what was the course of the french revolution

by Miss Daniella Stehr II 7 min read

French Revolution Timeline: 6 Phases of Revolution

  • Pre-1789. A series of social and political tensions build within France, before being unleashed by a financial crisis in the 1780s.
  • 1789-91. Marie Antoinette. ...
  • 1792. Marie Antoinette's execution; the (dead?) head is being held to the crowd. ...
  • 1793-4. ...
  • 1795-1799. ...
  • 1800-1802. ...

The course continues by looking at the three key phases of the French Revolution: the Constitutional Monarchy, which lasted from the Storming of the Bastille to the Execution of Louis XVI (1789 - 1792), the Jacobin Republic and Thermidorian Regime (1792 - 1794), and the Directory (1795 and beyond).

Full Answer

What are the four stages of the French Revolution?

anatomy of all revolutions in the history. The 4 stages were dubbed: Preliminary, first, second, third. More accurately described as the: Old regime, rule of the moderates, crisis, and recovery stage. Each stage have their own rules and events within. What is Crane Brinton theory of revolution?

What was the true beginning of the French Revolution?

What Were the Causes of the French Revolution?

  • 18th Century France: The Ancien Régime. When Louis XVI ascended to the throne in 1774 at the age of nineteen, he was, ostensibly, an absolute monarch.
  • Limits of the Old Order. ...
  • The Rising Bourgeois. ...
  • Social Crisis After Social Crisis. ...
  • Sentimentality and Reason: The Enlightenment in France. ...
  • The Nobility Pushes Back. ...

What influenced the French Revolution to begin?

  • When the few plunder the many.
  • When everybody plunders everybody else.
  • When nobody plunders anybody.

What are the five causes of the French Revolution?

five causes of the French Revolution STUDY PLAY list the causes of French Revolution 1. financial issues 2. weak leaders 3. enlightenment ideas take hold 4. storming the Bastine 5. War of Independence in America What were the financial issues? 3 estates (classes) of the old Regime What was the first estate?

When did the French Revolution of course?

French RevolutionPart of the Atlantic RevolutionsThe Storming of the Bastille, 14 July 1789Date5 May 1789 – 9 November 1799 (10 years, 6 months and 4 days)LocationKingdom of France1 more row

What was the main causes of French Revolution?

The 6 Main Causes of the French RevolutionLouis XVI & Marie Antoinette. France had an absolute monarchy in the 18th century – life centred around the king, who had complete power. ... Inherited problems. ... The Estates System & the bourgeoise. ... Taxation & money. ... The Enlightenment. ... Bad luck.

What were the main course of French Revolution Class 9?

The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution. These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the nineteenth century, where feudal systems were abolished. Later, these ideas were adopted by Indian revolutionary strugglers, Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy also.

Why was there a change in the course of French Revolution?

Rising social and economic inequality, new political ideas emerging from the Enlightenment, economic mismanagement, environmental factors leading to agricultural failure, unmanageable national debt, and political mismanagement by King Louis XVI have all been cited as laying the groundwork for the Revolution.

What was the French Revolution short summary?

The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government. When did it take place? The French Revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to 1799. It began on July 14, 1789 when revolutionaries stormed a prison called the Bastille.

What are 3 main causes of the French Revolution?

Although scholarly debate continues about the exact causes of the Revolution, the following reasons are commonly adduced: (1) the bourgeoisie resented its exclusion from political power and positions of honour; (2) the peasants were acutely aware of their situation and were less and less willing to support the ...

What were the main causes of French Revolution Class 9 Brainly?

#1 Social Inequality in France due to the Estates System. #2 Tax Burden on the Third Estate. #3 The Rise of the Bourgeoisie. #4 Ideas put forward by Enlightenment philosophers.

What do you mean by French Revolution Class 10?

The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government. When did it take place? The French Revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to 1799. It began on July 14, 1789 when revolutionaries stormed a prison called the Bastille.

How did the French Revolution change the course of Europe?

Effects of the Revolution The Revolution unified France and enhanced the power of the national state. The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars tore down the ancient structure of Europe, hastened the advent of nationalism, and inaugurated the era of modern, total warfare.

What was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution was a period of major social upheaval that began in 1787 and ended in 1799. It sought to completely change the relationship b...

Why did the French Revolution happen?

There were many reasons. The bourgeoisie—merchants, manufacturers, professionals—had gained financial power but were excluded from political power....

Why did the French Revolution lead to war with other nations?

King Louis XVI of France yielded to the idea of a new constitution and to the sovereignty of the people but at the same time sent emissaries to the...

How did the French Revolution succeed?

In some respects, the French Revolution did not succeed. But the ideas of representational democracy and basic property rights took hold, and it so...

What was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution was a period of major social upheaval that began in 1787 and ended in 1799. It sought to completely change the relationship between the rulers and those they governed and to redefine the nature of political power. It proceeded in a back-and-forth process between revolutionary and reactionary forces.

