CAUSES
Table of Contents
GLOSSARY FOR THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RULE OF NAPOLEON 1774-1815...........................3
14.07.2021........................................................................................................................................................3
Timeline of THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RULE OF NAPOLEON 1774-1815.................................5
19.07.2021........................................................................................................................................................5
The French Revolution according to crash course history #29................................................................6
20.08.2021........................................................................................................................................................6
EXPLAIN THE EXTENT TO WHICH FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES WERE A PROBLEM FOR KING LOUIS XVI IN
THE YEARS BEFORE 1789......................................................................................................................6
20.09.2021........................................................................................................................................................6
THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND LOUIS XVI..................................................................................................8
20.09.2021........................................................................................................................................................8
THe enlightenment...............................................................................................................................9
25.09.2021........................................................................................................................................................9
HOW important was the ENLIGHTENMENT?.......................................................................................11
01.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................11
KEY FIGURES IN PRE-REV FRANCE.......................................................................................................11
03.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................11
the franco-american alliance 1778......................................................................................................14
03.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................14
A very brief summary............................................................................................................................................................15
Why did France help America...............................................................................................................................................15
French approval....................................................................................................................................................................15
The results.............................................................................................................................................................................15
America’s betrayal of France................................................................................................................................................15
Public opinion.....................................................................................................................................16
05.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................16
What might be a useful working definition of the term, 'public opinion', so far as eighteenth-century France was
concerned?............................................................................................................................................................................16
In what ways did an awareness of public opinion affect the behaviour of royal governments, royal officials or the
parlements?..........................................................................................................................................................................16
How great an influence did the enlightenment have on public opinion?............................................................................16
Which features (namely, 'concerns') of public opinion may have proved most concerning for the crown?......................16
Reform & its failure............................................................................................................................16
08.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................16
29 Dec 1786...........................................................................................................................................................................17
22 Feb 1787...........................................................................................................................................................................17
12 Mar 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
8 Apr 1787.............................................................................................................................................................................17
1
, CAUSES
30 Apr 1787...........................................................................................................................................................................17
25 May 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
June 1787..............................................................................................................................................................................17
6 Aug 1787............................................................................................................................................................................17
15 Aug 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
19 Aug 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
26 Aug 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
13 Sep 1787...........................................................................................................................................................................17
Sep 1787................................................................................................................................................................................17
19 Nov 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
3 May 1788............................................................................................................................................................................17
8 May 1788............................................................................................................................................................................17
5 Jul 1788..............................................................................................................................................................................17
Aug 1788...............................................................................................................................................................................17
8 Aug 1788............................................................................................................................................................................17
16 Aug 1788..........................................................................................................................................................................17
2
, CAUSES
GLOSSARY FOR THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RULE OF
NAPOLEON 1774-1815
14.07.2021
Absolute Monarch When the monarchy holds complete authority, often without being restricted by
written laws or legislature.
Assignats Paper bills that were issued as currency by the Constituent Assembly in France from
1789 to 1796, during the French Revolution, to address imminent bankruptcy.
Billeted The act of assigning temporary accommodation to soldiers in a particular place,
especially a civilian's house.
Bourgeoisie In Marxism, the part of society that has most of the money and takes advantage of
ordinary workers.
Brigands Someone who attacks people and robs them, especially as part of a group in
mountain, country or forest regions.
Constitutional When the monarchy’s power is limited by a constitution and the advice of the
Monarchy politicians who form the government.
Civisme French for social responsibility and public spirit. It was originally used to describe the
devotion to the cause of the French revolution.
Curé French for a parish priest in a French-speaking country.
Deflation A fall in the supply of money or the general prize level in an economy, leading to a
reduction in economic activity and lower levels of industrial output, employment,
investment, trade, profits, and prices.
Dry Guillotine The English translation of the French slang for the Devil's Island penal colony, where
many were deported to as punishment during the French Revolution.
Grapeshot Ammunition for cannons, consisting of a cluster of small cast-iron balls that scatter
after firing.
Jacobins An extreme radical party during the French Revolution, led by Robespierre, named
after where its founders first met – a convent of Jacobin friars.
Livres A former French unit of money, issued in coin form, that was equal to 1 pound of
silver.
Partage French for sharing.
Physiocrats Someone who believed in the French economic theory that regarded land as the
basis of wealth and taxation.
Ratified The act of making an agreement official.
Royal Patronage When a member of the monarchy represents or supports a group or person as a
patron, working to publicise and recognise their work.
Scorched Earth A military policy that uses deliberate and widespread destruction of property and
resources to remove anything that might be useful to the enemy.
Stipends A fixed sum on money that is paid periodically, especially to a magistrate or clergy
member, as a salary or for their living expenses.
Subsistence Farming A type of farming where only enough food is provided for the farmer and their family
to live on.
