What caused the French Revolution? - Tom Mullaney

What rights do people have, and where do they come from? Who gets to make decisions for others, and on what authority? And how can we organize society to meet people’s needs? Tom Mullaney shows how these questions challenged an entire nation during the upheaval of the French Revolution.

Lesson by Tom Mullaney, animation by Sashko Danylenko.

[muhammadadambinmohdrazihan]

This animation style teaching is much easier to understand and remember.

[chacarita]

Funny fact: When Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette tried to escape from France in 1791, they were capture because Jean Drouet, the postmaster at Varrenes, a village near the France-German border, recognized them when he saw the king's face printed in the coins and banknotes. He told the soldiers and the royal family was captured and sent back to Paris and beheaded.

[TEDEd]

Hi all! We'd like to make a correction to today's video: King Louis XVI was executed before Marie Antoinette. Thanks everyone for letting us know and we are working on a fix now!

[MsOudlover]

Professor of French history here... I love the video but have a correction. It is well known that there were many aristocrats and members of the Church who believed feudalism must end. Many willingly joined members of the third estate when they found they were locked out of their meeting hall. David's painting "The Tennis Court Oath" clearly shows members of the other estates taking part in the celebrations. Plus, they had been writing about this issues for decades. The evening of August 4th was long in coming, but anticipated by many.

[AdityaKautilyaMacTavish]

please make one on Russian revolution and Chinese revolution

[NowOnline]

Got interested in this topic after playing Assassin's Creed... and people say video games aren't educational.

[Somewhere_Bagel]

Napoleon: *takes over*

Everyone: you saved us!

Napoleon: I wouldn't say saved. More like under new management

[loomf]

"So, how many people are you going to execute?"

Robspierre: "yes"

[REaSIoM]

Fun fact : When Louis XVI tried to escape the country he has been caught because of his portrait on coins (he gave one coin to the guy in charge of the border who instantly recognized him and called the revolutionaries)

[myhairisbiggerthanmyfuture]

YAS LAY THAT HISTORY ON ME LIKE A WARM BAGUETTE

[marioescalante]

I love these! It’s because of this revolution (and his skills) that Napoleon rose to the rank of General at just 26 or 28 years old whereas others waited till they reached their 50’s.

[JuanRamos-ywme]

I had a exam about the French Revolution this morning. Perfect timing

[samirpetrocelli]

We don't struggle with the same "questions"... We struggle with the same unfairness.

[ganguzinhosky]

the true French Revolution slogan was: Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite ou La Mort (Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood or The Death)

[dexterdextrow]

Short, concise and addressing most essentials of the story. Can’t really say I learned much myself, but certainly of value for those who are short on time but still want to know the basics of the revolution.

[amnaz]

Can't believe...I didn't get bored in this History class

[mastikitrain]

I had to study about the French Revolution this year in school and well this was a not a very easy chapter but this video explained it with great clarity in just 5 minutes (approx).

[Edmonton-ofec]

Marie Antoinette's reputation is actually completely false. She actually attempted to restrain the spending of the nobility during times of hardship, promoted more modest and simple dress styles, and invited children of poorer families to the palace and they played with her children, because she wanted her children to know the average person. She never said "Let them eat cake" and all the paintings of her in fancy clothing were from before the calling of the Estates-General, before the summoning of the Assembly of Notables, even before the hire or dismissal of Jacques Necker. She wasn't a bad person, put the revolution has ingrained into public perception the opposite.

[FlyJedi]

Have watched so many videos on the French Revolution Over the years. This videos style and story and pace are perfect for those who are beginners who want a quick overview. Awesome work.

[omershaik]

lots of inaccuracies, lots of parts of the story you didn't tell. for example: necker was dismissed for lying and publishing a wrong report of the gonverment's debt (kind of important), marie was beheaded after the king, for charges that were largely made up (her 10 year old child was forced to lie that she had sexually assaulted him). i hate when modern retellings of the story make the royal family into cartoon villains....