Chapter 21 section 1

French Revolution

Fundamental Causes of the French Revolution

Divine RightSelect his ministersCensored speech & pressUsed “letters de cachet”Denied people a voice

The King

This is the time before 1789France had been divided into 3 Estates/

classes1st Estate2nd Estate3rd Estate

Old Regime

This is the time before 1789France had been divided into 3 Estates/

classes1st Estate2nd Estate3rd Estate

Old Regime

Made up of the clergy of the Roman Catholic ChurchLess than 1%

Church owned 15% of all the land in FranceCollected vast amounts of money

Rents TaxesFees

First Estate

Wealth was held by the higher clergyBishops, Archbishops, and AbbotsDid not have to pay taxes

Parish priests preformed most of the church’s workGot little pay

First Estate Continued

NobilityLess than 2 %

Paid little taxesCollected dues from peasants

Held highest positions in the army and government

Eldest sons had the right to inherit lands and titles

Second Estate

97% of the population were part of this classTop part were the Bourgeoisie

Urban middle classMerchants, Manufacturers, and professionals Educated and wealthy

Third Estate

Below the Bourgeoisie were three groupsArtisans, city workers, and rural peasantsPeasants

Largest groupFeudal dues and labor servicesHeavy Taxes – almost all the tax burdenRemained under absolute control of their landlords

and king

Third Estate Continued

Mid 1700’s discontent began to growSome of the factors that contributed to the

growing discontent was:Population growthHigher rent to the peasantsFood prices raisingWages not going up

Bourgeoisie prospered during this timeMerchants and manufacturers paying taxes

Nobles and clergy did not have to pay taxesWanted to conduct business without the

government interfering

Louis XV59 yearsLongest in French History

Debts from Louis XIV continued to growTaxes were not providing enough money

Louis would barrow from the bankers

Louis XVI succeeded Louis XVStrengthen Alliance with

Austria Married Marie- Antoinette Daughter of Maria Theresa

Debts will continue to grow due to Frances’ assistance to the United StatesAmerican RevolutionWill try to tax the fist two

estates

August 1788 called the first meeting of the Estate GeneralsVersaillesThe Cahiers – list of grievances

Each estate could express their hopes and grievances to King.

May 5, 1789First and Second Estate could outvote the

Third EstateThey wanted representatives to vote as

individualsLouis instructed them to follow the old

customsMeeting separatelyVote as one body

Meeting of the Estate Generals

Third Estate refused to obeySaid that the Estate Generals represented the

French people and not the three classesThird Estate declared itself the National

AssemblyInvited the other two classes to work with themBeginning of the French Revolution

http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution/videos/origins-of-the-french-revolution

French RevolutionChapter 21 section 2

Louis allowed the Estate Generals to meet togetherMoved troops to Paris

The people feared that Louis was going to drive out the National Assembly People took action

July 14, 1789Captured Bastille PrisonSymbol of royal oppressionLed to a new government in Paris

General LafayetteFought in the American RevolutionPeople’s Army

National Guard

New FlagRed, White, and BlueReplaced the old flag

Similar events were spreading across the landGreat fearPeasants attacked manor houses and

monasteries

National Assembly Believed that violence could be

resolved through reformsOutlawed titheCanceled all feudal duesCanceled services owed by peasantsRemoved privileges from the First and

Second estateAugust 1789 did away with feudalism in

France

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Dealt with basic Human Rights and political powers

Men are born equal and remain equal before the law

Freedom of speech, press, and religion

Guaranteed the right to a free trial

“Liberty, equality, fraternity”Slogan

FleeingÉmigrés

EmigrantsWill be trouble in years to come

Nobles would flee to Great Britain, Switzerland, and GermanyPlotting

National Assembly

1789-1791Setting up new governmentsCorrecting abuses

First it will divide the country into 83 equal districtsDepartmentsWill call for elections of local

officials

National Assembly con.Seized land owned by the Catholic Church

Sold to the publicPaid off national debt

1790Civil Constitution of the Clergy

Law that people would elect their own clergyGovernment would pay the salaries of the

bishops and priestsCatholics became opposed to the revolution

Constitution of 1791Will limit the power of the kingDivide the government into 3 branches

Executive, legislative, and judicialKing could no longer block or make lawsTax paying male-votes elected members to

a legislative bodyLegislative Assembly

Wealthy men still held the most powerLouis XVI will agree

Even though Louis XVI agreedPlotted to overthrow the new governmentÉmigrésWanted Old Regime

Louis and his family tried to escapePeople will no longer trust Louis

New constitution will go in effect for only a yearSet up a weak executive branchPowerful and inexperienced legislative branch

Legislative AssemblyDivided into 3 groups

ConservativesFelt revolution had gone far enoughKing had limited authorityRight

ModeratesNo extreme viewCenter

RadicalsWanted more drastic changes then were

proposedGet rid of king, set up republic, broad reformsLeft

Failures in war, and economic shortage led to mass uprising.Paris

Prussians vowed to destroy Paris if the Royal family was harmedRevolutionary troops

defended Paris