Causes

The aboslute monachy: An absolute monarch is someone who believes that they have a Divine right to rule. The King of France, Louis XVI, was an absolute monarch. He was a poor and imcompatent ruler. He and his unpopular Austrian wife lived an extravegant lifestyle.

The Enlightenment: The Enlightenment was a period of thinkers who believed that reason and rational thinking were more important than religion or authority. They often criticised the absolute monarchy and ancient regime. Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire wrote about their indeas in magazines and papers.

The social division: France’s social division was known as the Estates General. It comprised of three groups, The First Estate, Second Estate and Third Estate. The first estate were clergy. They made up of less than 1% of the population and did not pay taxes. The second estate were the nobility. They made up around 1% of the population and did not pay taxes. The third estate were the common people who made up 99% of the population and they had to pay taxes.

The American Revolutions: the American Revolution caused the French Revolution in two main ways. Firstly, the French were inspired by America’s achievment of freedom and equality. Secondly, the French had helped in the American Revolution, leaving them in a financial crisis, focing Louis XVI to call together the Estates General