Unveiling the Old Regime: Roots of the French Revolution

1. Old Regime – the social and political system of France before the revolution • French society divided up into three estates or three classes • since the Middle Ages! • These estates or classes battle each other during the French Revolution, afterward during Napoleon’s time, and several more times • Basic problem – system is built on inequity

2. American and French Revolution • France help support the colonists • American Revolution and French Revolution very deeply connected • French ideals influenced American rebels • American rebels influenced French radicals who were unhappy with the monarchy • Rich/poor divide in France was at its worst

3. The French Revolution Part I

4. The Old Regime (Ancient Regime) • Old Regime– socio-political system which existed in most of Europe during the 18th century • Countries were ruled by absolutism – the monarch had absolute control over the government • Classes of people – privileged and unprivileged • Unprivileged people – paid taxes and treated badly • Privileged people – did not pay taxes and treated well • Basic problem – system is built on inequality

5. First Estate • Made up of Roman Catholic Church clergy= 1% of population • Owned 10% of land • Taxes = 2% of income paid to government (voluntary contribution given every 5 years) • Collected Church tithes • Provided education and relief services to the poor • Scorned enlightenment ideas • Divided: high clergy to parish priests who were often poor commoners

6. Second Estate • Rich nobles = 2% of the population • Owned 20% of the land • Paid no taxes • Held high offices in government, courts, and the military • Nobility of the robe • status from office holding • Nobility of the sword • status as descendants of original medieval nobility • Disagreed with enlightenment ideas

7. Stop, Collaborate and Listen… Why would the first and second estate disagree with Enlightenment Ideas?

8. Third Estate • Everyone else – 97% of population • Bourgeoisie (middle class) = 8% of third estate • Traders, merchants, artisans • Owned 20-25% of the land • Sometimes wealthy but paid high taxes • No access to power like the 1st and 2nd estates had

9. Third Estate • Peasants = 75% of the population • Owned 35-40% of land (over half had no land) • 50% of their income paid in taxes to government and tithes to the church • Very bitter and resentful toward nobility (2nd estate)

10. Third Estate • Urban lower class = 14% of third estate • Workers who lived in cities • Apprentices, laborers, servants, maids • Paid little, would often riot if food was not available

11. Economic Conditions under the Old Regime • France’s economy was based primarily on agriculture • Peasant farmers of France bore the burden of taxation

12. Stop, Collaborate and Listen… What are possible dangers or risks of being a primarily agriculture society?

13. Economic Conditions under theOld Regime • Poor harvests meant that peasants had trouble paying their regular taxes • Certainly could not afford to have their taxes raised • Bourgeoisie often managed to gather wealth • But were upset that they paid taxes while nobles did not

14. France Is Bankrupt • The king (Louis XVI) lavished money on himself and residences like Versailles • Queen Marie Antoinette was seen as a wasteful spender • Government found its funds depleted as a result of wars • Deficit spending– a government spending more money than it takes in from tax revenues • Privileged classes would not submit to being taxed • Jacques Necker • Financial adviser • Wanted to tax the 1st and 2nd estate

17. Why did revolution break out? • Enlightenment ideals • Bad harvests in 1787 resulted in drop in economic growth • Food shortages • Inflation • Mass unemployment • Debt from American Revolution

18. Your Task • One person from each table group needs to grab TWO textbooks • Individually read and take notes: pages 651-653 • After taking notes you need to create a visual representation, on a separate piece of paper, of the three estates in France during the 1700s • It should be very clear how each of the estates are represented and their relation with each other and within the country of France. • You may not copy the picture that is in the textbook! • DUE: Tomorrow 

19. Your Task • you need to create a visual representation, on a separate piece of paper, of the three estates in France during the 1700s • It should be very clear how each of the estates are represented and their relation with each other and within the country of France. • You may not copy the picture that is in the textbook!

20. Louis XVI has to act • Estates-General • Had not met since 1614 • Louis XVI forced to call it into session to figure out how to deal with this economic mess • he wanted to raise taxes • Each of the three social groups was allowed to have equal representation – each were allowed 1 vote. • Q: Is this fair? Why or why not?

