French Revolution

1. French Revolution

2. Section 1 On the Eve of Revolution

3. The Old Regime • 1789 France: Outdated social system (old order) • First Estate: Clergy (Church Officials) • Second Estate: Nobility • Third Estate: Majority of population (common people)

5. The Clergy • Church great influence on Europe • Wealth and privilege • Owned 10% of land • Collected tithes (taxes) but paid no taxes • Bishops, priests, nuns, monks • Condemned Enlightenment ideas • Ran schools, hospitals, orphanages

6. The Nobles • Top jobs in government, army, courts, Church • At Versailles: compete for appointments • Many nobles disliked Absolutism, took power from nobles • Did not want to lose privileges and freedom of not paying taxes

7. The Third Estate • 98% of France, 27 million people • Top: BOURGEOSIE (middle class): bankers, merchants, lawyers, doctors, artisans • Bulk of Estate (9 out of 10 people): Rural peasants • Poorest members were urban workers: Servants, factory workers, street sellers • Many unemployed: begged or criminals

8. Discontent • Resented privileges of the 2ndand 3rd Estates • Best jobs for nobles, buy jobs • Smallest rise in price of bread = starvation • Peasants burdened by taxes (land, soap, salt) • Enlightenment ideas: question old regime • Classes should pay their share

9. Economic Troubles • Social unrest + Economic woes = tensions • DEFICIT SPENDING: government’s spending more $$$ than it takes in or makes

11. The Burden of Debt • Louis XIV left France deep in debt • Wars = debt • Lavish court • 1789: half of tax income paid interest of debt • Increase taxes, reduce expenses • Nobles still did not pay taxes

12. Poor Harvests • Food prices soar, hunger to poor and city dwellers • Angry people • Peasants attack Nobles houses

13. Failure of Reform • Louis XV: Ruled from 1715-1774 • Fun before business, Debts go up • Louis XVI: Weak and indecisive • Call for reform • Estates General called to meet • Hoped to limit monarch and guarantee rights of citizens

14. Louis XVI Calls the Estates General • 1788: Verge of bankruptcy • Bread riots • Estates General meets at Versailles

15. The Estates General

16. The Cahiers • All three estates make CAHIERS (list of complaints) • Fair taxes, freedom of press, regular meetings of Estates General • “Vampires pumping the last drop of blood” • “20 million must live on half the wealth of France while the Clergy…devour the other half”

17. The Tennis Court Oath • Third Estate representatives: must own land • Listened to ideas of Voltaire, Rousseau • Deadlocked on issue of voting • Each group (estate) one vote, 1st and 2nd always overpowered 3rd Estate (2 to 1) • Wanted vote done as single group and votes all counted

18. Tennis Court Oath • Stalemate • Third Estate declare they represent France, form National Assembly • Invite other Estates to join and write a constitution (laws and rights) • Meeting hall locked • Moved to indoor tennis court • Tennis Court Oath: “never to separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution.”

20. Tennis Court Oath • Reform-minded clergy and nobles join Assembly • Louis XVI accepts itgrudgingly • Rumor of Louis XVI dissolving Assembly • Spread of Rumors and suspicion • Food shortage due to disastrous harvest

21. Storming the Bastille • July 14th, 1789 • Rumor Royal troops going to occupy Paris • 800 Parisians meet outside Bastille (fortress used as prison) • Crowds demanded weapons and gunpowder • Bastille gates shut • Enraged mob breaks into fort (commander of Bastille killed with 5 guards) • Released prisoners, no weapons found

24. REVOLUTION • Louis XVI asked if it was a revolt, noble tells him “no sire, it’s a revolution.” • Storming of Bastille symbol of French Revolution • July 14th in France a holiday, Bastille Day

25. Section 2Creating a New France • Revolution split into 4 phases • 1st: National Assembly (1789-1791) • 2nd: Constitutional Monarchy (1792-1793) • 3rd: Reign of Terror (1793-1794) • 4th: The Directory (1795-1799) • Age of Napoleon (1799-1815)

