The French Revolution 1789 begins Modern History

1. The French Revolution 1789begins Modern History The FR happened because French people wanted more rights and couldn’t get them peacefully.

2. “The only constant thing is change.” - Heraclitus (540-480 BC) • What happens if one decides to STOP change? • What is a revolution?

3. The 1st and 2nd ESTATES had all the privileges and paid almost no taxes. They didn’t want change. Clergy = priests Nobles = landowners, born privileged Middle Class= business-owners, merchants, bankers The 3rd estate carried the entire tax burden but had no rights. They wanted CHANGE! They wanted fairness & to have a say in their government. Which one of these groups was most likely to welcome the Enlightenment ideas?

4. http://world-civ-2012-13.wikispaces.com/Causes+of+the+French+Revolution+%281B%29http://world-civ-2012-13.wikispaces.com/Causes+of+the+French+Revolution+%281B%29

5. PRIMARY SOURCE

6. Budget Deficit - the taxes coming into the treasury couldn’t cover these expenses, and creditors were not willing to keep giving loans to the French king…

7. ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL • What are some economic causes for the FR? • Heavy taxes, bad harvest, royal overspending, paid for AR • What are some political causes for the FR? • Weak leader, absolute monarchy unchanged/stuck • What are some social causes for the FR? • Unfair estate system, majority angry • What are some cultural causes for the FR? • Enlightenment ideas, the example of the AR

8. In this cartoon from 1789, Louis XVI is looking at the chests and asks “Where is the tax money?" The financial minister, Necker, looks on and says “It was there last time I looked." The nobles and clergy are sneaking out the door carrying sacks of money, saying "We have it."

9. What happened in France in 1789?

10. In 1789, France was an absolute monarchy in crisis. King Louis XVI had no money left to run the country. Why? • The 3rd estate couldn’t function due to the heavy taxes. • Huge royal expenses of the king & queen. • Bad winter & bad harvest • Paying for the American Revolutionary war.

11. What options did Louis XVI have for resolving the financial crisis? • Get more loans from bankers? • Increase the taxes on the 3rd estate? • Start taxing the 1st & 2nd estates? • Call the Estates-General to ask for solution?

12. NOT AN OPTION:No banker was willing to give the king more loans because he couldn’t even pay back the existing ones.

13. NOT AN OPTION:The 3rd Estate was overburdened with taxes & couldn’t take another tax increase.

14. NOT AN OPTION: The 1st and 2nd estates insisted on keeping their privileged position & refused to start paying taxes (unless the Kings gave them some voice in government).

15. YES – THIS WAS THE KING’S ONLY AVAILABLE OPTION:To call the Estates-General (for the first time since 175 years) and ask the representatives of the three estates to find a solution to the financial crisis. What message did this send to the French people? • The king acknowledged the need for a change. • He admitted that his absolute power had weakened.

16. Louis XVI called people from all three estates to meet in Versailles to give advice on the financial crisis. This gave people hope that change will come.

17. What was the First Estate & how did they feel when they heard about the Estates-General? What did they want?

18. What was the Second Estate & what did they think when they heard the news of the Estates General meeting? What did they want?

19. What was the bourgeoisie of the Third Estate? How did they (the Middle Class) feel when they heard the news? What did they want?

20. Who were the peasants (serfs) of Third Estate? How did they feel when they heard the news? What did they want?

21. Who were the urban workers (sans-culottes) & how did they feel when they heard the news?What did they want?

22. After hearing all sides, Louis XVI decides to keep the status quo – things as there are.

23. What did the 3rd estate delegates (led by the bourgeoisie) do in response? - The Tennis Court Oath- 3rd estate representatives got together in a tennis court and formed a National Assembly to create a Constitution.- They vowed to abolish absolutism & turn France into a constitutional limited monarchy. - Who makes the laws in a limited monarchy?

24. Louis XVI reluctantly agreed but sent the troops to surround the National Assembly. What was the reaction of the urban masses of Paris?

25. The masses of poor PEOPLE in Paris began a Revolution: Bastille Day - 14 July, 1789

26. Bastille Day became the symbol of the French Revolution. Today it is the French national holiday, July 14. In the CITY of Paris: Thousands of middle class and poor city workers destroyed the Bastille prison fortress and took arms & ammunition. They also took over the Paris city government in their hands.

27. Women’s Bread March to VersaillesLouis XVI and the National Assembly moved to Paris (symbolically under people’s control).

28. What was the reaction of the millions of poor peasants (serfs)?

29. “The Great Fear” PEASANT REVOLTSin the COUNTRYSIDE Millions of poor PEASANTS in the feudal manors decided to take this chance to get what they wanted from the NOBLES. They attacked nobles’ houses, destroyed their tax records, stole grain from the warehouses of the nobles, took their land away.

30. How did the Clergy & Nobility react to the revolution of the masses? • Scared, some ran away • Some decided to cooperate and give up privileges to save whatever they can.

31. DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN1789 LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY!

32. DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN declared France representative democracy & constitutional monarchy - All men voting for representatives • Equality for men; equal access to any jobs • Natural rights thatgovernment must protect: liberty, property & resistance to oppression • Freedom of religion, speech & press - due process of law, no more unlawful arrests

33. What about WOMEN? Olympe de Gouges wrote The Declaration of the Rights of Woman Besides demanding equal rights for women, in other writings she also brought up the issue of slavery – which still existed in French colonies like Haiti.

