national assembly reforms

• the Assembly abolished tithe, annates and pluralism and ended the privileges of the Church, such as the right to decide for itself how much tax it would pay, extended to Jews in September 1791

August 1789

Decree giving civil rights to protestants

December 1789

A decree distinguishing between monastic orders which didn't work in the community - suppressed as they made no direct contribution to the common good - and those which provided education and charity - allowed to remain for 'the present', although the taking of religious vows was forbidden.

February 1790

Civil Constitution of the Clergy

12 July 1790

counter revolution

The counter-revolution received mass support for the 1st time, previously only supported by a few royalists and emigres. In the most strongly Catholic areas - the west, North East and South of the Massif central, few clergy took the oath

27 of November 1790

Assembly decreed that the clergy must take an oath to the constitution. This split the clergy.

In the Assembly, only 2/44 bishops and ⅓ of the other clergy took the oath. In France as a whole, 7 bishops and 55% of the clergy took the oath.

Legal reforms

16th August 1790

Church land was sold and assignats were created

2nd November 1789

Assembly converted the bonds into paper money, which could be used like bank notes in all financial transactions

April 1790

The new system was put into place and established 3 new direct taxes:

January 1791

They introduced free trade in grain and removed price controls

August 1789

Internal tariffs were abolished meaning all goods could move freely throughout the country without paying internal customs duties

October 1790

Le Chapelier Law

July 1791

Louis reluctantly agreed to constitutional changes

14 September 1791

Local government decrees

December 1789, February and May 1790