French Revolution Project

1. By: Joseph Goley Max Platin Daniel Wren French Revolution Project

2. The Moderate Phase Women March to Versailles The Women’s March on Versailles was an act of angry protest from the people of the Third Estate. They were frustrated with the lack of aid they were receiving from the king during the moderate phase. Famine, as well little money to spend escalated the issue driving them to storm the kings caste. They wanted to bring him back to Paris so they would have more control over him and his actions.

3. The October Days (1789) “One of the conspirators aimed his piece at her, but, shocked at the enormity of the crime he had planned, he did not dare to consummate it… Several persons insisted that the King should come and live in Paris and the mob repeated loudly "We want the King in Paris." La Fayette remarked that the only way to calm the disorder was for the King to agree to the wish of the people to see him residing in the Capital. The King accordingly promised to go to Paris on the same day on condition of being accompanied by the Queen and his family. He begged the people to spare the lives of his Bodyguard. La Fayette added his entreaty to that of the King.” • This piece of writing from the October Days (1789) demonstrates the frustration and anger the urban poor of France were experiencing during the moderate phase. They were angered with the way the Royal family lived in Versailles while they were barely surviving in Paris. As a result, they stormed the kings castle in Versailles with the intention of assassinating him, but agreed to allow the King to return to his old castle in Paris instead. Here, the urban poor could keep a close eye on him and he would have a better perspective on the world outside of Versailles . This document helps convey the emotions of the protesters and how they were willing to go to great lengths to get what they wanted. They wanted drastic change and felt the king was doing nothing to help and as a result finally acted.

4. The Women’s Petition After the March to Versailles, the women brought back a petition demanding equality between men and women. The petition was well enforced after the Women’s March to Versailles proved that women indeed have the potential to defeat men.

5. Women's March to Versailles. "Vanguard of Women going to Versailles" Publicity about political machinations, coupled with the continued high price of bread, mobilized market women and encouraged many men to support them. They hoped to fetch the King and his family to end attempts against the Revolution and stabilize prices. This action was so threatening to the middle class elite that Lafayette, head of the Parisian National Guard, tried first to dissuade the marchers and then belatedly followed them to try to control the situation. The picture above demonstrates the women's evolvement in the moderate phase. In the picture itself women in the group can be seen with weapons and signs showing that they want fair treatment. This picture is important to the moderate phase because it showed to the leaders of France that the women of France would not sit back and take unfair treatment.

6. The Radical PhaseRobespierre Influences France The French Captured King Louis XVI and demanded a constitution. The French eventually got their republic. To get all enemies out of the way the king and his wife were both sentenced to death. Maximilien Robespierre, his Jacobin allies and the Committee of Public Safety began fighting for France to return to being a monarchy. In the fight over 40,000 died. The people of France eventually did win and everyone who apposed the new republic was sentenced to death. This event had huge impact on France in similar ways that 9/11 did on America, it brought the nation on its knees and eventually brought it together to stand for its values.

7. Robespierre, "Speech Denouncing the New Conditions of Eligibility," 22 October 1789 All citizens, whoever they are( still, however, excluding women), have the right to aspire to all levels of office-holding. Nothing is more in line with your declaration of rights, according to which all privileges, all distinctions, all exceptions must disappear. The Constitution establishes that sovereignty resides in the people, in all the individuals of the people. Each individual therefore has the right to participate in making the law which governs him and in the administration of the public good which is his own. If not, it is not true that all men are equal in rights, that every man is a citizen. • This document is important in understanding Robespierre’s political policies and how they effected France and its citizens. Of the groups, however, I believe this document affects the women of France the most. They had just won their first rights for themselves in the recent constitutional reform, but, lost them due to Robespierre’s sexist views. According to Robespierre, the women of France belonged in the home and not in politics. The women were mortified but unfortunately, could do nothing to reverse his actions once he created The Declaration of the Rights of Man.

8. French Constitution of 1791 The Constitution written in 1791 made by the National Assembly created a new voice for people in France. The main point of this document was to end the ways government decided things. Instead of voting with a three chamber one vote process, the National Assembly created the idea of a one chamber one vote process. This means that everyone had a say in changes made in government.

9. Declaration of the Rights of Man The Declaration of the Rights of Man is a document stating the natural rights all/individual men possess. These theories come from that of the period of Enlightenment. The most influential philosopher was John Locke as the main ideal of the declaration is the people know best. These rights include that all men are created equal. Every man has the natural right to life, liberty and property. The document states that the government’s job is to protect and secure these rights for all of their land’s men to be able to follow.

10. The Return to “Normalcy”Napoleon Takes Power The return to normalcy in France was initiated by Napoleon, which turned around France’s poor economy. Napoleon made many changes and reforms as Emperor such as changing the governments thoughts on how to function from more liberty than order to more order than liberty. This along with many other radical changes turned France around and returned them to normalcy.