26. Revolts in Paris and the Provinces • Political crisis and worst famine in French history • Unemployment • 80% of income on bread

27. The Great Fear • Rumors ran wild • The “Great Fear” • Rumors of attacks on villages by peasants, troops were seizing crops • Peasants did attack homes of nobles, stole grain

28. Paris in Arms • Paris in turmoil • Center of revolution • FACTIONS (small groups) fought for power • Moderates: Marquis de Lafayette (hero of American Revolution and National Guard) • RED, White, and Blue Flag • Radicals: Paris Commune, replaced government • Protests, riots, violence • Spread anti-monarchy and rumors of scandalous stories about the royal family

29. Moderate Reforms • Nobles vote to end their privileges • Nobles pay taxes, end hunting rights, legal status

30. An End to Special Privilege • End of feudalism • Equality of all citizens before the law

31. Declaration of the Rights of Man • Issued by the Assembly • Similar to Declaration of Independence • Born and remain free and equal in rights (MEN) • Natural Rights • Freedom of religion • “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” • Louis XVI slow to accept changes, still enjoyed lavish lifestyle

32. Women March on Versailles • Shouted “BREAD!” • Anger at Queen, Marie Antoinette • Frivolous and extravagant • “Let them eat cake” not true • Women did not leave Versailles until King went to Paris • Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and son went to Paris (virtual prisoner)

33. The National Assembly Presses Onward • Sold church lands to pay off debts • French Catholic Church under state control • Pope condemned it, many bishops priests too • Anger between peasants and revolutionaries

34. Constitution of 1791 • National Assembly completes constitution • Limited monarchy • Legislative assembly: makes laws, collects taxes, issues of war and peace • Representatives= tax-paying male citizens • 50,000 men qualify out of 27 millions • Ended church interference and equality for men (Enlightenment ideas)

35. Louis’ Failed Flight • Many urged King to escape • June 1791: coach (carriage) rolled north from Paris towards border • King disguised as servant, Queen like a government with the royal children • Escape failed: Piece of currency with kings face on it • Soldiers took family back to Paris • Traitor to revolution

36. Reaction Outside France • Enlightenment supports: new age of justice and equality • Rulers and nobles: denounced French Revolution

37. Widespread Fears • Put troops on borders to stop “French Plague” • Horror stories from EMIGRES (nobles, clergy, and others who fled France and its revolutionary forces) • Attacks on property, religion, lives • Russia, Britain against French ideas

38. Threats From Abroad • Prussia and Austria threaten to intervene • Revolution to become more radical

39. War at Home and Abroad • Legislative Assembly lasts only a year • Money loses value, prices rise • People demand a REPUBLIC (government ruled not by a monarch, but by elected representatives) • Jacobins rise to power (Radicals)

40. War on Tyranny • Eager to spread revolution and end tyranny • War on Austria, Prussia, Britain and others • Wars go on and off from 1792 to 1815

41. Section 3Radical Days • Jacobins roamed the streets looking to end old order • Radical phase

42. The Monarchy Abolished • Wars not going well (Prussia’s well trained army) • Parisians slaughter king’s guard, royal family heads to Legislative Assembly • Citizens attack prisons and kill prisoners that were nobles and clergy

43. The French Republic • Radicals take control of Assembly • SUFFRAGE (right to vote) expands to all male citizens, not just landowners • Abolish monarchy and declare a republic • End old order

44. Death of the King and Queen • Louis XVI put on trial as traitor • Convicted by a single vote, sentenced to death • BEHEADED • Marie Antoinette also executed • Louis XVII (son) died of unknown causes in dungeon

49. The Convention Defends the Republic • France at war with most of Europe • France divide (Jacobins vs. Girondins)

50. Committee of Public Safety • Threats to France • 12 member committee w/absolute power • Spurred by revolution/enlightenment ideas • French recruits march to war • Defeat Dutch, invade Italy • Crush Peasant revolts • “Freedom Fever”