5.4 The French Revolution

The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a radical reordering of French society and government driven by long-term social and political inequalities (estates system), Enlightenment ideas about rights and popular sovereignty, and short-term economic crises (bad harvests, bread shortages, and fiscal collapse partly worsened by the American Revolution). Key events: the Third Estate formed the National Assembly, the Storming of the Bastille, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, abolition of feudal privileges, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, and the Constitution of 1791 (liberal phase). After Louis XVI’s flight and execution, the Jacobin republic under Robespierre created the Committee of Public Safety and the Reign of Terror, plus policies like price controls and the levée en masse. Consequences included mass conscription, revolutionary wars that spread ideas across Europe, and mixed gains for women (active early but political citizenship limited to men). For AP prep, DBQs/LEQs often ask you to explain causes, phases, and effects—use document evidence and additional facts (see the Topic 5.4 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM). For more review and 1,000+ practice questions, check the unit page (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5) and practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Short answer: the French Revolution had multiple, connected causes. Long-term structural problems—an outdated Estates system that privileged clergy and nobility, widespread peasant and bourgeois grievances over legal and tax inequality, and resentment of hereditary privileges—set the stage (CED KC-2.1.IV.A; keywords: Third Estate, abolition of hereditary privileges). Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and popular sovereignty undermined belief in absolutism. Short-term crises accelerated things: a fiscal emergency from war debt (including support for the American Revolution), chronic deficit spending, bad harvests, and bread shortages that raised popular unrest. Political triggers were Louis XVI’s decision to call the Estates-General in 1789, the Third Estate’s break into the National Assembly (Tennis Court Oath), and events like the Storming of the Bastille. These causes explain why the Revolution moved from a liberal phase (constitutional monarchy, Declaration of the Rights of Man) to more radical upheaval (CED KC-2.1.IV.B–C). For AP prep, these causes are great evidence for SAQs, DBQs, or LEQs—see the Topic 5.4 study guide for a concise review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

They were angry because multiple long-term and immediate pressures stacked up. Socially and politically the Old Regime’s Estates system gave the Third Estate (peasants, urban workers, bourgeoisie) heavy tax burdens and little political power while nobles and clergy kept hereditary privileges. Enlightenment ideas about rights and popular sovereignty made those inequalities seem unjust. Economically, bad harvests and bread shortages caused hunger; France’s debt (partly from backing the American Revolution) created fiscal crisis and failed tax reforms. Short-term triggers—like the king summoning the Estates-General and blocking the Third Estate—turned frustration into action (Estates-General → National Assembly, Storming of the Bastille). These causes map to the CED: social/political grievances + Enlightenment thought + fiscal/economic crisis (KC-2.1.IV.A). If you want a concise review tied to the AP format, see the Topic 5.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

The American Revolution influenced the French Revolution in three key ways. First, France’s costly support for American independence worsened its fiscal crisis and helped force Louis XVI to call the Estates-General—a short-term trigger for revolution (CED KC-2.1.IV.A). Second, American political ideas—natural rights, popular sovereignty, written constitutions—circulated among French elites (e.g., Lafayette) and shaped the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and the Constitution of 1791 (CED keywords). Third, America provided a successful example that republican government and resistance to monarchical privilege were possible, encouraging the French bourgeoisie and urban crowds to press for political reform and the abolition of feudal privileges. On the AP exam, you can use these points for contextualization or evidence in LEQs/DBQs about causes or effects of the French Revolution. For a focused review, see the Topic 5.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Short answer: The liberal (moderate) phase (1789–1791) tried to reform France, not overthrow everything. Key actions: the National Assembly (Third Estate) produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, abolished feudal/hereditary privileges, nationalized church land and passed the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, and wrote the Constitution of 1791 to create a constitutional monarchy and expand popular political participation. Think legal change and limiting the king. The radical (Jacobin) phase (1792–1794) followed the king’s Flight to Varennes and growing war/insurrection. After Louis XVI’s execution the Jacobin-led republic (Robespierre, Committee of Public Safety) used the Reign of Terror to suppress opposition, instituted price controls and wage/price fixing, pursued de-Christianization, mobilized mass conscription (levée en masse), and empowered sans-culottes. Women’s early gains were rolled back as citizenship became restricted to men. For more review tied to the CED keywords, see Fiveable’s Topic 5.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) to prep for LEQs/DBQs.

