What were the major causes of the French Revolution, and why did it take the course that it did?
What will be an ideal response?
A. Causes of the French Revolution
1. French Revolution arose suddenly and unrolled rapidly in ways previously
unforeseeable
a. costs of wars left the monarchy desperate to increase tax yields
b. France was a rich country with a poor government
2. calling of the Estates General
a. strong inclinations toward constitutionalism in politics and
anticlericalism in religion
b. Estates General gave itself the title of National Assembly
c. enacted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
d. sovereignty rested with the people
3. radical revolutionaries
a. focus on the Church
b. many left the country
c. Prussia and Austria attacked out of fear
4. chaos and fear favor extremist politicians and harsh measures
a. killing of aristocracy and other elites
b. mass murders
5. politics
a. ruling faction used terror to perpetuate its power
b. idealism that had launched the Revolution became hard to sustain
in the face of so many crimes committed in the name of liberty
c. a military coup brought France's best general to power as dictator
Napoleon Bonaparte
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