the french revolution - AP EURO FALL 2026

motto

liberte egalite fraternite

nationalism

idea that identity is based on common language, history, custom, spirit and sometimes religion

after louis xiv death

large shoes to fill - not filled however

the feudal reaction

goal is to go back in time; enlightenment words but not the thoughts

louis xv

louis the beloved; regency of philippe II duke of orleans 1715-22

trends under louis xv

decline of royal authority, debt, resistance to reform

concessions to the nobility under louis xv

power to veto, moved the court back to paris, system of 8 councils to run the kingdom

louis xvi

short reign; was not supposed to be the king; dumb and fat; not hard working (helpful to the nobility); married to marie antoinette (scandal)

possible cause #1 of the revolution

louis xiv's ineptitude

possible cause #2 of the revolution

the french royal finance mess

british crushing debt

issues bonds; creates perpetual debt, bank of england, good and reliable government, british overhauled the tax system to pay of the debt

french crushing debt

ends w the mississippi bubble -- LOSES ALL THEIR MONEY TO THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY COMPANY

jacques necker

publicized the countries debt (gets fired) then re hired then fired again; against the french aide in american revolution bc they basically paid for the whole war

possible cause #3 of the revolution

economic distress (poor harvest: grain and bread, and hail storms)

physiocrat

economic philosopher who agrees with adam smith

example of a physiocrat

turgot - liberal economy hurts the peasents (belif in moral economy)

the just price

what the price should be

possible cause #4 of the revolution

shifting power

possible cause #5 of the revolution

the enlightenment

phase 1

french - resentful and dissatisfied

upper aristocracy during phase 1

upper: feared taxation, feared venality of office and relative decline, recovery of parliament;

lower aristocracy during phase 1

tax exemption, dilution of office, relative decline

upper bourgeoisie during phase 1

feared the feautile reaction, rising taxes, growing gap between economic importance compared to their political importance - they ape the aristocracy (copy)

lower bourgeoisie during phase 1

feared rising taxes, closed roads that lead to upward mobility, downward mobility

sans culottes

without buckles - lower order

lower orders %

they make up 98% of the population

sans culottes during phase 1

rising taxes, industrial exploitation, price control, aristocratic privilege, privilege of clergy, no political power

rural peasantry during phase 1

taxation, resent aristocracy, not enough land, fear of capitalism in agriculture *MOST CONSERVATIVE AND RELIGIOUS*

timeline (by government)

constitutional monarchy --> republic --> terror --> thermidorian --> directory --> consulate (coup) --> first empire

timeline (by phase)

moderate phase --> radical phase --> counter revolutionary phase --> a new type of authoritarianism

cahiers

early version of opinion polls (sent out after tax reform attempts all fail after assembly of nobles and the estates general)

most widespread grievances from the cahiers

fairer taxes, fairer voting, end of corvee and dormant fees, halt of the tithe

example of louis xiv ineptitude

perpetual hesitation

abbe sieyes

wrote what is the 3rd estate; says that the third estate is everything (only thing that counts/ they are the nation); nationalism

comte de mirabeau

anglophile who formed the national assembly

tennis court oath

when national assembly is locked out of versailles; 3rd is the nation and the 1st and 2nd can join if they would like

july 14 1789

bastille day (storming of bastille - a prison for lettres de cachet)

lettres de cachet

louis xvi sends people to jail for no apparent reason

national guard

one state and two militaries

why did they torch the manors

to get rid of dormant fees

national constituent assembly

their job is to make a constitution (constitutional monarchy

August 4 1789

Vicomte de noailles surrenders all his privileges

declaration of rights of man and citizen

origin of human rights; universal; all men are born equal, suffrage, everyone pays taxes, legal equality, and property

declaration of rights of women and female citizens

by olympe de gouges (executed by the terror)

unaddressed by the declaration of rights of man and citizen

male/female inequality, gross wealth inequalities, proper balance between the rights of the individual and the power of the state

march on versailles

1789, bread march; "if only the king knew"

french flag

white - monarchy ; blue and red - paris ; symbolism - the tricolor of france

tuileries palace

dangerous and was bruned in 1871

new rules from national assembly

king = first officer of the state; abolished hereditary privilege; king has a two year suspensive veto

political clubs

feaudalliants, girondists, jacobins, cordeliers (based on where they sat in the assembly left vs right wing)

france is rationalised

departments divided into arrondissements then cantons then commmunes

two phrases related to france

"whomever controls paris controls france" and "paris is always the most radical in france"