Causes of the RevolutionCauses of the Revolution Louis XVILouis XVI was King of France in 1789. was King of France in 1789.

Louis was a kind man, but he was raised Louis was a kind man, but he was raised to beto bea king and had little knowledge of a king and had little knowledge of common people.common people.

There was a story in France that when There was a story in France that when Louis' wife, Louis' wife, Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette, heard that , heard that the people had no bread, she said,the people had no bread, she said,"Let them eat cake.“"Let them eat cake.“

Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette never said that, but it never said that, but it shows how little the royal family knew shows how little the royal family knew about life for the common people of about life for the common people of France.France.

Causes of the RevolutionCauses of the Revolution In the 1780s, the nation had endured a In the 1780s, the nation had endured a

long, hard winter and most of the crops long, hard winter and most of the crops were lost. The treasury was bankrupt were lost. The treasury was bankrupt after supporting America in their after supporting America in their revolution.revolution.

Louis had to raise money. He could not Louis had to raise money. He could not tax the peasants, because they had no tax the peasants, because they had no money, so he had to tax the aristocrats money, so he had to tax the aristocrats and the middle class.and the middle class.

Louis knew the people would revolt if he Louis knew the people would revolt if he raised taxes on his own, so he asked the raised taxes on his own, so he asked the Estates General to advise him. Estates General to advise him.

Louis XVI Needed HelpLouis XVI Needed Help

Estates-GeneralEstates-General For several hundred years, the Estates- For several hundred years, the Estates-

General was an assembly that General was an assembly that represented the "estates," or classes in represented the "estates," or classes in France.France.

The Estates-General advised the king The Estates-General advised the king on difficult decisions but no French king on difficult decisions but no French king had called the Estates General in 179 had called the Estates General in 179 years.years.

The Estates-General voted as a class.The Estates-General voted as a class.

The first class was the clergy and the The first class was the clergy and the second was the nobility.second was the nobility.

A third class was made up of the A third class was made up of the "middle class," a group shopkeepers "middle class," a group shopkeepers and craftsmen who were neither rich and craftsmen who were neither rich nor poor. nor poor.

90 % of the Population

First Estate

Second Estate

Third Estate

Clergy

Nobility

Middle Class and Peasants

French SocietyFrench Society

National AssemblyNational Assembly

The Third Estate was hoping for reform to the The Third Estate was hoping for reform to the government and to make needed changes. government and to make needed changes.

Louis tried to make the Third Estate go away by Louis tried to make the Third Estate go away by locking the doors of their meeting hall. They locking the doors of their meeting hall. They went to a nearby tennis court and took an oath went to a nearby tennis court and took an oath not to disband until they had a constitution. not to disband until they had a constitution. (Tennis Court Oath) (Tennis Court Oath)

The Third Estate now called themselves the The Third Estate now called themselves the National Assembly and invited the 2National Assembly and invited the 2ndnd and 1 and 1stst Estates to join them.Estates to join them.

The People Revolt!The People Revolt!

On July 14, 1789, the middle class attacked the On July 14, 1789, the middle class attacked the Bastille. The Bastille was a prison where weapons Bastille. The Bastille was a prison where weapons were stored. The middle class now had the power to were stored. The middle class now had the power to rule France and the French Revolution had begun. rule France and the French Revolution had begun.

Results of the RevolutionResults of the Revolution

Louis remained King but had little Louis remained King but had little authority. The National Assembly now authority. The National Assembly now controlled France. Louis was moved from controlled France. Louis was moved from his palace in Versailles to Paris- where he his palace in Versailles to Paris- where he would be safer from attack. would be safer from attack.

ReformReform

The storming of the Bastille saved the The storming of the Bastille saved the National Assembly and doomed the Old National Assembly and doomed the Old Regime.Regime.

Late in the summer of 1789, the National Late in the summer of 1789, the National Assembly voted to end feudalism, Assembly voted to end feudalism, mandatory tithes and special privileges of mandatory tithes and special privileges of the nobles and the clergy.the nobles and the clergy.