The Jacobins were the most radical republican club during the French Revolution. Originating in Paris, members (like Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Danton, and Jean-Paul Marat) pushed the revolution beyond the liberal phase and, after Louis XVI’s execution, led the revolutionary republic. They ran the Committee of Public Safety, centralized power, and instituted the Reign of Terror to suppress internal opposition. Policies under Jacobin rule included price controls and wage fixes, a program of de-Christianization, mass conscription (levée en masse) to defend the republic, and restrictions that narrowed citizenship to men. Their actions shifted the Revolution from constitutional monarchy goals to a radical, state-directed republic (CED KC-2.1.IV.C, KC-2.1.IV.D). For AP prep, know the Jacobins’ leaders, institutions (Committee of Public Safety), and outcomes for DBQ/LEQ evidence. Review Topic 5.4 on Fiveable (study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

The Reign of Terror (1793–1794) was a radical phase of the French Revolution when the revolutionary government, led by the Committee of Public Safety (dominated by Jacobins like Maximilien Robespierre), used emergency powers, revolutionary tribunals, and mass executions to eliminate real and suspected opponents. It followed the execution of Louis XVI and came as France faced internal revolts, foreign wars, economic crisis, and fears of counterrevolution. Robespierre pushed the Terror to defend the republic, enforce virtue (including de-Christianization measures), and stabilize the revolution—he argued harsh measures were needed to protect republican gains and mobilize society (including the levée en masse). For AP Euro, link this to KC-2.1.IV.C (radical Jacobin response to opposition and war). Review Topic 5.4 on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) to prep for short-answer or essay prompts.

Louis XVI started as the constitutional monarch after 1789 but tried to escape during the Flight to Varennes (1791), which destroyed public trust. Revolutionary leaders arrested him, and in 1792 the monarchy was abolished. He was put on trial for conspiring against the nation and, after the National Convention found him guilty, was executed in 1793 by guillotine—his death is called regicide in the CED. That execution helped push the Revolution from a liberal, constitutional phase into the radical Jacobin republic and the Reign of Terror (see KC-2.1.IV.B–C). It also mattered for the AP exam: questions often link Louis’s flight, the Constitution of 1791, and his execution to causes of radicalization and to how revolutionary governments responded to war and internal opposition. For a clear Topic 5.4 review and practice questions, check Fiveable’s study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM)—and use the practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) to drill these events.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (August 1789) was a foundational National Assembly document of the French Revolution that stated universal political principles rooted in Enlightenment ideas. Drafted mainly by the Marquis de Lafayette with input from Thomas Jefferson, it proclaimed natural rights—liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression—legal equality for (male) citizens, sovereignty residing in the nation, freedom of speech and religion, and rule of law. It helped legitimize the Revolution’s liberal phase: abolition of hereditary privileges, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, and the 1791 constitution that created a constitutional monarchy. For AP purposes, it’s an illustrative example of how Enlightenment ideas shaped revolutionary reforms and appears often in free-response prompts about causes and consequences. Review this topic in the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM), see the Unit 5 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5), and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Women were very active in the Revolution’s early, or liberal, phase: they marched on Versailles (Oct. 1789), worked in political clubs and salons, formed groups like the Society of Republican Revolutionary Women, and pushed for reform. Enlightenment ideas inspired figures such as Olympe de Gouges, who wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen (1791). Legally, gains were short-lived: the Revolution’s major documents (e.g., the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen) defined political rights for men, not women, and by the radical phase (Reign of Terror) women’s political clubs were closed and activists like de Gouges were executed. Ultimately citizenship in the Republic became restricted to men, so despite early participation and brief reforms, women lost access to full political rights. If you’re writing an SAQ/LEQ on this, use the October march, de Gouges, and suppression of female clubs as evidence (see the Topic 5.4 study guide for more details: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM). For extra practice, check Fiveable’s practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