21. Estates-General • Government decides that the Third Estate could have double the number of delegates • 600 instead of 300 • Each delegate had one vote • Third Estate now had as much power as the First and Second combined • June 1789 - Third Estate declares itself a “National Assembly” • pass laws for the nation

22. Tennis Court Oath • They find themselves locked out of the meeting • meet at a nearby indoor tennis court • Vowto remain there until they had written a constitution for France • Several members of the First and Second Estates join them in the name of reform • Louis XVI calls out his mercenary troops to guard Versailles

23. The Rights of Man • National Assembly adopted a statement of revolutionary ideas • Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizens • Influenced by the Declaration of Independence • “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité”

24. Fall of the Bastille • Old fortress in central Paris • Rumors fly that Louis XVI is going to use army to shut down National Assembly • People start to stockpile weapons in Paris • July 14, 1789 - Mob attacks the Bastille looking for gunpowder and weapons • Seize control of the building • murder the prison guards • parade their heads on the end of pikes around Paris • Bastille Day (like the Fourth of July)

26. A Great Fear Sweeps France • Rebellion spreads throughout France • The Great Fear • Peasants started to destroy nobles’ homes • People became motivated by fear • Commoners becoming equal to noble and clergy • The Old Regime is dead

28. National Assembly • Declaration of Rights

29. Women March ON Versailles

30. State control of Catholic Church • Priests and church officials now employees of the state, paid by the state • Had to be elected • National Assembly took over catholic church land • Huge profits from the sale of church land helped erase France’s debt

31. State control of Catholic Church • Catholic Church no longer independent • This was too much for many peasants • Devout Catholics • they felt the church should be independent from the state • Revolution lost some support from peasants as a result

32. Divisions within revolution • September 1791 – Assembly completes new constitution providing for a limited constitutional monarchy • Stripped the King of a lot of his power • Created a new legislative body called the legislative assembly • Leg. Assembly could create laws and approve/reject declarations of war • King still had some executive power to enforce laws

33. Louis XVI tries to escape • King and Queen, living in Paris, decide to leave France • Feared they would be executed • June 1791 – they try to escape across the border to what is now Belgium • Caught • returned to Paris • spent the rest of their lives under arrest

34. Other interest groups • Besides those in the Assembly, two other groups wanted change in France • Émigrés • nobles and other wealthy people who fled France • wanted to restore the King and his power • Sans-culottes • Parisian workers and laborers who wanted even more extreme changes (anti-King) • Sans-culottes = without pants

35. Jacobins • People responsible for the governmental changes in 1792 were members of a radical group called the Jacobin Club • Leader was Jean-Paul Marat • L’Ami du Peuple • called for the execution of all royalists • Georges Danton • Lawyer • became a defender of Paris’ poor underclass

36. Declaration Activity

37. The French Revolution Part Deux – The Terror

38. Off with their heads • Louis XVI was now considered a regular citizen in prison • Jacobins put him on trial for treason • Found guilty and sentenced to death • January 21, 1793 – executed by beheading • Guillotine

39. National Convention

40. Committee of Public Safety • Robespierre becomes leader of this group within the Assembly, making him dictator of France • Known as the Reign of Terror • Main task of this group: • protect the revolution from royalists and other threats • People tried in the morning, guillotined in the afternoon • questionable justice • R justified the use of terror in governing

41. Committee of Public Safety

42. Robespierre takes over • Robespierre, the brilliant lawyer, starts to gain power through the Assembly • Attempts to wipe out all traces of old France • Republic of Virtue • Created a new calendar which eliminated Sundays (too religious) and having each month contain 30 days

43. The incorruptible

46. Guillotine Fun Facts • Cruel and Unusual? • believed by many to be efficient humane and democratic • claiming those executed would not feel pain. Public Executions were popular and some people believed the guillotine was too quick to be enjoyed by a crowd.

47. Guillotine – Reign of Terror

48. The end of Revolution

49. Journal Liberty, Equality, Fraternity French Flag