What caused the American Revolution?

In North America this backlash caused the American Revolution, which began with the refusal to pay a tax imposed by the king of Great Britain. Monarchs tried to stop this reaction of the aristocracy, and both rulers and the privileged classes sought allies among the nonprivileged bourgeois and the peasants.

Who sent emissaries to the rulers of neighbouring countries seeking their help in restoring his power?

King Louis XVI of France yielded to the idea of a new constitution and to the sovereignty of the people but at the same time sent emissaries to the rulers of neighbouring countries seeking their help in restoring his power.

Did the French Revolution succeed?

In some respects, the French Revolution did not succeed. But the ideas of representational democracy and basic property rights took hold, and it sowed the seeds of the later revolutions of 1830 and 1848 .

What was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution was a watershed event in modern European history that 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.

What happened to France during the American Revolution?

As the 18th century drew to a close, France’s costly involvement in the American Revolution, and extravagant spending by King Louis XVI and his predecessor, had left the country on the brink of bankruptcy.

What did the Jacobins do in 1793?

In June 1793, the Jacobins seized control of the National Convention from the more moderate Girondins and instituted a series of radical measures, including the establishment of a new calendar and the eradication of Christianity.

What was the first bicameral legislature in France?

On August 22, 1795, the National Convention, composed largely of Girondins who had survived the Reign of Terror, approved a new constitution that created France’s first bicameral legislature. Executive power would lie in the hands of a five-member Directory ( Directoire) appointed by parliament.

What was the name of the agrarian revolt that led to the end of feudalism?

Known as the Great Fear ( la Grande peur ), the agrarian insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from the country and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789, signing what the historian Georges Lefebvre later called the “death certificate of the old order.”.

What was the name of the organization that proclaimed the abolition of the monarchy?

The following month, amid a wave of violence in which Parisian insurrectionists massacred hundreds of accused counterrevolutionaries, the Legislative Assembly was replaced by the National Convention, which proclaimed the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the French republic.

When was the meeting of the French and American Revolution?

The meeting was scheduled for May 5, 1789; in the meantime, delegates of the three estates from each locality would compile lists of grievances ( cahiers de doléances) to present to the king. READ MORE: How the American Revolution Influenced the French Revolution?

What was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution ( French: Révolution française [ʁevɔlysjɔ̃ fʁɑ̃sɛːz]) was a period of fundamental political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended in November 1799 with the formation of the French Consulate. Many of its ideas are considered fundamental principles of Western liberal democracy.

What was the Revolution?

The Revolution initiated a series of conflicts that began in 1792 and ended only with Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. In its early stages, this seemed unlikely; the 1791 Constitution specifically disavowed "war for the purpose of conquest", and although traditional tensions between France and Austria re-emerged in the 1780s, Emperor Joseph cautiously welcomed the reforms. Austria was at war with the Ottomans, as were the Russians, while both were negotiating with Prussia over partitioning Poland. Most importantly, Britain preferred peace, and as Emperor Leopold stated after the Declaration of Pillnitz, "without England, there is no case".

What happened in 1790?

By December 1790, the Brabant revolution had been crushed and Liège was subdued the following year. During the Revolutionary Wars, the French invaded and occupied the region between 1794 and 1814, a time known as the French period. The new government enforced new reforms, incorporating the region into France itself.

What country did the French invade?

The French invaded Switzerland and turned it into the " Helvetic Republic " (1798–1803), a French puppet state. French interference with localism and traditions was deeply resented in Switzerland, although some reforms took hold and survived in the later period of restoration.

What was the most controversial thing about the French Revolution?

One of the most heated controversies during the Revolution was the status of the Catholic Church. In 1788, it held a dominant position within society; to be French meant to be a Catholic. By 1799, much of its property and institutions had been confiscated and its senior leaders dead or in exile. Its cultural influence was also under attack, with efforts made to remove such as Sundays, holy days, saints, prayers, rituals and ceremonies. Ultimately these attempts not only failed but aroused a furious reaction among the pious; opposition to these changes was a key factor behind the revolt in the Vendée.

What colors did the French wear in 1789?

Cockades were widely worn by revolutionaries beginning in 1789. They now pinned the blue-and-red cockade of Paris onto the white cockade of the Ancien Régime. Camille Desmoulins asked his followers to wear green cockades on 12 July 1789. The Paris militia, formed on 13 July, adopted a blue and red cockade. Blue and red are the traditional colours of Paris, and they are used on the city's coat of arms. Cockades with various colour schemes were used during the storming of the Bastille on 14 July.

What was the most notable example of slave uprisings in French colonies?

The Revolution in Saint-Domingue was the most notable example of slave uprisings in French colonies. In the 1780s, Saint-Domingue was France's wealthiest possession, producing more sugar than all the British West Indies islands combined.

