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Here's a fresh set of study notes on The French Revolution (1789–1799), a pivotal event
in world history.
🇫🇷 The French Revolution (1789–1799)
⚖️What Was It?
A political and social upheaval in France that dismantled the monarchy, altered the
structure of French society, and led to the rise of modern democracy.
Inspired by Enlightenment ideas, the Revolution challenged the absolute monarchy and
the traditional feudal system.
💥 Key Causes
1. Social Inequality:
o The French society was divided into three estates:
First Estate: Clergy (1% of the population)
Second Estate: Nobility (2% of the population)
Third Estate: Commoners (97% of the population), including peasants,
artisans, and bourgeoisie (middle class)
2. Financial Crisis:
o France's involvement in the American Revolution and extravagant spending by
King Louis XVI drained the treasury.
o High taxes on the common people, while the clergy and nobility were largely
exempt.
3. Enlightenment Ideas:
o Philosophers like John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire promoted
ideas about individual rights, democracy, and the rejection of absolute
monarchy.
4. Famine and Economic Hardship:
o Poor harvests, rising bread prices, and unemployment led to widespread hunger,
especially among the lower classes.
🏰 Key Events
Estates-General (1789):
o King Louis XVI convened the Estates-General to address the financial crisis, but
tensions between the estates led to the National Assembly.
Tennis Court Oath (June 1789):
o Members of the Third Estate vowed not to separate until a new constitution was
created after being locked out of the meeting rooms.
Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789):
o A symbolic attack on the prison-fortress in Paris that marked the start of violent
uprisings.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 1789):
o Adopted by the National Assembly, it proclaimed freedom, equality, and the right
to resist oppression.
Reign of Terror (1793–1794):
o Led by Maximilien Robespierre and the Jacobins, thousands of perceived
enemies of the Revolution were executed by guillotine.
Execution of Louis XVI (January 1793):
o The king was tried for treason and executed, signaling the end of the monarchy.
Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte:
o As the Revolution weakened, Napoleon emerged as a military leader and
eventually crowned himself Emperor of France in 1804.
⚔️Key Figures
Maximilien Robespierre: Leader of the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign
of Terror.
King Louis XVI: The last absolute monarch of France, executed by guillotine.
Marie Antoinette: The Queen of France, also executed, often symbolized as out of touch
with the suffering of the people.
Napoleon Bonaparte: A military leader who rose to power following the Revolution,
later becoming Emperor of France.
🌍 Impact of the Revolution
1. End of Absolute Monarchy:
o The monarchy was abolished, and France became a republic (at least
temporarily).
2. Social and Political Change:
o The feudal system was dismantled, and the nobility's privileges were stripped
away.
3. Spread of Revolutionary Ideas:
o Inspired revolutions across Europe and Latin America.
o The Declaration of the Rights of Man influenced modern human rights
movements.
4. Rise of Napoleon:
o The Revolution created the political instability that allowed Napoleon to seize
power, which eventually led to the Napoleonic Wars.
📚 Legacy
The French Revolution influenced the development of modern democratic systems,
secular governments, and human rights.
Its ideas about liberty, equality, and fraternity became core principles in global
revolutionary movements.
Would you like more details on any specific aspect of the Revolution, or would you prefer to
move on to another topic like The Rise of Nationalism, Imperialism, or World War II?