Tax Farming A system where taxes are collected by hired private individuals rather than state
3
Table of Contents
GLOSSARY FOR THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RULE OF NAPOLEON 1774-1815...........................3
14.07.2021........................................................................................................................................................3
Timeline of THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RULE OF NAPOLEON 1774-1815.................................5
19.07.2021........................................................................................................................................................5
The French Revolution according to crash course history #29................................................................6
20.08.2021........................................................................................................................................................6
EXPLAIN THE EXTENT TO WHICH FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES WERE A PROBLEM FOR KING LOUIS XVI IN
THE YEARS BEFORE 1789......................................................................................................................6
20.09.2021........................................................................................................................................................6
THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND LOUIS XVI..................................................................................................8
20.09.2021........................................................................................................................................................8
THe enlightenment...............................................................................................................................9
25.09.2021........................................................................................................................................................9
HOW important was the ENLIGHTENMENT?.......................................................................................11
01.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................11
KEY FIGURES IN PRE-REV FRANCE.......................................................................................................11
03.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................11
the franco-american alliance 1778......................................................................................................14
03.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................14
A very brief summary............................................................................................................................................................15
Why did France help America...............................................................................................................................................15
French approval....................................................................................................................................................................15
The results.............................................................................................................................................................................15
America’s betrayal of France................................................................................................................................................15
Public opinion.....................................................................................................................................16
05.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................16
What might be a useful working definition of the term, 'public opinion', so far as eighteenth-century France was
concerned?............................................................................................................................................................................16
In what ways did an awareness of public opinion affect the behaviour of royal governments, royal officials or the
parlements?..........................................................................................................................................................................16
How great an influence did the enlightenment have on public opinion?............................................................................16
Which features (namely, 'concerns') of public opinion may have proved most concerning for the crown?......................16
Reform & its failure............................................................................................................................16
08.10.2021......................................................................................................................................................16
29 Dec 1786...........................................................................................................................................................................17
22 Feb 1787...........................................................................................................................................................................17
12 Mar 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
8 Apr 1787.............................................................................................................................................................................17
1
, CAUSES
30 Apr 1787...........................................................................................................................................................................17
25 May 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
June 1787..............................................................................................................................................................................17
6 Aug 1787............................................................................................................................................................................17
15 Aug 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
19 Aug 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
26 Aug 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
13 Sep 1787...........................................................................................................................................................................17
Sep 1787................................................................................................................................................................................17
19 Nov 1787..........................................................................................................................................................................17
3 May 1788............................................................................................................................................................................17
8 May 1788............................................................................................................................................................................17
5 Jul 1788..............................................................................................................................................................................17
Aug 1788...............................................................................................................................................................................17
8 Aug 1788............................................................................................................................................................................17
16 Aug 1788..........................................................................................................................................................................17
2
, CAUSES
GLOSSARY FOR THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE RULE OF
NAPOLEON 1774-1815
14.07.2021
Absolute Monarch When the monarchy holds complete authority, often without being restricted by
written laws or legislature.
Assignats Paper bills that were issued as currency by the Constituent Assembly in France from
1789 to 1796, during the French Revolution, to address imminent bankruptcy.
Billeted The act of assigning temporary accommodation to soldiers in a particular place,
especially a civilian's house.
Bourgeoisie In Marxism, the part of society that has most of the money and takes advantage of
ordinary workers.
Brigands Someone who attacks people and robs them, especially as part of a group in
mountain, country or forest regions.
Constitutional When the monarchy’s power is limited by a constitution and the advice of the
Monarchy politicians who form the government.
Civisme French for social responsibility and public spirit. It was originally used to describe the
devotion to the cause of the French revolution.
Curé French for a parish priest in a French-speaking country.
Deflation A fall in the supply of money or the general prize level in an economy, leading to a
reduction in economic activity and lower levels of industrial output, employment,
investment, trade, profits, and prices.
Dry Guillotine The English translation of the French slang for the Devil's Island penal colony, where
many were deported to as punishment during the French Revolution.
Grapeshot Ammunition for cannons, consisting of a cluster of small cast-iron balls that scatter
after firing.
Jacobins An extreme radical party during the French Revolution, led by Robespierre, named
after where its founders first met – a convent of Jacobin friars.
Livres A former French unit of money, issued in coin form, that was equal to 1 pound of
silver.
Partage French for sharing.
Physiocrats Someone who believed in the French economic theory that regarded land as the
basis of wealth and taxation.
Ratified The act of making an agreement official.
Royal Patronage When a member of the monarchy represents or supports a group or person as a
patron, working to publicise and recognise their work.
Scorched Earth A military policy that uses deliberate and widespread destruction of property and
resources to remove anything that might be useful to the enemy.
Stipends A fixed sum on money that is paid periodically, especially to a magistrate or clergy
member, as a salary or for their living expenses.
Subsistence Farming A type of farming where only enough food is provided for the farmer and their family
to live on.
Tax Farming A system where taxes are collected by hired private individuals rather than state
3