What was the influence of the French Revolution?

It was the first great uprising of the people against the autocracy of the ruler. It generated ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity which crossed the boundaries of France and influenced whole of Europe.

How did the French Revolution affect Europe?

It generated ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity which crossed the boundaries of France and influenced whole of Europe. The revolution not only changed the political, social and economic life of the people but also affected the entire course of world history.

Why did Louis XVI convene the Estates General?

In desperation, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General (the French Assembly) on May 5, 1789, so that it would grant him the required amount of money. In the past, voting in the Estates-General had been conducted on the principle that each estate would have one vote.

What were the social conditions of France?

The social conditions of France were as distressing as its political organisation. French society was divided into three classes or estates. The privileged class comprising the clergy and the aristocracy formed the first estate and the second estate respectively.

Why did France help the colonies gain independence?

This added to the already massive Government debt. In order to pay for the cost of maintaining various Government offices, law courts, universities, the army, etc., the state was forced to raise taxes.

Where did the Bourbons live?

The Bourbon monarchs lived in splendor in the royal palace of Versailles. The finances of France were in a deplorable condition. The treasury was practically empty after the numerous wars that France was involved in. King Louis XVI was incapable of guiding France through the political and financial crises.

When was the French Constitution written?

It declared, “Men are born and remain free and are equal in rights.”. The drafting of the Constitution was completed by the end of 1791. In 1792, the French monarchy was abolished and France became a republic upholding the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. A provisional government was set up.

What was the name of the group that organized the French Revolution?

Act two starts, and the radical Revolutionaries — a loose grouping of radical lawyers, writers, and politicians calling themselves Jacobins — enter the stage. In August of 1792, Jacobins and sans-culottes organized and executed an insurrection in Paris, overthrowing the Monarchy and establishing the French Republic.

How many acts were there in the French Revolution?

The French Revolution can be reduced to three acts, where, in each, the existing political order fails and a new group struggles to assert authority and create a new political and social order. At the start of the first act, in 1789, the French state was bankrupt.

How old was Louis Antoine de Saint-Just?

Louis Antoine de Saint-Just entered Revolutionary politics as a 25 year-old deputy to the Legislative Assembly. He was a dedicated Jacobin and follower of Robespierre, and cultivated an image of Revolutionary purity — preferring his long black hair to a powdered wig, and often pairing that with a single golden earring. During the Convention’s debate on the fate of the king, Saint-Just argued that to provide the king with a trial presupposed the possibility of his innocence, which in turn put into question the Revolution of August 10th that had established the legitimacy of the Republic and the authority of the National Convention.

What was the mood in Paris in 1789?

The mood of Paris was tense in the summer of 1789. The price of bread — always a reliable measurement of the mood of the Parisian public — was rising. In early June, workers had rioted and burned down a wallpaper manufactory after rumors circulated that the owner wanted to cut wages. And, on June 30th, a crowd of 4,000 young men demolished the gates of a prison with the goal of liberating eleven French Guards accused of being members of a secret society.

What percentage of French people were peasants?

They were peasants, day-laborers, small craftsmens, peddlers, artisans, and shopkeepers. Peasants accounted for 80% of the French population; only one fifth of people lived in communities of more than two-thousand people. Poverty was ever present in urban and rural life.

What did the commoners do in 1789?

What he got instead was a revolution. The commoners declared themselves the “National Assembly,” and in July of 1789 the people of Paris stormed the Bastille — a prison fortress and symbol of Royal power in the heart of the city, beginning a decade of social and political upheaval.

What did the French wear during the Revolution?

The French Revolution. A young Parisian rugmaker joins a crowd of demonstrators. Some are armed with pikes, many wear red liberty caps, almost all wear the simple , loose fitting clothes of the artisans and workers of the city. Unsure of why they’re assembled, he asks the man beside him.

What were the causes of the French Revolution?

The causes of the French Revolution. In an immediate sense, what brought down the ancien régime was its own inability to change or, more simply, to pay its way. The deeper causes for its collapse are more difficult to establish.

Who developed the theory of noble racial superiority?

Henri de Boulainvilliers, in his posthumous essays of 1732 on the nobility of France, had even developed a wholly fraudulent but widely praised theory of noble racial superiority. Thus, there were some issues on which all the bourgeoisie might unite against most of the nobility.

What happened in July 1788?

The months leading up to the convening of the Estates-General coincided with the worst subsistence crisis France had suffered in many years; a spring drought was followed by a devastating hailstorm that ruined crops in much of the northern half of the country in July 1788.

What were the two areas of the nobility?

There were two areas, however, in which the nobility enjoyed important institutional privileges: the upper ranks of the army and the clergy were, in the main, aristocratic preserves and had become more so in the 1780s.

Was it difficult to distinguish between the noble and the bourgeois?

