Age of Revolutions

1. Age of Revolutions • French Revolution & Napoleon

2. Factors Leading to Revolt • Economic Crisis • - Seven Years’ War: 1756-1763 • - American Revolution • Unstable Monarchy • Enlightenment Ideas • - Reform

3. On the Eve of Revolution • The death of Louis XV in 1774 brought political turmoil to France • Depleting economic system • New Tax Scheme failed (Rene Maupeou) and the French parlements were at war with each other.

4. Assembly of Notables • Charles de Calonne: 1734-1802 became the minister of finance in 1786 • New Land Tax and Internal Revenues. • In 1787, called for a meeting of the Assembly of Notables—a group of the top aristocrats in France. • The meeting backfired!

5. Estates General • The Assembly of Notables refused Calonne’s policy and demanded direct control of the government. • The Notables called for the reappointment of Necker and an Estates General. • Enlightenment established a need for REFORM … and gave aristocrats leverage.

7. The Three Estates • France’s population at the end of the 18th century was about 25 million. • 1st Estate – Clergy: only included about 100,000 owned 15% of the land but paid no taxes. They paid the don gratuit. • 2nd Estate – Nobility: around 400,000 people and owned 20% to 25% of the land. The did not pay taxes. • 3rd Estate—Everyone Else: everyone from wealthy merchants to peasants.

9. Calling of the Estates General • Louis XVI backed off, then dismissed Calonne, and replaced him with the Archbishop of Toulouse—Brienne. • But the clergy, like the aristocracy, refused the subsidy and reduced the don gratuit. • By 1788, Louis XVI capitulates and convokes the Estates General and reappoints Necker.

10. Vox Populi • “What is the Third Estate?” • - Everything; but everything shackled and oppressed • Abbe Sieyes remarks called the attention to the nobles for ACTION. • The fate of the Nation!!!

11. Voting Rights • Aristocracy attempted to limit the influence of the Third Estate. • 1. Equal number of representatives • 2. One vote per group/estate • This caused dissemination among the nobility and the people.

12. The Meeting • Versailles: May 5, 1789 • Royal council had doubled the membership of the Third Estate • - economic reform • - political reform • Cahiers de doleances - Grievances

13. National Assembly Forms • The Third Estate organized a standoff against Louis XVI. • The standoff lasted a few weeks - wanted a new legislative body. • They circumvented the Monarchy and formed a National Assembly on June 17, 1789.

14. Tennis Court Oath • On June 20, 1789 the Assembly was locked out of the meeting house. • Moved to a nearby tennis court—jeu de paume. • Members swore an oath: • - A French Constitution

17. Constituency • On June 27th Louis XVI acquiesced and called for a meeting. • The National Constituent Assembly • - composed members from each estate • - shared liberal goals for reform

18. Fall of the Bastille • Louis XVI attempts to kibosh the Assembly…dismissed Necker. • Bread Riots begin to surface. • On July 14th 800 men stormed the Bastille. • Ninety-eight died and prisoners released. • Bernard-Rene de Launay

22. The War Begins • Bastille Day was the foundation for the heated war that followed. • The Great Fear - popular urban disturbance. The peasants enter the scene. • August 4, 1789 - abolished the feudal regime.

23. Assembly moves to Paris • The National Assembly had four major goals: • 1. Constitutional monarchy • 2. Rationalism • 3 Laissez- faire economics • 4. Anticlericalism--Deism

24. The Constitution • Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen – August 27, 1789 • The Assembly, however, will not ratify the Constitution until 1791. • Political goal was to establish: • - Constitutional Monarchy • - Legislative Assembly

25. Political Changes • Active and Passive Citizens. • Only men paying annual taxes equal to three day of local labor could vote. • Status based on property, not heritage. • Split up the Provinces into Departments. • What about the Women????

28. Problems • The Civil Constitution of the Clergy • Counterrevolutionary Activity • - émigrés • On June 20, 1791 Louis XVI attempted to flee France. • Captured in Varennes on June 24.

30. Unstable Elements • Louis XVI was reluctant to change. • Resentment from the aristocracy. • Civil Constitution of the Clergy • Chapelier Law & the Declaration of Pillnitz • Workers & Peasants felt left out.

31. The Jacobins • The Constitution failed for a number of factors. • Legislative Assembly - 1791-92 • Factionalism -- The Jacobins • - wanted a republic • - Applied Rousseau’s ideas.

32. The Girondists • Jacobins who came from the department of Gironde. • Were adamantly against the counter-revolutionaries. • Jacques-Pierre Brissot (1754-1793) • Declared war on Austria - reaction against the Declaration of Pillnitz

33. The Second Wave • Deposed the Monarchy and established a Republic. • Liberty, Equality, & Brotherhood • In 1792, Paris Commune formed and the September Massacres began. • Sans-Culottes - The Convention

37. Sans-Culottes • In French “Without Breeches” basically the working man. • Left out of the Constitution…felt neglected. • Believed in shared political power and wanted to end the HUNGER!

38. A Turn of Events • The Jacobins and the sans-culottes formed the Mountain in Paris. • Main Goal was to overthrow the monarchy and establish a REPUBLIC! • In 1793, they put Louis XVI on trial for conspiring against liberty.

40. Europe At War • After the Convention executed Louis XVI on January 21, 1793--they went to war with Europe. • - Great Britain • - Holland • - Spain

42. The Terror Begins • The “Reign of Terror’ filtered out of the second wave of the revolution…Jacobins! • Main goal was to protect the new Republic • The Committee’s job was to over see affairs of France.

43. Vive la France! • The Committee of Public Safety led the way in the protection of the Republic. • - Maximilien Robespierre • - Jacques Danton • - Lazare Carnot

44. Robespierre • 1758-1794 • Left-wing Jacobin • Supported the sans culottes • Ruler during the Terror • Festival of the Supreme Being

45. To Arms!!! • Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety issued the levee en masse. • Revolutionary expectations--protect the REPUBLIC! • Robespierre answer was put terror into their hearts!

46. The Policies • Exclusion of Women from politics • De-Christianization of France • - Supreme Being • Revolutionary Tribunals against enemies of the republic • - Guillotine

49. Thermidorian Reaction • July 27, 1794 a tempering of the revolution began. • Goal was to quell the heated battles of the “Terror” • Institute rule and law: • Ban violent groups like the “Commune” • Restructure the government

50. The Directory • Constitution of the Year III (1795) • Legislature of two houses: (Bicameral) • - Council of Elders • - Council of Five Hundred • Executive Body was a five person directory.