Revolutions 3 & 4
~ FRANCE ~
Media:
Historian’s Books:
● A Very Short Introduction To The French Revolution -William Doyle
● The Oxford History of The French Revolution -William Doyle
● A Social History of The French Revolution -Norman Hampson
● The French Revolution -Georges Lefebvre
● The French Revolution: 1789-1799 -Peter Mcphee
● Liberty Or Death: The French Revolution -Peter Mcphee
● Citizens -Simon Schama
● The French Revolution: A Peasants’ Revolt -David Andress
● The French Revolution And What Went Wrong -Stephen Clarke
Novels:
● The Scarlet Pimpernel -Baroness D’Orczy
● A Tale of Two Cities -Charles Dickens
● The Glass Blowers -Daphne du Mourier
● Scaramouche -Raphael Sabatini
● A Place of Greater Safety -Hilary Mantel
Podcasts:
● Revolutions -Mike Duncan, season 3 (HIGHLY recommend)
,Quizlet Links:
Quotes: https://quizlet.com/au/965679230/exam-prep-quotes-france-flash-cards/
Dates: https://quizlet.com/au/968911630/exam-prep-dates-france-flash-cards/
Glossary:
Menu peuple: ordinary people of Paris.
Parlements: High courts.
Sans-culottes: members of the Third Estate in Paris, largely urban workers. Literally means,
‘without breeches’ referencing the literal difference in the way that the nobility and the workers
dressed.
Chapeau/bonnet rouge: red bonnet/hat, revolutionary symbol.
Cahiers de doléances: books of grievances, written by those from all over France, to aid
deputies of the Estates General in their debate and decision making.
Lettres de cachet: the king was able to issue these and have anyone immediately imprisoned
or exiled, regardless of the reason (if there was one). They were abolished in March 1790.
Ancien régime: old regime.
Émigrés: those who fled France, typically nobles.
Journée: translates literally to ‘day’.
Dauphin: heir to the throne.
French Revolutionary Ideals:
→ Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
→ Constitutional Monarchy → Republicanism
→ Freedom from despotism
→ Enlightenment ideals
,→ Popular Sovereignty
→ Secularisation
Introduction to the French Revolution
-Summer Holiday Homework:
Origins of the Revolution:
Explain the weaknesses of the French monarchy before Louis XIV’s reign:
The French monarchy was always traditionally extremely absolutist, with all of the rulers
believing themselves to have ‘the divine right of kings’, meaning they believed that they were
specially chosen by God to rule. The King had the power to issue lettres de cachet, which allowed
for any citizen to be instantly imprisoned indefinitely without trial. Before the reign of Louis
XVI, the previous kings had all engaged in war and/or acts of expansion. This significantly
depleted the royal coffers and was one of the reasons that France was so in debt at the time of
Louis XVI’s ascension.
List the areas that required reform in the lead up to the Revolution.
Explain why it was so difficult for reforms to take place:
One of the reasons was because the tax collectors employed by France didn’t work for the King,
instead they paid the crown a sum for the right to collect taxes. This was a very inefficient system
of tax collection, as a large chunk of taxes didn’t actually go to the crown. This made it incredibly
difficult for indebted France to raise enough money needed for reform. Many reforms were
attempted, by first Louis XV and then Louis XIV, including trying to free the grain trade,
however these were all mainly very unpopular with the parlements, and the nobility whom they
affected. Those who had something to lose argued that the King could not change ancient
customs and traditions.
Explain the three estates in French society and the grievances this created
in French society:
Pre-Revolution, French society was divided into three estates: the first estate: the clergy, the
second estate: the nobility, and the third estate: the remaining 97% of the population. The first
, two estates in particular enjoyed a multitude of privileges that set them apart from other
citizens, such as tax exemptions, the right to have their own courts, and places reserved for men
with titles in universities and the ranks of the military. The higher ranks of the clergy were also
made up largely of nobility, meaning that it was very difficult to climb out of the third estate.
Occasionally, it was possible to buy a title, however even then there still remained some
divisions, for example, some positions in the military required proof of at least four generations
of nobility. Then there was the bourgeoisie: wealthy citizens of the third estate, who had built
their fortune through commerce or trade. These citizens were often just as, if not more wealthy
than some noble families, however they were not afforded the same privileges because they did
not possess a title. This frustrated the bourgeoisie to no end, and was one of the reasons that the
Revolution was led largely by this class of people.
