasants (Document 1). Basic necessities, such as food and clothing, became difficult to obtain. By 1789, many people in France were hungry
and jobless. As a result, there was growing discontent among the French people against the king and the government for allowing

The French Revolution (French: RГ©volution franГ§aise [КЃevЙ”lysjЙ”Мѓ fКЃЙ‘МѓsЙ›Лђz]) was a period of far–reaching social and political
upheaval in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799, and was partially carried forward by Napoleon during the later expansion of the French Empire.
The Revolution overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, experienced violent periods of political turmoil, and finally culminated in a
dictatorship under Napoleon that rapidly brought many of its principles to Western Europe and beyond. Inspired by liberal and radical ideas, the
Revolution profoundly altered the course of modern history, triggering the global decline of absolute monarchies while replacing them with republics
and liberal democracies.[1] Through the Revolutionary Wars, it unleashed a wave of global conflicts that extended from the Caribbean to the Middle
East. Historians widely regard the Revolution as one of the most important events in human history.[2][3][4]
The causes of the French Revolution are complex and are still debated among historians. Following the Seven Years' War and the American
Revolutionary War,[5] the French government was deeply in debt and attempted to restore its financial status through unpopular taxation schemes,
which were heavily regressive. Years of bad harvests leading up to the Revolution also inflamed popular resentment of the privileges enjoyed by the
clergy and the aristocracy. Demands for change were formulated in terms of Enlightenment ideals and

Causes Of The French Revolution

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Causes Of The French Revolution

Similar to Causes Of The French Revolution (8)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Causes Of The French Revolution