The Collapse of the French Constitutional Monarchy (1791–1792)

Identify the key power the Constitution of 1791 granted to the king to delay legislation.

The suspensive veto, which allowed the king to delay a proposed law for two consecutive legislatures, roughly four to six years.

What was the difference between an active citizen and a passive citizen under the 1791 constitution?

Active citizens were men aged 25 or older who paid taxes equal to at least three days of labor and could vote; passive citizens did not pay enough taxes and had civil rights but no voting voice.

Explain why the king's flight to Varennes in June 1791 destroyed the public's trust in him.

It proved Louis XVI did not accept the constitutional settlement, especially because he left behind a letter denouncing the revolution's limits on royal authority.

Why did both the revolutionary Girondins and King Louis XVI vote for or support war against Austria in April 1792?

The Girondins believed war would spread liberty and expose counter-revolutionaries, while Louis XVI hoped French defeat would allow foreign armies to restore his absolute rule.

Describe the impact of the Brunswick Manifesto on the people of Paris in late July 1792.

Instead of intimidating the population, the threat of destroying Paris convinced citizens that King Louis XVI was actively collaborating with foreign invaders.

Read the following statement: 'The storming of the Tuileries on August 10, 1792, was caused entirely by foreign invasion.' Defend or critique this claim with two specific historical causes.

The claim is an oversimplification. While foreign military threats and the Brunswick Manifesto accelerated the crisis, domestic factors were equally decisive, including the king's use of the veto to block defense measures and deep resentment over the flight to Varennes.