11. The Napoleon Experience “Napoleon steadily gained support for the new regime by promising a regime of law and order and by making peace with the Catholic Church and its head, the pope. Although probably not motivated by personal religious conviction, he did believe that good relations with the Catholic Church were essential to maintaining order and guaranteeing his own legitimacy. Some conflicts over religion continued, but the pope had granted Napoleon more or less everything he wanted in exchange for bringing France back into the Catholic fold.” • This document emphasizes the importance of the relation between Napoleon and the Catholic Church. Napoleon knew the Church could still have significant positive influence over his rise in power if he were to include them in his domestic policies. Thus, he took advantage of the Church’s lack of power and promised in return for its support the bringing of France back into the Catholic fold. This document is crucial for understanding the importance of the Church to Napoleon, even after it had been put under state control.

12. Napoleon Becoming Emperor "A Grateful France Proclaims Napoleon the First Emperor of the French" In this engraving, Roman and contemporary themes are combined to glorify the new emperor. The absence of any clear representation of revolutionary liberty shows Napoleon moving away from the events of the preceding decade. This picture captures an image of the Return to Normalcy in France. The image showing Napoleon becoming Emperor of France represents the start of change. When Napoleon was officially Emperor a new hope emerged in the People of France and this picture displays it. As Napoleon is trying to navigate the streets of Paris on his chariot through mobs of people, two women approach the chariot to give him a gift. Everyone in the picture is celebrating and happy because they knew change was coming. Most of France felt this way at the time and with this amount of support Napoleon was able to start turning around the French economy.

13. Napoleon’s Change 10 November, 1799 (19 Brumaire, Year VIII) On my return to Paris, I found division among all the authorities, and agreement upon only one point: that the Constitution was half destroyed and could not save liberty. All parties came to me, confided to me their plans, disclosed their secrets, and asked for my support. I refused to be one party's man. The Council of Elders summoned me, and I went. An outline for general restoration had been planned by the men who the nation has become accustomed to regarding as the defenders of liberty, equality, and property. This plan needed to be looked at calmly, freely and away from any influences or fears. Consequently, the Council of Elders decided to transfer the Legislative Body to Saint-Cloud, and gave me control over the forces necessary to ensure its independence. I believed it my duty to accept the command, for my fellow citizens, for the soldiers being killed in our armies, and for the national glory acquired at the cost of their blood. This article demonstrates how important Napoleon was to the Return of Normalcy. Napoleon states in the article that is open to all ideas by stating that he is not “One parties man.” He also talked about how he was summoned by The Council of Elders to help them change the way French government worked. By being open to all ideas Napoleon demonstrated how willing he was to listen to his people and how important his countries change was to him. And by being summoned by The Council of Elders it is demonstrated that his opinion was highly regarded and thought of.

14. Bibliography • The monarchy falls 3-2-10http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap6d.html (typed doc) • http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/searchfr.php?function=find&keyword=the+october+days&x=0&y=0# 3-2-10(typed doc) • Picture of Napoleon 3-1-10 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/David-Napoleon.png(pic) • Picture of the bastille 2-28-10 http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/explorers_history/French_Revolution_Storming_the_Prise_de_la_Bastille.jpg (pic) • Wpomens March on Versilles 3-1-10 http://jspivey.wikispaces.com/file/view/womens_march_on_versailles.jpg/99230949/womens_march_on_versailles.jpg (pic)

15. Bibliography II Napoleons Revoltion 3-1-10 http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap9b.html (typed doc) Napoleons Revoltuin 3-2-10 http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/283/ (typed doc) Battle 3-2-10 http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/197/(pic) French revoltuion 3-2-10 http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/461/ (typed doc) Battle 3-1-10 http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/539/ (pic)

16. Bibliography III "French Revolution." Napoleon Guide. 1999. 2/27/10. <http://www.napoleonguide.com/revolt.htm >. "Of the 1791." Online Image. UNESCO. 2/27/10. <http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/8085/11636665153e1_big.jpg/e1_big.jpg > "Women's Petition to The National Assembly." Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. 2/27/10. <http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/629/ > "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of of the Citizen of 1789." Online Image. EndrTimes. 9/27/10. <http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wikiwak.com/image/Declaration%2Bof%2BHuman%2BRights.jpg&imgrefurl=http://endrtimes.blogspot.com/2010/01/declaration-of-rights-of-man-and-of.html&h=760&w=566&sz=179&tbnid=avtEf46zSabokM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=106&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddeclaration%2Bof%2Bthe%2Brights%2Bof%2Bman&hl=en&usg=__1RFiqyTV_UA0N_QmQ9wIcMf_vGM=&ei=_HONS9L6HIHaNf2lyW4&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=13&ct=image&ved=0CDIQ9QEwDA >. "Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, 26 August 1789." Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. 9/28/10. <http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/295/ >