French Revolution Origins and Key Events

The French Revolution

Root Causes

• The spread of enlightened ideas (freedom, equality, national sovereignty, etc.).
• The bourgeoisie desired to end absolutism and the privileges of the nobles and clergy.

Other Contributing Factors

Successive poor harvests and hunger led to British industrial competition, pressure to pay taxes, and discontent among farmers, traders, and craftsmen.

The Estates General

This was an assembly of representatives from the social classes:

• 1st Estate: Church, 291 representatives
• 2nd Estate: Nobility, 270 representatives
• 3rd Estate: Town or Third Estate (primarily the bourgeoisie), 578 representatives

Significance of the 1789 Meeting

The announcement and opening of the States General in May 1789 provided the enlightened bourgeoisie with the opportunity to organize and precipitated the French Revolution.

Start of the Revolution

• The representatives of the nation proclaimed and created a National Assembly (June 16, 1789).
• They took the Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to disband until a constitution guaranteeing freedom and equality was established.
• The revolution triumphed: The king and nobles were forced to accept the new situation.

Highlights of German Unification (Contextual Note)

While focused on France, these later events show related nationalistic movements:

• 1834: Zollverein customs union among German states led by Prussia.
• 1864: War of the Duchies of Schleswig-Holstein against Denmark.
• 1866: Prussian War against Austria. Prussian victory.
• 1870–1871: Franco-Prussian War. Prussian victory. Annexation of Alsace and Lorraine. End of the unification process.

Main Revolutionary Advances

The revolution secured several main advances:

• Abolition of the privileges of nobles and the Church.
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
• Establishment of a Constitution.
• Creation of a new Civil Code and an independent judiciary.
• Free market principles.

Agricultural Improvements

The population increase meant that rising agricultural product prices threatened public welfare, leading landowners to seek production improvements through:

• Land becoming private property without limits.
• Generalization of the crop rotation system (Norfolk system).
• Mechanization of agricultural tasks.
• Introduction of new crops: potatoes, corn.
• Increasing importance of livestock farming and a stronger bond between agriculture and industry.

Key Business Structures

• Cartel: Agreements between various companies on pricing and production.
• Trust: Union of companies within the same sector.
• Holding: Business group with control over several companies and banks.
• Monopoly: The firm that sells a product exclusively.