It also passed the It also passed the Declaration of the Rights Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.of Man and the Citizen.

ReformReform

In the next two years, the National Assembly In the next two years, the National Assembly passed more than 2,000 new laws.passed more than 2,000 new laws.

In 1791, has first constitution based on a In 1791, has first constitution based on a separation of powers. separation of powers.

An elected assembly became the legislative An elected assembly became the legislative branch. A system of courts acted as a judicial branch. A system of courts acted as a judicial branch, and the King was the executive branch.branch, and the King was the executive branch.

The people finally had a say in their government.The people finally had a say in their government.

The Second French Revolution The Second French Revolution (1792)(1792)

Prussian and Austrian armies attack France Prussian and Austrian armies attack France and the revolution is in peril of the absolute and the revolution is in peril of the absolute monarchy being restored by foreign powers. monarchy being restored by foreign powers.

Radical reformers wanted to remove the King Radical reformers wanted to remove the King and establish a new republic based on Virtue. and establish a new republic based on Virtue.

Meanwhile, angry mobs attacked the new Meanwhile, angry mobs attacked the new government and the royal family becomes government and the royal family becomes prisoners of the new government. prisoners of the new government.

Reform and TerrorReform and TerrorThe National Convention is created The National Convention is created

and abolished the Constitution of 1791 and abolished the Constitution of 1791

France becomes a republic France becomes a republic (Constitution of 1793). (Constitution of 1793).

The National Convention places the The National Convention places the radicals (Liberals/ Left) in control of radicals (Liberals/ Left) in control of the Government. the Government.

Many New ChangesMany New Changes

Torture and arbitraryimprisonment were abolished

Property owned by the church was seized

The highest ranks of the militarywere now open to people of every class

The people elected judges for short periods of time

What happened to King Louis What happened to King Louis XVI?XVI?

Louis tried to escape Louis tried to escape France, but he was France, but he was captured and captured and returned to Paris.returned to Paris.

In January, 1793, In January, 1793, Louis XVI and his Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette wife, Marie Antoinette were beheaded for a were beheaded for a "multitude of crimes." "multitude of crimes."

RobespierreRobespierre

In 1789 Robespierre was a delegate to the In 1789 Robespierre was a delegate to the Estates-General.Estates-General.

The Jacobin Club was an extremist group The Jacobin Club was an extremist group that advocated exile or death for the that advocated exile or death for the nobility and royalty.nobility and royalty.

Slowly they are put into positions of power Slowly they are put into positions of power and the Revolution enters its bloody phase. and the Revolution enters its bloody phase.

RobespierreRobespierre

Robespierre was a young lawyer and member of the Robespierre was a young lawyer and member of the Bourgeoisie. Bourgeoisie.

He was a great admirer of the teaching of Rousseau, He was a great admirer of the teaching of Rousseau, that the people are the voice of the government. that the people are the voice of the government.

He led the Committee of Public Safety whose task it He led the Committee of Public Safety whose task it was to keep the revolution safe and determine who was to keep the revolution safe and determine who the enemies were – and execute them. the enemies were – and execute them.

The TerrorThe Terror

Robespierre unleashed a reign of terror Robespierre unleashed a reign of terror to destroy his enemies in France.to destroy his enemies in France.

As many as 40,000 people were As many as 40,000 people were executed in the Reign of Terror.executed in the Reign of Terror.

It was said the blood ran ankle deep in It was said the blood ran ankle deep in the heart of Paris.the heart of Paris.

The Terror EndsThe Terror EndsAs the threat of foreign invasion declined, As the threat of foreign invasion declined,

many of the moderates argued that the many of the moderates argued that the Terror had gone too far. Terror had gone too far.

Robespierre enemies executed him and Robespierre enemies executed him and

12 of his followers and ended the terror. 12 of his followers and ended the terror.

The Bourgeois then formed the The Bourgeois then formed the Directory,Directory,

which creates a moderate government which creates a moderate government and tries to restore order in France.and tries to restore order in France.