France's Revolution, 1789-1791
History 104 / February 11, 2013

I. The crisis of the Old Regime
          A. France’s fiscal collapse
          B. Food supplies in jeopardy
          C. The monarchy’s credibility eroded
II. Summoning the Estates General
          A. Petitions from the people: the cahiers de doléance
          B. The Third Estate seizes power
                  1. The Tennis Court Oath
                  2. Proclaiming the National Assembly
          C. Spontaneous self-government
                  1. Storming the Bastille
                  2. The "Great Fear" in the countryside
          D. The precarious position of Louis XVI
III. The National Assembly in action
          A. Abolishing feudal obligations
          B. Declaring the Rights of Man
          C. Redistricting France into "departments"
          D. Dispossessing the Catholic Church
          E. Edmund Burke’s assessment
IV. Conclusion: the (still moderate) Constitution of 1791