List who made up the third estate and why this created issues of unity
within their population:
The third estate made up 97% of the population, therefore the third estate was le people. A quote
from Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès’ famous Qu’est ce que le tiers etat? (What is the third estate?)
says, ‘What is the third estate? Everything. Until now, what has it been in the political hierarchy?
Nothing. What does it want? To be something.’ Both the beauty and the issue with the third
estate was that it quite literally was the people. People from nearly all walks of life, from
bourgeois merchants to peasant labourers. The third estate was made up of all kinds of people
living vastly different lifestyles, as opposed to, for example, the nobility, who all (generally) had
titles, land, wealth, and privilege. This meant that obviously they all had different wants and
needs, and desires for the French political situation.
Explain the difficulties of life for the lower classes in France:
They were subject to extreme taxation, including the taille, a land tax determined by noble
landlords, the gabelle, a salt tax, the corvée, a tax paid in six days free labour per year, the dime,
a tax paid by tenants of land owned by the church, among numerous others. On top of this, most
nobility were exempt from these, while the lower class were struggling. Taxes were collected by
people called ‘tax farmers’, who paid the crown for the privilege of their job and got to keep lots
of their earnings for themselves. The corvée felt particularly unfair, as the labour was mostly
used to build roads or bridges surrounding the properties of the seigneurs. This meant that the
value of the property of the nobility would increase as a direct result of the free labour of the
peasants. Luckily Louis XVI later abolishes this. Additionally, peasants were obligated to use the
mills and the bread ovens of the seigneurs and pay a fee for the privilege. Peasants had to work
extremely long hours, six days a week (later, with the introduction of the French Republican
Calendar, this would be increased to one day off every ten days, instead of seven). Moreover,
they were starving. The average French peasant spent 80% of their income on bread, which their
diet nearly solely consisted of. Bad harvests frequently sent prices through the roof. The life
expectancy of a French peasant was 30 years old.
~ FRANCE ~
Media:
Historian’s Books:
● A Very Short Introduction To The French Revolution -William Doyle
● The Oxford History of The French Revolution -William Doyle
● A Social History of The French Revolution -Norman Hampson
● The French Revolution -Georges Lefebvre
● The French Revolution: 1789-1799 -Peter Mcphee
● Liberty Or Death: The French Revolution -Peter Mcphee
● Citizens -Simon Schama
● The French Revolution: A Peasants’ Revolt -David Andress
● The French Revolution And What Went Wrong -Stephen Clarke
Novels:
● The Scarlet Pimpernel -Baroness D’Orczy
● A Tale of Two Cities -Charles Dickens
● The Glass Blowers -Daphne du Mourier
● Scaramouche -Raphael Sabatini
● A Place of Greater Safety -Hilary Mantel
Podcasts:
● Revolutions -Mike Duncan, season 3 (HIGHLY recommend)
,Quizlet Links:
Quotes: https://quizlet.com/au/965679230/exam-prep-quotes-france-flash-cards/
Dates: https://quizlet.com/au/968911630/exam-prep-dates-france-flash-cards/
Glossary:
Menu peuple: ordinary people of Paris.
Parlements: High courts.
Sans-culottes: members of the Third Estate in Paris, largely urban workers. Literally means,
‘without breeches’ referencing the literal difference in the way that the nobility and the workers
dressed.
Chapeau/bonnet rouge: red bonnet/hat, revolutionary symbol.
Cahiers de doléances: books of grievances, written by those from all over France, to aid
deputies of the Estates General in their debate and decision making.
Lettres de cachet: the king was able to issue these and have anyone immediately imprisoned
or exiled, regardless of the reason (if there was one). They were abolished in March 1790.
Ancien régime: old regime.
Émigrés: those who fled France, typically nobles.
Journée: translates literally to ‘day’.
Dauphin: heir to the throne.
