The French Revolution The French Revolution posed a fundamental challenge to Europe’s existing political and social order.

Evidence Girondists (Jacobins) Louis XVI Mountain (Jacobins) Paris Commune The September Massacres The Convention sans-culottes Reign of Terror Committee of Public Safety Lazare Carnot levee en masse Society of Revolutionary Republican Women Jacques Danton Maximilien Robespierre “Republic of Virtue” Law of 22 Prairial Cult of the Supreme Being Thermidorian Reaction the “white terror” Directory Louis XVI Marie Antoinette Parlement of Paris Estates General First, Second, & Third Estates Abbe Sieyes Cahiers de Doleances National Assembly Tennis Court Oath National Constituent Assembly Fall of Bastille The Great Fear Declaration of the Rights of Man Civil Constitution of the Clergy emigrés Edmund Burke Declaration of Pillnitz Legislative Assembly Jacobin Club

Though the causes of the revolution were many, the main cause was the rising frustration of the bourgeoisie. Noble Tax Privilege By refusing to allow reform of the taxation system, the nobles set in motion the events that led to their loss of privilege. Diversity in the nobility made it difficult for the nobility to put up a united front. Old nobility vs. nobility of the robe Some nobles had more liberal economic views Lack of Royal Leadership Louis XVI gave in to pressure from the nobles to restore noble power. He gave the Third Estate double the number of representatives but did not change the system of voting in the Estates General. He wavered back and forth between compromise and intransigence, right up to his attempted flight. He was indecisive and incompetent, and some believed his wife was decadent, which alienated many from the regime.

Immediate Economic Crisis & Bad Harvest American Revolution The revolution in America hugely increased the financial difficulties of the king. Many soldiers who had fought for American independence returned home imbued with new ideas about popular sovereignty. Immediate Economic Crisis & Bad Harvest The economic problems made the lives of the peasants and urban poor more insecure, which meant they were easily called to action and mob violence Ideas of the Enlightenment Particularly the ideas of John Locke and Rousseau, which were popularized by cheap, publications, created a demand fro responsive and reasonable government.

Frustrations of the Bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie were now wealthy but still excluded from political power except in individual roles. They were also angry at the nobles because of their privileges, social pretensions, and disdain for the middle classes. The bourgeoisie created wealth for France, and they demanded a constitutional government in which individual liberties and legal equality would be guaranteed and in which they could wield significant power. The bourgeoisie had moved closer to the nobility in terms of values: both valued land ownership and the life of a gentlemen. The bourgeoisie was not monolithic some wealthy merchants and government officials were quite conservative while others, particularly some lawyers, were liberal or even leaning toward radicalism.