The French Revolution Part 1

1. The French Revolution Part 1

2. Introduction • In the first stage of the revolution there are three important questions that need to be addressed • 1. What were the causes of the revolution • 2. What were the goals and ideals of the revolution • 3. Which groups gained and lost the most

3. The old regime • The population of France (approx. 25 mil.) was divided into three estates • The First Estate: The clergy, 100,000 total but they owned 10 % of the land and placed a tithe on the people (they paid only a voluntary “gift” once every 5 years) • The Second Estate: The Nobles 400,000 total. “Those who fought” the privilege of their birth meant they paid a minimal tax but they owned 25% of the land and taxed the people to hunt and fish

4. The Third Estate • EVERYONE ELSE (divided into 3 groups) • The Bourgeoisie (middle class from shop keepers to doctors) • City workers (skilled and unskilled) • Agricultural labor • Peasants (who owned their own small plots) • Serfs

5. Contemporary Propaganda

6. The Crisis of the Monarchy • Louis XV (1715-1774) and Louis XVI (1774-1792) were both weak rulers who were unable to deal with the growing debt of the country • Reasons? (American Revolution, corruption, antiquated tax system, Louis XIV legacy) • Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette (Austria) who became a hated figure to the people

7. A New Plan • Louis XVI’s finance minister proposed a radical solution to the financial crisis • A new tax on land that applied to all regardless of social class • The nobility felt that this undermined their position and resisted claiming that only the Estates-General could approve taxes(it had not met since 1614) • Believed they would win any vote…

8. The Revolutions of 1789 • The calling of the Estates-General set into motion social and political forces that the King could not control • Decades of class conflict will now play out (Aristocracy v. Bourgeoisie) • The alliance of Bourgeoisie and the lower classes radicalized the revolution • The immediate causes: faltering monarchy, the writings of the philosophes and a famine that added to the general misery in 1788

9. The Estates General Becomes the National Assembly • The debate over voting • The 3rd estate had 2x as many representatives but was unable to effect any changes due to the fact that voting was by house not by head • The third estate refused to meet as a separate order and finally on June 1st invited their liberal allies in the 1st and second estates to sit with them in a new legislative body called the National Assembly

10. The Tennis Court Oath • When the National Assembly finds themselves locked out of their meeting room they move to the tennis court and take the Tennis Court Oath pledging not to disband until they have received a constitution for France • The majority of the clergy and many nobles soon join them and the King gives in • Louis orders the the three estates to meet as the National Assembly and vote by head

11. The fall of the Bastille • Louis attempts to regain political initiative (allied with conservative nobles) by mustering troops outside Versailles • He might have wanted to disperse the National Assembly • The people of Paris agitated by troops and lack of food began to organize a militia and marched to the Bastillefor arms (symbolic meaning)

12. July 14, 1789 • A crowd of 800 rushed the Bastille, killed the commander (and a few soldiers) and released 7 prisoners • Also killed the Mayor of Paris • The Marquis de Lafayette assumes command of the militia • The King dispersed his troops at Versailles and the National Assembly was saved

13. The Great Fear • As news of the fall of the Bastille spread there were reports of peasant uprisings in the countryside • August 2, 1789 many nobles killed in their beds feudal documents were burned • In some cases the violence touched the middle class as well • Many Nobles fled France and became Emigres

14. The Declaration of the rights of Man and Citizen • The National Assembly was forced to respond to the outbreak of violence • August 4th 1789 they eliminated feudalism • August 27th they issued a document with a very American flavor • Ex: Men are born free and remain free and equal in rights (liberty, property, security, resistance to opposition) • Government belongs to the people

15. The march on Versailles • In October of 1789 before a constitution could be drafted Parisian women marched 12 miles to Versailles to demand food • Spurred to action by Marat (editor of “The Friend of the People) and their hunger Parisian women demanded action from both the National Assembly and the King • When they arrived they were looking for Marie Antoinette (slaughtered a few of her guards) • The National Guard under Lafayette saved the Royals but they were forced back to Paris and their bread stores were seized

16. The consolidation of the liberal revolution • Major reforms of the National Assembly • Abolished the French nobility as a legal order • The Constitution of 1791 (limited monarchy) • King remains head of state but lawmaking was placed in the hands of the National Assembly (elected by males who met a monetary requirement) • Country divided into 83 departments • Reformed the economy (no more monopolies)

17. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy • One of the great failures of this stage of the revolution (liberal nature of the NA led to Church being treated badly) • Confiscated Church land and sold them for financial stability • Made priests swear loyalty oaths to the Revolutionary government • No longer allowed to tax (tithe) • Priests chosen by voters, paid by government in a new state run church