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What to know about the French Revolution…

What to know about the French Revolution…. What were the Three Estates? How did each feel about the Enlightenment? Why did the Third Estate resent the other two? How did the Enlightenment inspire the Third Estate? What was bad about the economy?

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What to know about the French Revolution…

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  1. What to know about the French Revolution… • What were the Three Estates? How did each feel about the Enlightenment? • Why did the Third Estate resent the other two? • How did the Enlightenment inspire the Third Estate? • What was bad about the economy? • How did Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette make things worse? • What was the National Assembly? • What was the Tennis Court Oath? • What was the storming of the Bastille? • What was the Great Fear?

  2. The French Revolution

  3. The Three Estates

  4. First Estate • Roman Catholic clergy • Anti-Enlightenment • Less than 1% of population • Owned 10% of the land

  5. Rich nobles High government offices Anti-Enlightenment 2% of population Owned 20% of the land Paid few taxes Second Estate

  6. Third Estate • Bourgeoisie – wealthy middle class who paid high taxes; well-educated (bankers, merchants) • Urban lower class – laborers who were often out of work • Peasants – Paid high taxes • No power to influence government • Embraced the Enlightenment • Resented wealthy upper classes • 97% of population

  7. Members of Third Estate inspired by American Revolution Influenced by Enlightenment ideals Spread of Enlightenment

  8. Taxes too much of a burden High cost of living Bad weather had caused crop failure Price of bread doubled in 1789 Government in debt Borrowed money to fight Britain Economic Trouble

  9. Louis XVI indecisive, lack of interest in governing Wasteful spending Weak Leadership

  10. Queen Unpopular because she was Austrian Interfered in gov’t affairs Spent money on luxuries for herself Known as “Madame Deficit” Marie Antoinette

  11. Meeting of Estates-General • May 5, 1789 - Versailles • Louis XVI calls meeting of representatives from all three estates to get approval for a new tax • First meeting in 175 years • Members of each estate meet and vote separately – one vote per estate • First two estates usually outvote the Third

  12. National Assembly • Third Estate demands more power • Name themselves the National Assembly and pass laws of reform • Locked out of meeting room • Break down door to indoor tennis court • Refuse to leave until a new constitution is drawn – Tennis Court Oath • Joined by nobles and clergy who want reform

  13. Tennis Court Oath

  14. Storming the Bastille • July 14, 1789 – Mob storms the Bastille, a prison, overwhelming the guards • Hacked the prison commander and guards to death • Parade through streets with heads on pikes • Becomes known as Bastille Day, the start of the revolution

  15. The Great Fear • Panic grows as rebellion spreads through France; peasants fear retribution by nobles • Peasants destroy nobles’ homes • Mob of women march on Versailles, killing guards • King, family, and servants leave their palace

  16. War • Monarchs of Austria and Prussia urge France to restore monarch • Legislative Assembly declares war • Prussian commander threatens to destroy Paris if royal family is harmed • Royal guards killed, royal family taken prisoner • Paris troops sent to reinforce army • Nobles, priests and royalist sympathizers being held prisoner are killed because of fear of counter-revolution

  17. Constitution of 1791 set aside King deposed Assembly broken up; new elections to be held Abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic Adult male citizens given right to vote and hold office The National Convention

  18. Jacobins • Radical political organization • Jean-Paul Marat • Edited newspaper • Called for the death of royal supporters • Georges Danton • Skillful orator • Supporter of the poor

  19. Robespierre, Jacobin leader, gains power Tries to establish “republic of virtue” Eliminate anything from France’s past Changed calendar; eliminated Sunday Robespierre

  20. Trial of Louis XVI • National Convention puts Louis XVI on trial for treason - Sentenced to death

  21. War (cont’d) • French achieve victory against Prussia and Austria at Battle of Valmy • Great Britain, Holland, Spain join against France • Jacobins draft 300,000 French citizens

  22. Robespierre establishes Committee of Public Safety to protect revolution from its enemies Troubled by fellow radicals who challenged his leadership 1794 – Danton and Marie Antoinette executed 40,000 executed; 85% from lower class The Reign of Terror

  23. July 1794 – Robespierre arrested Executed on July 28, 1794 New plan of government Two-house legislature The Directory – executive body of 5 men Established sense of order End of Terror

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