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French

Revolution. French. France in the late 18 th century was aristocratic with some remaining vestiges of feudalism Socially, France is divided into three Estates. First Estate: Clergy ½% of the population 10% of the land Exempt from taxes-voted a small ‘gift’ to the government each year

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French

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  1. Revolution French

  2. France in the late 18th century was aristocratic with some remaining vestiges of feudalism Socially, France is divided into three Estates

  3. First Estate: Clergy ½% of the population 10% of the land Exempt from taxes-voted a small ‘gift’ to the government each year Peasants mostly loyal to the Church but bourgeois has anticlerical views of the Philosophes

  4. Second Estate: Nobles 2% of population 20% of land Exempt from taxes Have a monopoly on army commissions and high ecclesiastical office

  5. Nobility broken into different groups Hereditary nobles some going back to Middle ages Given by king for reward Nobles of the Sword

  6. Nobles of the Robe Often purchased title Often wealthier than old nobles Lowest level: hobereaux “little Falcolns” Had working estates Collect every possible feudal dues from the peasants

  7. Third Estate: Everyone else – 98% of population 50% of land From wealthiest businessman to poorest peasant 1730’s-1780’s: prices rise 65% wages rise 22%

  8. Individual rights depended on what group you were in Politically not as important with absolute ruler Estates General had not met since 1614

  9. 4/5 of the people were rural Peasants worked their own land or rented land

  10. Nobles did have some privileges Often a monopoly over the mill, bakeshop, winepress Collect usage fees-banalites

  11. Eminent Property: On all lands in the manorial village Lesser land owners owned their lands but had to pay an annual rent Also transfer fees if land changed owner due to sale or inheritance

  12. France is a land of small farmers who own land or rent from lords, bourgeois, or Church Most Manorial Lords do not work their lands but simply collect fees Peasants come to resent the fees

  13. Middle class is unhappy because they see a ceiling on how high they can rise View the Nobles as the obstacle to middle class advancement into government and receiving honors

  14. As a centralized nation France already had a sense of nationalism All a reformer had to do was capture this feeling and re-focus it Revol ution

  15. Influence of the Philosophes is limited since they are read by the bourgeios but not the masses Rousseau

  16. Information to the masses often dispersed by pamphlet • Write about: • American Constitution • Rumors of court scandals • Government corruption • Outrageous behavior of Nobles against commoners

  17. The trigger that sets off the revolution is the financial crisis The problem is not the cost of the royal court – only 5% of budget

  18. ¼ of budget went to the military ½ of budget went to pay debt from loans to pay off wars Revenues not high enough to meet expenses Taxes only paid by 3rd Estate

  19. Many officials see the need for tax reform Jacques Necker-director of Finance Tries to tax first two estates He is fired

  20. Both of Necker’s successors attempt reform and are stopped. Louis recalls Necker who urges Louis to call Estates General

  21. Estates General is to meet in separate chambers Each Estate gets one vote Most members of the 3rd Estate are bourgeois: lawyers, doctors, shopkeepers, artisans, merchants

  22. 3rd Estate walks out and meets at the tennis courts next door They declare themselves the National Assembly Swear not to disband until they have drafted a constitution: The Tennis Court Oath June 20, 1789

  23. Tennis Court Oath

  24. Louis has to pick sides and take action He chooses the Nobles This is opposite French tradition of the last 200 years where the king has sided with the bourgeois against the nobles

  25. While siding with the Nobles, he does nothing to stop the 3rd Estate 3rd Estate not worried about a return to absolute rule They fear rule by nobles and increased manorial dues

  26. In rural France the peasants are ready to explode Last few harvests have been bad Bread prices highest in last 20 years Peasants refusing to pay manorial due and taxes

  27. People of Paris mad when Necker is fired, again Also worried about troops at Versailles Start to arm themselves

  28. Go to get more guns and powder at the Bastille July 14, 1789 Bastille is arsenal/prison People storm the building, kill the guards and the governor

  29. October 5, 1789 Women of Paris march to Versailles to bring the royal family back to Paris

  30. The Great Fear of 1789 In rural areas rumors spread of brigands hired by nobles to destroy crops Peasants arm and combine for their protection

  31. When nothing happens, these groups having been whipped into a frenzy, attack manors destroying all records of dues and fees. They also attack manor lords

  32. The Assembly works to address demands of the peasants Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens Principles: rule of law equal citizenship sovereignty of the people freedom of thought law must fall on all equally taxes by common consent

  33. Constitution of 1791

  34. Borrows from Montesquieu Separation of powers Most power held by unicameral, elected legislature A judicial branch is set up to replace the parlements

  35. King is left with only suspensive veto- Can only delay a law for up to four years Now called King of the French

  36. Under the equality of the new Constitution Women still can’t vote

  37. Under the constitution males are divided into two groups Active and passive citizens Males over 25 and able to pay a small direct tax were active ½ of all males qualified

  38. France divided into 83 departments Active citizens chose electors who gathered in each department to choose deputies to the assembly

  39. Economic policies • To help solve debt problem the government confiscates all church property-the government sells some of this land • To promote free trade and competition, government abolishes guilds

  40. Conflict with the Church Confiscation of church property meant loss of income hurts church schools Revolution wants to control religion

  41. Civil Constitution of the Clergy *redrew the ecclesiastical map-reduced the # of bishopics by 1/3 to correspond with the new departments *Clergy elected by the people and paid by the state

  42. *rejects papal authority no religious vow but instead an oath of loyalty to the constitution

  43. Many priests and church officials refuse to do this Have two Churches: *one official state church *one underground ‘refractory’ clergy

  44. Most of France prefers the old church Assembly can’t win: *allow refractory clergy to continue they look weak & hurt the new church *persecute the old church and stir up its supporters including most of the peasant and working class

  45. Like the American Revolution, the French Revolution inspires other groups – mostly excluded classes that seek to copy the French

  46. In Belgium a revolt breaks out against the privileged class who were revolting against the Austrians The Irish revolt against the British Inspires new young writers like Hegel in Germany and Wordsworth in England

  47. Hegel Wordsworth

  48. The writings of Hegel and Wordsworth form the basis of everyone's favorite group: The Transcendentalists

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