The levée en masse (1793) was France’s policy of mass conscription during the Revolutionary and Jacobin period: all unmarried men aged 18–25 were liable for military service and the nation committed its resources to the war effort. It turned armies into large “people’s” forces motivated by revolutionary ideals rather than just professional mercenaries or small standing troops. How it changed European warfare: - Created much larger armies (hundreds of thousands), forcing new logistics, supply, and mobilization systems. - Introduced mass national mobilization and the concept of the citizen-soldier, linking nationalism to military service. - Encouraged merit-based promotion and more aggressive, offensive tactics (paved way for Napoleonic campaigns). - Blurred civilian/military lines—economies and societies were organized for sustained war (early “total war” elements). On the AP exam, expect questions about mass conscription’s role in spreading revolutionary ideas and reshaping state power (Topic 5.4). Review the Topic 5 study guide for focused notes (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Short answer: lots of reasons. The Revolution started with Enlightenment ideas, fiscal crisis, bread shortages, and popular anger (Third Estate, sans-culottes) that demanded liberty and equality. But after 1792 the situation got radical: war with European monarchies, the king’s Flight to Varennes and then execution of Louis XVI, and internal counter-revolution made leaders fear collapse. The Jacobin-led republic (Committee of Public Safety) responded to real and perceived threats with the Reign of Terror to enforce unity, mobilize resources (levée en masse), and suppress opponents. Radical urban crowds and economic desperation pushed politics toward extremes: ideals stayed in the rhetoric, but crisis incentives produced severe measures. For more CED-aligned details and examples (Declaration of the Rights of Man, Civil Constitution of the Clergy, Robespierre, sans-culottes), check the Topic 5.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM). If you want practice applying this to DBQs/LEQs, use the Unit 5 review and 1,000+ practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5) and (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Start with a clear thesis that answers “Why did the French Revolution start?” (e.g., “Long-term social inequality and Enlightenment ideas, worsened by short-term fiscal crises and bread shortages, produced the 1789 uprising.”). In your 15-minute reading period: 1) quickly contextualize (Old Regime estates, Enlightenment, American Revolution, fiscal crisis). 2) Read all 7 docs and group them into 3–4 lensed categories (social/feudal grievances, economic/fiscal, political/Enlightenment). Use at least four documents to support claims and cite one piece of outside evidence (e.g., Flight to Varennes, calling of the Estates-General, or bread riots). For two documents, explain POV/purpose/audience (who wrote it and why) to earn sourcing points. Tie evidence to a line of reasoning and show complexity—acknowledge short-term triggers vs. long-term causes or competing interpretations. Practice this format with the Topic 5.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and more practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

The French Revolution reshaped Europe long-term in several clear ways. It ended many feudal privileges and promoted legal equality, secular states, and ideas from the Declaration of the Rights of Man (abolition of hereditary privileges, Civil Constitution of the Clergy). Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars spread nationalism, the metric system, the Napoleonic Code, and mass conscription (levée en masse), which reorganized states and modernized armies. Conservatives reacted with the Congress of Vienna/Metternich system to contain revolution, but revolutionary ideals kept inspiring uprisings (1830, 1848) and later national unifications (Italy, Germany). Politically, the Revolution normalized popular sovereignty and broadened political participation over the 19th century—often unevenly and mainly for men. For AP prep, you should connect these effects to CED keywords (Reign of Terror, Declaration, levée en masse) and practice using evidence in LEQs/DBQs—see the Topic 5.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM), unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5), and 1000+ practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history).

Short answer: mixed—it helped some common people in important ways but also made life worse for many in the short term. Why it helped: the liberal phase abolished hereditary privileges, ended feudal dues, passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, increased popular participation (National Assembly, active Third Estate), nationalized the Church (Civil Constitution) and opened pathways for legal equality—all core CED developments (KC-2.1.IV.B). Revolutionary armies and the levée en masse also spread these ideas across Europe (KC-2.1.IV.D). Why it hurt: food shortages, fiscal crisis, war, and the radical Jacobin phase produced the Reign of Terror, price controls, de-Christianization, and political violence that harmed many (KC-2.1.IV.C). Women’s gains were brief and citizenship became restricted to men (KC-2.1.IV.E). Longer term, however, nationalism and legal reforms reshaped Europe. For AP prep, review Topic 5.4 in this study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-european-history/unit-5/french-revolution/study-guide/frij9HoCniCphxzDRMZM) and practice related questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-european-history) to build evidence for essays and short answers.