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Causes of the French Revolution (Short Term Triggers (Louis and Marie…
Causes of the French Revolution
Long Term Causes
Versailles
Versailles was too expensive and a waste of money
Louis and Marie Antoinette were too isolated at Versailles
The Estates System
Was massively unfair
If you were in a lower estate you had much less rights, for example:
You had to pay more taxes
You had to use the local lords grinder thing to make your flour, for which you had to pay to use
Nobody had any respect for you
The 3rd estate never had any time to rebel, because they were so busy working
Due to the rise of the middle-class, some people now had time to protest
Short Term Triggers
Economy
Between 1730 and 1789 population increases by 30%
Wages have risen by only 22%
Living costs have raised by 45%
In the countryside
Weather is making terrible harvests
In the towns
High unemployment rates
Bread price massively increases
Parisians are spending 75% of wages on bread
Out of a population of 28000, 21000 are farmers
Even Louis was bankrupt by 4b livres (about £10t or £10000000000000)
Calling of the Estates General
Louis called up the Estates General, hoping they would raise taxes to help them pay off their debts
The nobles didn't want to give Louis anymore money or power
The people wanted Louis to solve their powerlessness and unemployment problems
Louis and Marie Antoinette
Louis didn't attend the Estates General, he stayed at Versailles to look after his son
He didn't propose any major reforms to the people
He called up his troops after the Estates General didn't do what he wanted
Louis and M.A. didn't have an heir for a long time
M.A. was an extravagant buyer, a gambling addict and a "nincompoop"
Louis was absolutist, shy, gentle and indecisive
They spent too much money on wars, clothing, gambling, etc. that they went bankrupt
M.A.'s dress allowance was 150000 livres, 3 times more than the average income
New Ideas
The French had decided to help the Americans against the English
When in America, Frenchmen learned about things like freedom and the rights of man
Many writers were thinking of things dangerous to the king
The National Assembly
After the Estates General denied Louis a tax raise, they separated off and became the National Assembly
Louis tried to lock the doors of their meeting hall, so they met in a real tennis court
They made the 'Tennis Court Oath'
This meant that nobody would stop until their problems were solved
The Storming of the Bastille
The Parisians attacked the Bastille, a military fortress and prison
They needed guns, ammo and gunpowder for their revolution