French Revolutionary Ideals:
→ Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
→ Constitutional Monarchy → Republicanism
→ Freedom from despotism
→ Enlightenment ideals
,→ Popular Sovereignty
→ Secularisation
Introduction to the French Revolution
-Summer Holiday Homework:
Origins of the Revolution:
Explain the weaknesses of the French monarchy before Louis XIV’s reign:
The French monarchy was always traditionally extremely absolutist, with all of the rulers
believing themselves to have ‘the divine right of kings’, meaning they believed that they were
specially chosen by God to rule. The King had the power to issue lettres de cachet, which allowed
for any citizen to be instantly imprisoned indefinitely without trial. Before the reign of Louis
XVI, the previous kings had all engaged in war and/or acts of expansion. This significantly
depleted the royal coffers and was one of the reasons that France was so in debt at the time of
Louis XVI’s ascension.
List the areas that required reform in the lead up to the Revolution.
Explain why it was so difficult for reforms to take place:
One of the reasons was because the tax collectors employed by France didn’t work for the King,
instead they paid the crown a sum for the right to collect taxes. This was a very inefficient system
of tax collection, as a large chunk of taxes didn’t actually go to the crown. This made it incredibly
difficult for indebted France to raise enough money needed for reform. Many reforms were
attempted, by first Louis XV and then Louis XIV, including trying to free the grain trade,
however these were all mainly very unpopular with the parlements, and the nobility whom they
affected. Those who had something to lose argued that the King could not change ancient
customs and traditions.
Explain the three estates in French society and the grievances this created
in French society:
Pre-Revolution, French society was divided into three estates: the first estate: the clergy, the
second estate: the nobility, and the third estate: the remaining 97% of the population. The first
, two estates in particular enjoyed a multitude of privileges that set them apart from other
citizens, such as tax exemptions, the right to have their own courts, and places reserved for men
with titles in universities and the ranks of the military. The higher ranks of the clergy were also
made up largely of nobility, meaning that it was very difficult to climb out of the third estate.
Occasionally, it was possible to buy a title, however even then there still remained some
divisions, for example, some positions in the military required proof of at least four generations
of nobility. Then there was the bourgeoisie: wealthy citizens of the third estate, who had built
their fortune through commerce or trade. These citizens were often just as, if not more wealthy
than some noble families, however they were not afforded the same privileges because they did
not possess a title. This frustrated the bourgeoisie to no end, and was one of the reasons that the
Revolution was led largely by this class of people.
List who made up the third estate and why this created issues of unity
within their population:
The third estate made up 97% of the population, therefore the third estate was le people. A quote
from Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès’ famous Qu’est ce que le tiers etat? (What is the third estate?)
says, ‘What is the third estate? Everything. Until now, what has it been in the political hierarchy?
Nothing. What does it want? To be something.’ Both the beauty and the issue with the third
estate was that it quite literally was the people. People from nearly all walks of life, from
bourgeois merchants to peasant labourers. The third estate was made up of all kinds of people
living vastly different lifestyles, as opposed to, for example, the nobility, who all (generally) had
titles, land, wealth, and privilege. This meant that obviously they all had different wants and
needs, and desires for the French political situation.
Explain the difficulties of life for the lower classes in France:
They were subject to extreme taxation, including the taille, a land tax determined by noble
landlords, the gabelle, a salt tax, the corvée, a tax paid in six days free labour per year, the dime,
a tax paid by tenants of land owned by the church, among numerous others. On top of this, most
nobility were exempt from these, while the lower class were struggling. Taxes were collected by
people called ‘tax farmers’, who paid the crown for the privilege of their job and got to keep lots
of their earnings for themselves. The corvée felt particularly unfair, as the labour was mostly
used to build roads or bridges surrounding the properties of the seigneurs. This meant that the
value of the property of the nobility would increase as a direct result of the free labour of the
peasants. Luckily Louis XVI later abolishes this. Additionally, peasants were obligated to use the
mills and the bread ovens of the seigneurs and pay a fee for the privilege. Peasants had to work
extremely long hours, six days a week (later, with the introduction of the French Republican
Calendar, this would be increased to one day off every ten days, instead of seven). Moreover,
they were starving. The average French peasant spent 80% of their income on bread, which their
diet nearly solely consisted of. Bad harvests frequently sent prices through the roof. The life
expectancy of a French peasant was 30 years old.