Most historians today argue that, on balance, it was becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish clearly between the nobility and the bourgeoisie. Like most nobles, wealthy French non-nobles were landlords and even owners of seigneuries, which were bought and sold before 1789 like any other commodity. Although one can speak of ...

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The Fall of Bastille

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The critical moment came after the king shut out the commoners andthe latter assembled in the Tennis-Court and took an oath that they would notdisperse until they found a way out to their problems. The King tried to useforce but his own soldiers refused to obey his orders. Louis then intrigued toget foreign regiments t…
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National Assembly

  • This Assembly comprised moderate liberals, who wanted aconstitution on the model of England and America. Their leader was Mirabeau.The Assembly was controlled by the middle classes and there was norepresentation to the peasants and the common masses. This National Assembly abolishedserfdom, feudal privileges, including exempting nobles and clergy fromtaxation, even ti…
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Flight to Varennes

  • The King’s position was increasingly shaky. He was not able toreconcile to the legislations passed by the National Assembly. He decided toescape from Paris. Dressing himself as a valet, he escaped along withhis family to Varennes, a border town. However, he was recognized there by apostman, arrested by the National Guards and brought back to Paris. From thenonwards, he re…
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Girondins and Jacobins

  • There were many parties and groups fighting for control of powerin the early days of the Revolution. There were the royalists still hoping toretain Louis XVI as an absolute king. The moderate liberals wanted to keep theKing as a limited monarch. They called themselves the party of the Girondins.The hardcore republicans were the Jacobins. In foreign countries especially inE…
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Constitution of 1791

  • In September 1791, the National Assembly framed the firstconstitution. It provided for a Constitutional monarchy. The Legislatureconsisted of a single chamber of 750 members. The franchise was limited tothose who owned a certain amount of property. The King continued to be theExecutive head, but his powers were considerably limited. But the common peoplewho had st…
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Emigres and Therevolutionary War

  • Many nobles who supported the monarchy fled France and lived inexile. They were known as Emigres (those who had emigrated). This included thebrothers of the King. They lived in the frontier towns bordering France andwere preparing for counter-revolutionary moves. In August 1791, Austria andPrussia together issued the Declaration of Pilnitz, pledging to restoremonarch…
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Overview

The French Revolution was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considered fundamental principles of liberal democracy, while phrases like liberté, égalité, fraternité reappeared in other revolts, such as the 1917 Russian Revolution, and inspired campaigns for the abolition of slavery and universal suffrage. The values and institution…

Long-term impact

The French Revolution had a major impact on European and Western history, by ending feudalism and creating the path for future advances in broadly defined individual freedoms. Its impact on French nationalism was profound, while also stimulating nationalist movements throughout Europe. Modern historians argue the concept of the nation state was a direct consequence of the Revolution.

Causes

The underlying causes of the French Revolution are generally seen as arising from the failure of the Ancien Régime to manage social and economic inequality. Rapid population growth and the inability to adequately finance government debt resulted in economic depression, unemployment and high food prices. Combined with a regressive tax system and resistance to reform by the ruling el…

Crisis of the Ancien Régime

The French state faced a series of budgetary crises during the 18th century, caused primarily by structural deficiencies rather than lack of resources. Unlike Britain, where Parliament determined both expenditures and taxes, in France, the Crown controlled spending, but not revenue. National taxes could only be approved by the Estates-General, which had not sat since 1614; its revenue fun…

Constitutional monarchy (July 1789 – September 1792)

Even these limited reforms went too far for Marie Antoinette and Louis' younger brother the Comte d'Artois; on their advice, Louis dismissed Necker again as chief minister on 11 July. On 12 July, the Assembly went into a non-stop session after rumours circulated he was planning to use the Swiss Guards to force it to close. The news brought crowds of protestors into the streets, and soldiers of …

First Republic (1792–1795)

In late August, elections were held for the National Convention; voter restrictions meant those cast fell to 3.3 million, versus 4 million in 1791, while intimidation was widespread. The former Brissotins now split into moderate Girondins led by Brissot, and radical Montagnards, headed by Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Danton and Jean-Paul Marat. While loyalties constantly shifted, around 160 of t…

Directory (1795–1799)

The Directory has a poor reputation amongst historians; for Jacobin sympathisers, it represented the betrayal of the Revolution, while Bonapartists emphasised its corruption to portray Napoleon in a better light. Although these criticisms were certainly valid, it also faced internal unrest, a stagnating economy and an expensive war, while hampered by the impracticality of the co…

French Revolutionary Wars

The Revolution initiated a series of conflicts that began in 1792 and ended only with Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. In its early stages, this seemed unlikely; the 1791 Constitution specifically disavowed "war for the purpose of conquest", and although traditional tensions between France and Austria re-emerged in the 1780s, Emperor Joseph cautiously welcomed the reforms. Aust…