34. From Absolute to Limited Monarchy • The National Assembly made the laws (NOT the king) – this ended the Absolute Monarchy • France became a CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY & Representative Democracy • The king retained limited power • Only men of property & wealth could vote • The National Assembly voted that NOBLES had to start paying taxes • Removed internal trade tariffs (trade boost) • All men have equal access to government jobs • Which social groups were pleased with all this?

35. THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLYabolished feudalism in 1789 • No more serfdom – all peasants are free • No more aristocratic privileges • Noble will pay taxes  improved budget problems • Church lands were taken by the state, broken up and sold to the peasants  improved the financial situation of France • Catholic clergy became paid government officials independent of the pope. • Who had a problem with these changes? • Most nobles • Also all clergy and even some peasants turned against the revolution

36. The Third Estate was driving the French Revolution. What social groups were included in the Third Estate? • Middle Class (bourgeoisie) • Peasants • Urban poor workers • As you look at the changes brought by the revolution, think which of the above social groups got what they wanted? Which people didn’t?

37. WHO WAS SATISFIED WITH THENEW STATUS QUO? • Most of middle class (bourgeoisie) – who were satisfied with their access to political power, access to all jobs & economic freedom from restrictions • Many peasants (happy with their lower taxes, no feudal obligations, newly acquired freedom and land ownership)

38. WHO WANTED TO RETURN TO THE PAST? • Louis XVI – conspired with other monarchs to get back his power  In June 1791, Louis made an attempt to escape from France, hoping to obtain foreign help to regain his power. • Catholic clergy and some peasants who support them. There were counter-revolts going on especially in conservative Catholic areas • Nobles upset over lost privileges  started to leave France – émigrés – looked for help from abroad

39. WHO FELT THAT CHANGES HAD NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH? • Poor urban workers and lower middle class – wanted bread, low prices, guaranteed minimum wages & voting rights • Jacobins (led by Robespierre) – radical political party of poor urban workers. They wanted a Republic, wanted universal suffrage for men (the right to vote to apply to all men) • Some women – activists and political clubs tried to get rights extended to women.

41. Beginning of political parties - LEFT, RIGHT, CENTER In the CENTER sat those who were satisfied with the results of the revolution: tax fairness, voting and freedom of speech. On the RIGHT side were representatives of the 1st and 2nd estate, who wanted to preserve traditions and even return to the past (absolute monarchy). People on the right were called conservative and reactionary. On the LEFT sat those who wanted even greater changes - a Republic. People on the left are called liberal and radical. Robespierre became the leader of the radicals.

42. FRANCE ATTACKED FROM ABROAD • Prussia, Austria, Spain & Holland attacked France • Foreign monarchs claimed that Louis XVI was in danger •  What was the real reason why European monarchs attacked France? • They were afraid that the REVOLUTION would spread to their countries and end absolute monarchy there as well.

43. FROM CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY TO REPUBLIC • Most French people thought that the king and queen were on the side of the foreign armies rather than loyal to France. They were afraid that the absolute monarchy would be restored. • Louis XVI was guillotined (followed by the queen a few months later). France was declared a REPUBLIC (representative democracy without a monarch). • Why did the radical revolutionaries kill the king?

44. PATRIOTISM & NATIONALISMPROTECTING THEIR COUNTRY & THE REVOLUTION • Military draft for the first time (army of 800,000) • Thousands of French peasants & poor people, anxious to protect their new-found freedom, flocked to join the new army • The patriotic song called the Marseillaise inspired the French people to defend their country(“Let us go, children of our fatherland. . . the bloody flag of tyranny is raised against us.”

45. The Revolution Brings Chaos“THE REIGN OF TERROR”

46. REIGN OF TERROR • This is the extreme left of the pendulum - the Radicals took over the revolution & used violence to silence anyone who disagreed. • A small dictatorial group (Committee for Public Safety) led by Robespierre made all the decisions. They sent thousands of people to the guillotine as “enemies of the Revolution” without a reason, evidence or trial. • the Committee of Public Safety was given its own funds to spy, pay its agents - 40,000 sent to the guillotine with or without a reason, evidence or trial • Showed how difficult it was to practice democracy for the first time & to find the right balance once people’s anger starts a revolution.

47. Jacobins made radical changes in an attempt to get rid of the past: • all existing religion was outlawed • “Cult of Reason” begun instead of a religion • 10-day week - goal was to blot out the cycle of Sundays and Saint's days • new Calendar imposed – started Year 1 from Sept, 1792 when the Republic was established • New street names • new “revolutionary language” imposed (“Citizen” and Citizeness”) to show full social equality • state-controlled secular public schools set up

48. END OF THE REIGN OF TERROR • By 1794 the French armies had driven out the armies of all foreign countries. • Inside France fear had made everyone quiet, submissive & embittered. • There was no way to justify the continued Reign of Terror any longer but Robespierre kept going on with it. • The moderates gained control of the National Convention. • July 1794 – the National Convention arrested Robespierre and sent him to the guillotine to stop the Reign of Terror.

49. RESTORING THE REPUBLIC • Executive power was given to the DIRECTORY of five men  the goal was to preserve the accomplishments of the revolution but avoid dictatorship • The government of the Directory was inexperienced, incompetent & corrupt • Problems began again: royalists were gaining influence in favor of restoring the monarchy; poor people rioting for bread; disorder & crisis • To keep control, the Directory increasingly depended on the Army  opened the way for a strong military leader - Napoleon.

50. COMPARING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION & THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION • The American revolution began as a fight for independence (not for democracy). However - it ended in a balanced and stable representative democracy. • The French revolution began as a fight only for democracy. However, it went through a lot of chaos, blood and despotism before finding a balance in the end, after many decades.