Attempts to create a constitution 1789-91

when did rural unrest start?

July and August 1789 where uprising were reported in almost every province of France

what did the summer of 1789 become known as?

the great fear

what was the great fear?

of an aristocratic conspiracy that the nobility were gathering miltia forces to overturn the revolution, defend their power and suppress the peasantry

what was the national guard deployed to do?

defend the threatened properties of the nobility

what happened on August 4 1789?

feudalism was abolished after nobles at the assembly began renouncing their own priviliges

what were the august decrees?

they abolished many priviliges of the nobility like venality, such positions became open to all

ended payment of tithes and made equal taxation across three estates

what happened on August 5 1789?

Louis refused to sanction the August decrees

what what the declaration of the rights of man 26 August 1789?

a list of principles and caore values to underpin the new constitution

what caused unrest in October?

when Louis still refused to sanction the August decrees and also voiced objection to the declaration of the rights of man

how did radical newspapers further unrest?

rumours of Louis officers trampling on a revolutionary cockade

what did the revolutionary cockade trigger?

a demonstration of about 6000 people and they began to march on Versailles

what happened when he crowd arrived at versailles?

they broke in, killed royal guards

what did Lafayette and the national guard do that saved the royals lives?

convinced Louis to move the royal court to Paris

what did the October days force the royals to do?

give up their residence in versailles and live in Tuileries palace in Paris + constituent assembly moved to Paris so that lous and the assembly could be convinced by the power of the people

what happened to the deputies that feared personal safety?

refused to attend the assembly and gave up position = blow to Louis support in the constituent assembly

when was the new constitution accepted?

September 14 1789

reforms of the power of the monarchy

• agreed monarch should remain

• right to appoint ministers, ambassadors and military commanders

• granted 25 million to royal family

• no significant legislative power

• suspensive veto, to delay or suspend laws by assambly for up to 4 years

reforms of political rights

• law in dec 1789 = vote to only men over 25 who paid equivalent of three days unpaid labour

• active citismes did not have right to elect deputies in assembly

• they would vote in local assembly who would determine electors

• electors paid equivalent 10 days unpaid labour who voted deputies

economic reforms

• many taxes and duties abolished by end of 1789

• time lag of old and new system = selling of church land to make up short fall

• nov 2 = nationalised all church land and sold to emigres for400 million

• assignees = paper currency but overprinted and began to lose value

• Jan 1791 = new tax system and proportional to wealth

religious changes

• nationalisation and sale of church land = controversial

• church wealth decreases so education and healthcare shut down

• constitiuon of the clergy

what and when was the constitution of the clergy?

12 July 1790, put church under state control

what happened on 27 November 1790?

after opposition to constitiuon of the clergy, assembly mde priests swear oath but only 7 of 83 took oath and half parish priests refused

what were the priests called who refused to swear the oath?

refractory priests who were banished on 27 April 1792 but many remained

what did the assembly do in 1789 and 1791?

give full civil rights to protestants and jews

other reforms

• freedom of expression

• removing restrictions on press and ending censorship

• abolition of parlements

• abolition of lettres de cachet

• replaced by JP’s who would oversee law and order for region they wrestle elected for