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Economic Crisis of 1780s

1780s—Bad weather Poor harvests Peasants 90% of population 75% Landless Want end of feudal obligations Lower Taxes Urban workers Higher bread prices 60% of wages go to food. Economic Crisis of 1780s. France on the Eve of Revolution. Economic crisis War and debt:

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Economic Crisis of 1780s

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  1. 1780s—Bad weather Poor harvests Peasants 90% of population 75% Landless Want end of feudal obligations Lower Taxes Urban workers Higher bread prices 60% of wages go to food Economic Crisis of 1780s

  2. France on the Eve of Revolution • Economic crisis • War and debt: • Louis XIV (1643-1715)—series of wars—Spanish Succession • Louis XV (1715-1774)—Austrian Succession; 7 Years’ War • Louis XVI (1774-1792)– American Revolution • Intransigence of aristocracy • Growing Influence of Nobles • Defense of Feudal privileges and seigneurial rights • No taxation • Privileges of the clergy • Various royal schemes to raise money • Finance Ministers like Necker and Calonne attempt to wrest power and money from Aristocracy • Nobles push for calling of Estates General to decide new taxes

  3. The French Revolution • Origins: Failure of the old regime • Significance: A new Europe • A Revolution Unfolds • Estates General • “Doubling the Third” • Abbe E. Sieyes What is the Third Estate? • “liberty, equality, fraternity” • National Assembly & Tennis Court Oath • 14 July 1789: Storming the Bastille

  4. Last called in 1614 Noble Aspirations Structure of Estates First Estate: Clergy Second Estate: Nobility Third Estate: Everyone else Debate over Voting Procedures A) Tradition– each estate same number of reps B) Tradition—by Estate C) Voting by head Decision May 1789: “Doubling of the Third” Number of Representatives doubles in Third Estate Voting still remains by Estate Estates General

  5. 14 July 1789: Storming the Bastille

  6. “Storming of Bastille” Popular Fears of Royal Plot Historic function: Prison Popular Beliefs: Armory & Prison 14 July 1789 Royal troops kill 98 people Significance? “Great Fear” Rioting throughout rural France Peasants anger toward Noble Lords Consequences National Assembly 4 August 1789 Renunciation of Feudal Privileges End of Feudal Obligations All French subject to same Laws The Summer of 1789:Revolutionary Activity in City and Countryside

  7. Language of Revolution • August 4, 1789: Civic Equality • Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen, 27 August 1789 • March to Versailles, October 1789 • Administrative reforms: Departments • Civil Constitution of the Clergy, 1790 • Constitution of 1791 • Active vs. Passive Citizenship • Olympes de Gouges Declaration of the Rights of Women

  8. The King’s Dilemma • June 20, 1791: Flees Paris, “Flight to Varennes” • Reluctantly approves constitution • Louis XVI as duplicitous monarch • Plotting counter-revolution with Austria & Prussia to defeat French Revolutionaries • April 1792 declaring war on Austria then Prussia • Hopes of French Defeat • August 10, 1792: Arrested for treason • September 22, 1792: France declared a republic

  9. French Revolution Assembly of Notables convened Estates General convened (May 5) National Assembly declared (June 17) Tennis Court Oath (June 20) Fall of the Bastille (July 14) Great Fear (Summer) Nobles Surrender Feudal Rights (Aug. 4) Decl. Of Rights of Man & Citizen (Aug. 27) October Days Louis XVI executed Committee of Public Safety est. Levée en masse Marie Antoinette executed Women’s clubs banned Cult of Reason Proclaimed Napoleon’s Coup d’état Civil Constitution of the Clergy France declares war on Austria September Massacres Republic Established (Sept.) Directory est. Execution of Robespierre Royal family flees Constitution established Constitutional Reforms 1789-1791 Republic: Aug. ‘92-Jl ’94 Thermidorian Reaction: ‘94-’99 Constitutional Monarchy: Sept. 1791 -- Aug. 1792 Reign of Terror June ‘93 - Jl ‘94 Economic Crisis 1787 1791 1793 1799 1789 1790 1792 1794 1795

  10. Cultural Revolution and the Creation of a Republic of Virtue • Convention to “republicanize everything” • Music—the national anthem “The Marseillaise” • Festivals to celebrate the Revolution and the new Republic • Festival of Federation (14 July); Festival of Unity (10 August) • Flags—the Tricolor (red, white, and blue)—July 1789 • 1793: the mandatory cockade • Patriotic Symbols: Marianne and the Personification of Liberty • Language—Patriots used informal ‘tu’ • New Calendar honoring reason and republicanism replace Christian calendar • New standards of measurement based on reason and decimals: metric system

  11. The Final Step: End of the Royal Family • Louis XVI (“citizen Capet”) tried for treason and executed on 21 January 1793. • The queen, Marie Antoinette, follow her husband to the guillotine in October. • The dauphin dies in prison in 1794

  12. The Republic of Virtue, the Marseillaise, & the levée en masse Allons enfants de la PatrieLe jour de gloire est arrivé.Contre nous, de la tyrannie,L'étandard sanglant est levé,l'étandard sanglant est levé,Entendez-vous, dans la compagnes.Mugir ces farouches soldatsIls viennent jusque dans nos brasEgorger vos fils, vos compagnes. Chorus: Aux armes citoyens!Formez vos bataillons,Marchons, marchons!Qu'un sang impurAbreuve nos sillons. Amour sacré de la Patrie,Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs,Liberté, liberté cherie,Combats avec tes defénseurs;Combats avec tes défenseurs.Sous drapeaux, que la victoireAcoure à tes mâles accents;Que tes ennemis expirantsVoient ton triomphe et notre gloire! Chorus: Aux armes citoyens! Let us go, children of the fatherlandOur day of Glory has arrived.Against us stands tyranny,The bloody flag is raised,The bloody flag is raised.Do you hear in the countrysideThe roar of these savage soldiers They come right into our armsTo cut the throats of your sons,your country. Chorus: To arms, citizens!Form up your battalions Let us march, Let us march!That their impure bloodShould water our fields Sacred love of the fatherlandGuide and support our vengeful arms.Liberty, beloved liberty,Fight with your defenders;Fight with your defenders.Under our flags, so that victoryWill rush to your manly strains;That your dying enemiesShould see your triumph and glory Chorus: To arms, citizens!

  13. External and Internal Threats Foreign enemies: Prussia, Austria, Spain, the Dutch Republic and Great Britain Counter-revolutionaries—nobles, clergy, “subversives” Rampant inflation and food shortages National Convention’s 3 Goals: Win external war “levée en masse”—National Army Win internal war that threatened stability of nation Stabilize economy by implementing price controls and higher wages Result: Martial Law Appointment of Committee for Public Safety Terror Protecting the Republic of Virtue: The Terror

  14. Conserving the revolution: The Thermidorean Reaction • Death of Robespierre (28 July—the 9th of Thermidor) • 1794-1799: Thermidorean Reaction • Weariness of Revolution and Turning back Changes • Undoing the Machine of Terror • Continuing Instability and Uncertainty in Politics (spectrum of possibilities) • Ongoing War with European States

  15. New Constitutional Government: The Directory Convention: 2 Legislative Houses: Upper Body--Council of Elders Lower Body– Council of 500 Executive: 5 Man Directory Elected from Council of Elders What’s Changed from Previous Assemblies Rejection of Democracy and Radical Republicanism Reassertion of Property Qualifications Return of Middle Class Liberals Removal of Sans-Culottes Rejection of Radical Republicanism, “White” reaction Return to Traditions of Family and Church

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