"Best Book of The Year!"-Mr.Marshall

1. "Best Book of The Year!"-Mr.Marshall The French Revolution By: Farmer Bob

2. Introduction In the 1700s, France was considered the most advanced country in Europe. France was the center of the Enlightenment, but it still used the ideas left over from the middle ages. In the 1770s, the feudal system, the Old Regime, was still used in France. This system divided the people of France into three social classes, known as estates. The first estate made up only once percent of the population (the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church) and paid no taxes. The second estate also made up only one percent of the population (the nobles), and they paid almost no taxes. The third estate made up 98% of the population and were taxed very heavily. The third estate was in civil unrest. My gradma is from France

3. The Meeting of the Estates General The Meeting of the Estates General was held on May 5, 1789, at Versailles. The purpose of this meeting was to raise money for the king (France was in a financial crisis, and the king called for a tax reform). All three estates met at the palace to discuss it and vote in order, but a more than a tax reform was being questioned. The third estate wanted to change a lot of government policies to fit the Enlightenment ideas. A man named Abbe Sieyes wanted the Third Estate to meet and form their own body, the National Assembly. This act did not directly contribute to the rise of democracy, but it was the first step in the French Revolution. Wow! That’s a big room for that many people!

4. The Tennis Court Oath They have stay there until they write up a new constitution On the twentieth of June 1789, at the indoor tennis courts in the Palace of Versailles, the members of the National Assembly pledged to stay in the courts until they came up with a written constitution. This Pledge became known as the Tennis Court Oath, and the final product was the Constitution of 1791. This act, again, didn’t directly contribute to the rise of modern democracy because this constitution didn’t work too well, but this was another act of the third estate trying to reform France’s government closer to something resembling democracy.

5. The Storming of the Bastille The Storming of the Bastille Prison on July 14, 1789, was done by the members of the Third Estate of Paris. Rumors spread of foreign troops coming to slaughter French citizens, so the people stormed the Bastille to seize gunpowder. This act became the symbolic act of the French Revolution, similar to our July 4th. This act contributed to the rise of democracy because it was the first act of the people that said, “…we have the power, give us our say.” 14th of July!!

6. The March on Versailles In October 17 1789, about 6,000 Parisian women marched to the Palace of Versailles to demand bread for the starving masses of Paris. The king made a promise to go back to Paris with the angry mob, but he never would return to Versailles. This act contributed to the rise of democracy because it signaled the change of power and radical reforms to overtake France. We want bread! We want bread!

7. Reign of Terror The “Reign of Terror” was the time period in the French Revolution when Robespierre was put in charge of the Committee of Public Safety. Robespierre decided who would be named an enemy of the Republic and executed on treason. Executions were carried out on the guillotine. From July 1793 to July 1794, about 40,000 people were executed, most of them being falsely accused, and 85 percent of them being peasants. The Reign of Terror ended when Maximilian Robespierre lost his head on July 28, 1794. The Reign of Terror did not do anything to help democracy, but it made way for a brilliant leader. Mommy! I’m scared!

8. Rise of Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte was debatably one of the most brilliant leaders of all time. He was able to take France out of its revolution and he made it one of the largest powers the world has ever seen. Napoleon introduced some reforms of the revolution that stabilized France’s economy, government, and religion. Right after crowning himself emperor, he led conquests into other countries and had great military success. I think it is debatable if Napoleon contributed to democracy or not. Some of his reforms shafted citizens of basic freedoms, something usually done in a dictatorship, but he gave France what it needed to become a great democracy. Napoleon is a hottie

9. Conclusion Napoleon’s power was at a peak, and so was France’s. In an effort to control Europe, Napoleon invaded Russia. His army was crushed, and so was France’s power in Europe. Soon after, France’s newly acquired territory was lost, and the old monarchies were restored. A balance of power was put into effect so no country would ever become too powerful. All of these things happened at the congress of Vienna. In France, the monarchy was also restored, but this time as a constitutional monarchy under the rule of King Louis XVIII. Fearing that he would also be beheaded, he gave up some of his power to the constitution. That’s a lot of work for nothing

10. Resource www.members.aol.com/agentmess/frenchrev/ www.txdirect.net/users/rrichard/napoleo1.htm www.chnm.gmu.edu/revolution www.humanities.uchicago.edu/homes/mark/fr_rev.html www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook13.html www.history.hanover.edu/modern/frenchrv.htm www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/History/ /french-rev.htm www.port.ac.uk/andressd/frlinks.htm