DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

PROBLEMS

• French Revolution leaders sought to replace their existing society
• Wanted to replace it with new political, social, and cultural structures
• Half of the governments revenue went to pay off the war
• King Louis wanted to tax the French nobles
• The aristocrats became upset and forced Louis to summon the estates general

THIRD ESTATE

• Made up of serfs, peasants, and urban residents
• Representatives demanded political and social reform
• Seceded from the Estates General after weeks of debate
• Became the National Assembly

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Created the Declaration of the rights of the man
• Proclaimed equality for all men,
• Sovereignty resided in the people,
• Seized church lands, abolished 1st estate
• Defined clergy as civilians, and required clergy to take an oath of loyalty

CONVENTION

• Revolutionary leaders established the convention
• Abolished the monarchy and proclaimed French a republic
• Instituted the mass levy and drafted people and resources
• Also used the guillotine to get rid of enemies

JACOBINS

• Believed France needed complete resurrection
• Unleashed a campaign of terror
• Sought to eliminate the influence of Christianity
• Wanted to close churches and force priests to marry
• Soon became arrested by the convention

DIRECTORY

• A new group of conservative men seized power
• Were unable to resolve the economic and military problems