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Causes of the French Revolution - Coggle Diagram
Causes of the French Revolution
Political Causes
Dictatorship or despotism
Tyrant King
Absolute Monarchy
Social Causes
Growing burden of feudal dues on the Third Estate
Increasing poverty
Growth of industry and the rise of the middle class.
Impact of various social thinkers on the French Society. Thus people began discussing ideas of freedom and change in coffee shops and salons
France was divided into 3 estates. Out of these the 1st and the 2nd estate enjoyed privileges and exemption from taxes. The burden of financing the state through taxes was borne by the 3rd estate only.
Economic Causes
Tax burden on the third estate
Subsistence Crisis
Growing government debt
Louis XVI found an empty treasury. Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. Added to this was the cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense power of Versailles. Under Louis XVI, France also helped the 13 American colonies to gain independence from Britain.
Immediate Causes
Subsistence Crisis
Timeline of events for the year 1789
20 June 1789
Members of the Third Estate assembled in the hall of an indoor
tennis court in the Grounds of Versailles, and declared themselves the National Assembly.
14 July 1789
Storming of the Bastille
5 May 1789
Meeting of the Estates General
4 August 1789
The National Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes.