MR S Thwala

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Date: 14 April 2025 to 09 May 2025

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SHERPARD FOUNDATION PRESENTS:

THE HARARE MEGA A-LEVEL HISTORY SEMINAR!

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VENUE: CITY STUDY CENTRE

DATE: 26 APRIL 2025 📆

DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS LIFE-CHANGING EVENT! 💥

I conclude my nation wide seminars by hosting my last seminar for Academic year 2024 ekasi lama kasi cowdray emaphayiphi kaliphakame ikasi...

Education tour: where learning meets fun... watching my students discover. Learn and thrive in a new environment was truly inspiring. Memories to cherish and lessons to last a lifetime... changing the narrative

Inspired to inspire

HARARE A LEVEL HISTORY SEMINAR

MR THWALA & DR MUSO
17 AUGUST 2024
FOUNDATION

BULAWAYO A LEVEL HISTORY SEMINAR
MR THWALA & DR MUSO
23 AUGUST 2024
FOUNDATION

HOLIDAY LESSONS WITH MR THWALA & ASSOCIATES

FOUNDATION

*THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 1789*

TOPIC. : *ENLIGHTENMENT*

*THE PHILOSOPHERS*

QUESTION: How far were the enlightment ideas responsible for the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789

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*INTRODUCTION*

Enlightment contribute to the French revolution This is because the philosophers and American war of independence brought about a revolutionary moment and revolutionary ideas of equality, fratenity and liberty which inspired the Frenchmen to revolt

Enlightenment should be seen as a long-term cause of the revolution. philosophers condemned the abuse of the ancient regime practices. The social structure, and the church. The government in france was exposed during period of enlightenment. It should be noted that the largest part of the population in France was illiterate, the philosophers directed their ideas/writings at educated beourgeoisie. The beourgeoisie welcomed the political and economic reforms that the philosophers championed. It was these beourgeoisie leaders who, in turn, spread the contents of the philosophers' writings to their illiterate counterparts, the peasants through rallies, the most famous of these were, Voiltare Rousseau and Montesquieu The encylopaedists also deserve mention especially Diderot they advocated for the abolition of all taxation the philosophers supplied much of the theory which underlay this revolution even though all the philosophers above were dead before the revolution the ideas of the philosophers were further deepend by the American war of infdependence which represented a new society. The American Revolution had strong democratic implications in France

*ILLUSTRATION ON PHILOSOPHERS*

1️⃣ *Rousseau*

He believed that 'man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains.' He argued that all human beings have certain natural rights and liberties. These are the right to life, liberty, and property. Rousseau further emphasized that human beings no longer owed
obedience to any government that failed to protect these rights. The three great ideals of the French Revolution liberty, equality, and fraternity are found in Rousseau's Social Contract. Hence, He justified the right of people to revolt against a tyrannical government as he argues that power belongs to the people who should always express their collective or general will

*COMMENT 0783491275*

Rousseau’s main theme is equality. He wanted equality to prevail in France since there was no equality. As a result, Rousseau’s message inspired the Frech people to revolt if equality was to be achieved.

2️⃣ *Montesquieu*

He advocated for the separation of powers to prevent the abuse of power. He considered despotism as a danger for any government not already despotic. In
order to prevent despotism, Montesquieu argued that it could best be prevented by a system in which different bodies exercised legislative, executive, and judicial power, and in which all those bodies were bound by the rule of law. The theory of separation of power, which divided power between the

1️⃣ executive or king (who
enforced laws),

2️⃣Legislative or Parliament(which made laws),

3️⃣and the judiciary or judges of
the courts (who interpreted laws)

Hence the theory of separation of power inspired the French people in their Revolution against the ancient regime in France

*COMMENT BY MR THWALA*

It can be argued that the major message of Montesquieu was for the government to stop abusing the power and promote the system of checks and balances since he believed in constitutionalism, justice, and the rule of law. This system was absent in the government of Louis xvi, and this made the French people to revolt.

3️⃣Voltare

He boldly attacked the Ancient Regime and criticized the existing political and religious beliefs and institutions. He was against religious persecution and intolerance in France. He campaigned for freedoms of religion, expression, right to a fair trial, and separation of church and state in France the church was a state within a state by attacking the church he exposed the ill-treatment and the evils of the church hence this made Frenchmen to have Revolutionary spirit ( the spirit of fighting)

Encyclopedist these were led by Denis Diderot, who exposed the miserable conditions in which the
country had fallen. It exposed a society based on inequality, injustice, exploitation, and slavery and promote revolutionary
ideas of liberty, fraternity, and equality

HOWEVER not only enlightment ideas were responsible for the outbreak of the revolution in the sense that the ideas of the philosophers alone could not have led to revolution this is because the philosophers did not create problems facing france nor did they make them worse. They even did not advocate for radical change / they did not preach a revolution like abolition of monarchy and introduction of mass democracy ‘ even their ideas appear to have had more impact during the revolution than before thus there is need to balance by examining other causes such as the wide spread discontent among the peasants emanating from unequal taxation, the chaotic system of administration, financial crisis, Louis character , natural disaster, lack of political participation and representation were also important reasons for the outbreak of the French revolution in 1789

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*THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 1789*

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*INTRODUCTION TO THE FRENCH REVOLUTION*

At the height of the 18th century, the most glorious kingdom in Europe faced a mighty fall from the power of its own people casting aside a reluctant king Louis XVI and hated Queen Marie Antoinette. A new Republic was born in blood the blood of the French Revolution.

*WHAT IS THE FRENCH REVOLUTION*

The French Revolution is an extra ordinary moment, when people begin to believe that you can recreate or change everything in the society, for instance you can change the politics and all the institutions in a state for example the Roman catholic which was a state within a state was changed during the French Revolution through political action.

*COMMENT* (Mr S thwala 0783491275)

In 1789, the French people staged an uprising against the ancient regime, governed by Louis XVI with absolute power (the autocracy) and a state in which governing power is held by the nobility. (the aristocracy), which came to be known as the French Revolution.

The French Revolution brought about a major transformation of the society and political system in France. During the course of the Revolution, France was temporarily transformed from an absolute monarchy, where the king monopolized power, to a republic, and then dismantled the Ancient Regime, the political and social system that existed in France before 1789, and replaced it with a series of different governments.

*POLITICAL BACKGROUND*

1️⃣ *ANCIENT REGIME*:
In order to understand the existing government in France prior to the Revolution, it is important to examine the conditions and institutions that existed in France prior to the Revolution. These conditions and institutions were collectively known as the Ancient Regime.

💱 *(Ancient Regime means Old Rule)* 0783491275 mr thwala

Power in the Ancient
Regime relied on three pillars: the monarchy, the clergy and the aristocracy. Society was divided into three classes known as
estates: the clergy, the nobility and the commoners.

*COMMENT BY MR S THWALA (0783491275)*

2️⃣The ancient system it was characterized by an abusive political system, the king was absolute and despotic. The king claimed to rule by the will of God and not by the consent of the people (Theory of the Divine Right of Kings). Thus, Louis XVI claimed to be responsible to no one but God. The French monarchy ruled in an absolute manner. They exercised unlimited powers.

2️⃣ The strongest expression of power by the ancient regime and the king( Louis XVI) was the letter de cachet these were sealed letters that allowed imprisonment without trial.
Lettre de cachets were issued by the King, Louis XVI to arrest people in France. They were mainly used against the peasants hence the peasants had their rights abused

2️⃣ Inefficient and Corrupt Administrative System: Under Louis XVI, the French administrative system became thoroughly inefficient and corrupt. The king was the head of the state and the head of the administrative structure. He had the authority to appoint ministers and other administrative officials.
Ministers were appointed on the basis of their noble birth or favouritism and not because of ability or merit. To further illustrate all the political posts were monopolized by a group of a few individuals, the nobility. This was a privileged class that belonged to the second estate. They alone could be appointed to higher posts in government such as being ambassadors abroad, cabinet ministers, navy and the army. This led inefficiency and corruption in the administration. Hence contributing to the difficulties and problems of the people especially the underprivileged commoners/peasants

3️⃣Furthermore France did not have a parliament. The French Kings ruled France without summoning the legislature known as the Estates General since 1614. Estate General was a platform. In which the people presented their grievances and proposals to the king. But then these last met in 1614 yet the year was now 1789. Thus all the decision making process was left in the hands of the King and the Royal Council. Thus France was left without checks and balances making Louis XVI a dictator.

*ECONOMIC BACKGROUND*

Among the direct causes of the French Revolution was a massive financial crisis caused by the enormous debt On the eve of the French revolution , the interest and payments on the royal debt amounted to just over one half of the entire budget.The annual deficit was close to 126 million livres. Given government‘s extravagance and the outdated system of taxation, which brought little money to the national treasury. The existing tax system had placed the greatest tax burden on the shoulders of the third estate and exempted the privilege classes.
⁰⁷⁸³⁴⁹¹²⁷⁵

The problem of economic mismanagement lay with the inability of the royal mornachy to tap the wealth of the French nation through taxes so as to redeem France from financial crisis.sussessive attempts at reforming the system proved fruitless in the face of opposition from the clergy and the nobility. The nobility proved too powerful for Louis XVI,therefore , all efforts to tap the wealth of the nation proved fruitless.The monarch instead , kept on increasing taxes on the poor commoners.The dismissal of finance ministers, extravagancy at the court, over borrowing to finance unnecessary wars for example the American war of independence the Eden Treaty 1786.

*COMMENT* ( ⁰⁷⁸³⁴⁹¹²⁷⁵mr thwala)

Government revenue base remain shallow.This was worsened by the inefficient system of collecting tax .Tax collection was done by tax farmers who pocketed large sums and remitted small amounts. The church, the richest institution then , was spared so were the nobles .This was worsened by the chaotic system of administration The government could not properly tap wealth of the nation.

*SOCIAL BACKGROUND*

The social conditions in France on the eve of the French Revolution of 1789 were outdate(primitive), unreasonable and oppressive. The French society was based upon the principle of inequality. The French society comprising of around 25 million people was divided into three classes also known as the estates.

1️⃣The clergy constituted the first estate,
2️⃣the nobility, the second
estate
3️⃣ the commoners, the third estate.

*PRIVILEGE SYSTEM*

(Privileges of the Clergy and the Nobility)

The clergy and the nobility comprised one per cent of the total population of France on the eve of the French Revolution of 1789. These two estates being the privileged classes:

(1) owned most of the land in France;

(2) collected special feudal and church dues from the
commoners;

(3) were exempted from most of the taxes;

(4) were the friends and ministers of the King;

(5) were granted special
favours while administering the law.

*UNDERPRIVILEGED COMMONERS*

The third estate was sub-divided into the bourgeoisie (middle class), and the peasants. The
bourgeois comprised manufacturers and men of literature. Many of them were rich, intelligent, energetic, educated. This class especially resented the existing political and social conditions in France.

The peasants formed the majority of the third estate. Thus, more than ninety per cent of the population was peasants. About a million of the peasants were serfs. The rest were free men, but they were all discontented against the existing system of the government and social organization. The burden of the society was on their shoulder. Nearly the entire revenue of the government was raised from the third estate. The peasants paid nearly 55% in taxes of what they produced or earned.

*COMMENT*(0783491275 thwala)

The French peasants, suppressed, oppressed and depressed were discontented about their existing condition. They were on the verge of starvation. Thus, the third estate desired a change in the government, society and economic conditions.

Compiled by Mr S Thwala 0783491275

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Revised essay *Mutapa state*

Tinomuda Kish
Mhasvi……….

*The downfall of Mutapa state was more internal than external factors .Discuss*

The verdict that the downfall of Mutapa was more internal than external factors is to a greater extent. This is because instability was the order of the day in the Mutapa state being reflected by the succession disputes, weak and inexperienced leadership, Mutapa state became too vast to be ruled by one leader, depletion of natural resources and breaking away of powerful states. However, external factors also contributed to the downfall of mutapa state with reference to the Maravi invasion, meddling of Portuguese with mutapa politics and division brought forth by Christianity. Nevertheless, this does not dismiss the verdict that the downfall of mutapa state was resided by the internal factors to a greater extent.

To start with, the succession disputes in the Mutapa state. For instance after the death of Gatsi rusere there was a succession between mamvura and kapararidze which led to rivalries to the extent of the death of kapararidze in 1629.This reflects the struggle for power that led to the decline if mutapa state as the leaders fought on their own showing unprofessionalism. To emphasize the succession disputes of confusion as there lacked a succession policy making leadership a query. In that manner, succession disputes were inevitable. Thereby, there was the presence of conflicts leading to the downfall of the mutapa state.

Significantly, the Mutapa state declined due to weak and inexperienced leadership. To clarify the weak successors of Matope and Mutota were too young for the throne taking for instance Nyahuma who failed to even deal with the internal chiefs from vassal chiefs like changa and togwa.In that manner such leaders had less vision of direction as they had miscommunication with the upper hand and lacked skill and qualities of leaders. This was a setback for the Mutapa state as the young leader’s lacked skill and ability rule the mutapa state .Hence forth the presence of incompetent leaders became a loophole to the mutapa survival leading to its downfall.

Correspondingly, the mutapa state became too vast to be ruled by one leader, which became an automatic downfall internally. There was the presence of only one leader in the gigantic mutapa state. In that sense a vast empire with a young leader was the clash and end of mutapa state as matope and mutota who had the ability to lead had perished. This just led to lack of proper administration in the state leading to its weakening. Even the tribute and trade declined due to mismanagement. This made its downfall inevitable as there was lack of supervision and chaos. Henceforth, the mutapa state declined taking into consideration the failure to establish full control of the mutapa state by its leaders.

Moreover Mutapa states downfall occurred due to depletion of natural resources internally .For instance there as depletion of minerals like gold and ivory due to the unfair trade system. It was clear that trade was op to minerals which resulted in the quick depletion of minerals. To emphasize there was decreased food production due to the occurrence of drought which led to the migration of most of the mutapa inhabitants who were in search of greener pastures. Henceforth the mutapa state had to decline as the resources left were inadequate to sustain a living in the mutapa state which then triggered its downfall.

More so the breaking away of powerful states was yet another spark of the internal reasons of the downfall of mutapa state. Based on the findings rich provinces like Utete, Manyika and Danda disengaged themselves from mutapa due to civil wars. This was a spark to the decline of mutapa state as it was isolated at an early state. In that manner mutapa state dissolved as the rivalries internally as the separation with other states was yet another factor that shook its decline. Henceforth the mutapa states downfall was underway as states started breaking away already giving a prediction of its downfall.

However external factors also contributed to the downfall of mutapxa state with reference to the maravi invasions that were defined as swift and affecting the mutapa state. Based on the finding the Bantu speaking invaders dwelt in mutapa in attempt to overthrown gatsi rusere who then invited the Portuguese to assist. This was defined as a fatal mood as it led to the creation of a chaotic mutapa state with the whites and Shona. This was just the falling of the mutapa state as there was confusion and disorder .Therefore the domination of Portuguese influenced by the maravi invasion resulting in the downfall of mutapa state.

Another significant factor is the meddling of Portuguese with mutapa politics is an external factor that drove mutapa state to its decline. As evidence, the Portuguese installed puppet mutapas like mamvura mhande who was influenced by the Portuguese to the extent of granting the mamvura treaty that was total domination of Portuguese in mutapa state. This was just the turning point of the mutapa state as there was the creation of a state within a state. Therefore the mutapa state was to decline due to a drastic cause.

Another essential point is the division brought forth by Christianity which was a foreign religion leading to the downfall of mutapa state externally. To clarify Christianity had been slowly dominating in the mutapa state due to Portuguese interference. This created the clash in religion of African Traditional Religion and Christianity as they both had different views and beliefs.There were rivalries of religion as the mutapas were not willing to accept Christianity which led to migration of most of the mutapa residents with African traditional religion at heart. Therefore this resulted to the isolation of muttapa state hence its downfall.

Conclusively, the verdict that mutapa states decline was decided on buy internal factors is to a greater extent. Although the external factors played their part in contributing in the downfall of mutapa state but this does not dismiss the role played by internal factors to a greater extent.