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Origins of the French Revolution, c1780 to 87
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In the 1780s France was rich and powerful, yet its government was nearly bankrupt and its society deeply unequal.
The Three Estates
First Estate: the clergy. Second Estate: the nobles. Both had many privileges and paid little tax.
Third Estate: everyone else, the vast majority, from rich lawyers and merchants to poor peasants and town workers. They paid most of the taxes, such as the taille.
Third Estate: everyone else, the vast majority, from rich lawyers and merchants to poor peasants and town workers. They paid most of the taxes, such as the taille.
King, queen and money
Louis XVI (king from 1774) was well meaning but indecisive.
Marie Antoinette, his Austrian wife, was unpopular and blamed for extravagance.
France spent heavily helping the Americans in the American War of Independence, adding to huge debts.
Necker, the finance minister, borrowed money and published accounts (1781) that made the finances look healthier than they were.
Marie Antoinette, his Austrian wife, was unpopular and blamed for extravagance.
France spent heavily helping the Americans in the American War of Independence, adding to huge debts.
Necker, the finance minister, borrowed money and published accounts (1781) that made the finances look healthier than they were.
Ideas and hunger
Enlightenment writers such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Montesquieu questioned the power of kings and the Church, and spoke of rights and reason.
The American Revolution showed that a people could overthrow rulers and create a new constitution.
Poor harvests, especially in 1788, pushed up the price of bread, the main food of the poor.
The American Revolution showed that a people could overthrow rulers and create a new constitution.
Poor harvests, especially in 1788, pushed up the price of bread, the main food of the poor.
Explain why the American War of Independence contributed to the French Revolution.
- France spent huge sums helping the Americans, deepening its debts.
- French soldiers and thinkers saw a people win liberty and write a constitution.
- So it worsened the money crisis and spread revolutionary ideas.
Answer: It added to France's debt and spread ideas of liberty.
The First and Second Estates were privileged; the Third Estate paid most taxes. Louis XVI was weak, Marie Antoinette unpopular, and debts soared after the American War. Enlightenment ideas and poor harvests added to discontent.
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