The French Revolution

1. The French Revolution

2. Great Unrest in France Why? High Prices and High Taxes Enlightenment Ideas Weak Leadership Old Regime – 3 estates

3. France’s Social Pyramid- “Old Regime” • 1st Estate: Church • Owned 10% of land • Paid little taxes • Were less than 1% of the people • 2nd Estate: Nobility • 2% of population • Wealthy • Owned 20% of land • Paid no taxes • 3rd Estate: Bourgeoisie • & Peasants • 98% of population • 3 Different Tiers • Paid more than 50% of taxes

4. 4 Causes of the French Revolution…EEEW!!

5. Enlightenment Ideas • Spread by the educated of the Third Estate…bourgeoisie will lead the French Revolution • Believed in equality and liberty (Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu) • All men have natural rights (Locke) • Inspired the American Revolution • Believed in a democratic govt. and democratic elections…DEMOCRACY for all! • Power should be in the hands of the people!

6. Old Regime (Estate System) • Ranking of the people into social classes (is a hold over from the Middle Ages) • Three Estates- 3rd estate HEAVILY TAXEDand had NO SAY in government. Made up 97% of the French! • Wanted democracy and rights for all (3rd) • First estate HATED the ideas of the ENLIGHTENMENT

7. Economic Problems $$$$ • France was in debt- King borrowed money to help Americans during their revolution • High taxes hurt business • High cost of living • Crop Failure led to food prices doubling and starvation • Louis and his wife Marie Antoinette spent a lot on themselves (her nickname was “Madame Deficit”) • The king and queen spent the money on themselves

8. A Weak Leader • Louis paid little attention to advisers and big issues…he avoided the problems and did not focus on govt. duties • Instead of fixing crisis he let it happen! • Q: How to raise funds? • A: Tax wealthy • BUT – Aristocrats/Noblemen (2nd Estate) resisted and called for general meeting of all 3 estates = Estates-General • GOAL - to deal with the problems France faced

9. King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

11. Marie Antoinette’s Home Chateau Versailles

12. Marie Antoinette’s Riches

13. Estates-General: Revolution Dawns (1789) Third Estate Gets Tough! Demands National Assembly to END absolute monarchy! So, what happens? Third Estate Gets Locked Out! Moves to indoor tennis court and VOWS not to leave until a new Constitution is written – they take the “Tennis Court Oath”

14. Tennis Court Oath (1789)

15. Storming the Bastille - 1789 Louis XVI saw the Tennis Court Oath as an act of Revolution “I will end this sorry revolution, indeed.” So, Louis sent troops (Swiss mercenaries) to guard Paris. But, rumors spread that foreign troops would kill French citizens. King Louis XVI On July 14, 1789, French citizens raided a prison to get gunpowder and overthrow king’s troops. The Bastille fell to citizens. “Let us in. Yeah, now.”

16. French Citizens Storm the Bastille

18. 1789 1789 What happened? • Declaration of Rights of Man • A. Similar to America’s Declaration of Independence • B. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity • C. Women Excluded • II. Church and State -- Separation • Assembly took Church property: Church lost political influence • This angered conservative peasants – divided peasants and bourgeoisie. Why?

19. End Result of the National Assembly Increased power for legislature… National Assembly … reduced power for King King Louis XVI

20. Great Fear Sweeps France Peasants fear violence from nobles A. Did this happen? No B. What did happen? Peasants became outlaws. The king prepares an army to take control… II. Peasants marched to Versailles and demanded King and Queen come to Paris…They did. Also happening… III. Women March to Versailles Infuriated women walked 12 miles in the rain to Versailles, angry with the Royal Court’s extravagance.

21. The King and Queen Arrive in Paris

22. After two years of signing laws for the National Assembly, Louis wants to get help from foreign lands so, Louis XVI tries to escape to the Netherlands (or Austria)… BUT is caught by postmaster at near French border… … and the Royal Family is returned to Paris

23. The King and Queen Arrive in Paris

24. Louis’ Plot • Once back in Paris, Louis and family act like they are supporting the Revolution • Marie has been sending letters to Austria • War breaks out between France and Austria • Louis and Marie are seen as traitors!! • Frenchmen go crazy and attack…Louis is stripped of power and family is put in jail

25. 1792 - Despite Gains, Fear Persists Upon returning, French mobs attack King because he was aligned with foreigners. With war problems abroad, mobs feared he would re-establish control. What happens? Attack of Monarchy in Prison & 1,000 people die. • Radicals Assert Control – Jacobin Club removes the King and establishes a republic New Government = National Convention • Abolishes Monarchy • Tries King Louis XVI • Finds him…Guilty

26. King Louis XVI Executed - 1793 Off with his head

27. Guillotine - Heading chopping machine created by a doctor to be a more humane way to kill people…yes, a doctor!

28. The Guillotine • Supporters said it was: • Efficient • More humane • No pain • Opponents said it: • It was too quick to be enjoyed by public • Rather pull victims apart by horses; broken on a wheel

29. The French Revolution "Radical" Phase: 1793-1794 Also known as the Reign of Terror

30. Louis XVI as a Pig Actual cartoon of the time! • To some, the king was a traitor. • Others felt that the Revolution had gone far enough and didn’t want to execute the king [maybe exile him].

31. Marie Antoinette as a Serpent Actual cartoon of the time! The “Widow Capet”

32. October 16, 1793 Raising An Army… Robespierre was able to raise an army of 800,000 citizen soldiers - the biggest army ever assembled in Europe. …and Executing the Queen

33. Marie Antoinette on the Way to the Guillotine

34. Marie Antoinette Died in October, 1793

35. The Reign of Terror Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible. -- Robespierre Let terror be the order of the day! • The Revolutionary Tribunal of Paris alone executed 2,639 victims in 15 months. • The total number of victims nationwide was over 20,000!

36. The Reign of Terror • The political group – the Jacobin Club forms the “Committee of Public Safety” is was lead by Maximilien Robespierre. • Their objective:wipe out France’s monarchy in both present and past • How? • Execute the “unpatriotic”: between 20,000 - 40,000 are killed • Removed monarchy from playing cards • Removed Sundays from calendars • Closed Church on Sunday • Trial and execution on the same day • 85% killed were common peasants who supposedly benefited from the Revolution Maximilien Robespierre

37. Different Social Classes Executed 7% 8% 28% 25% 31%

38. End of the Terror People had grown tired of the Terror, were angry at rising food prices, and Robespierre’s new ideas/changes also… Fellow radicals – fearing their own lives and positions – turn on Robespierre and kill him so… Moderate leaders of the National Convention draft a new government – the 3rd in 6 years. Robespierre is executed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otnADq4Y0-A (Spoof recap 3:37)

39. The Arrest of Robespierre

40. The Revolution Consumes (or ate)Its Own Children! Robespierre lies woundedbefore the Revolutionary Tribunal that will order him to be guillotined, 1794.

41. The “Monster” Guillotine The last guillotine execution in France was in 1939!