French RevolutionFrench Revolution

French Revolution 1789French Revolution 1789

Main Idea- Economic & Social in the Old Main Idea- Economic & Social in the Old Regime helped cause the French RevolutionRegime helped cause the French Revolution

Why it Matters Now- Throughout history Why it Matters Now- Throughout history Economic & Social Inequalities have led Economic & Social Inequalities have led people to revolt against their governmentspeople to revolt against their governments

Setting the StageSetting the Stage

1700’s –France is the most advanced 1700’s –France is the most advanced country in Europecountry in Europe

Great unrest caused by high prices, taxes, Great unrest caused by high prices, taxes, & questions raised by the Enlightenment & questions raised by the Enlightenment ideas of Rousseau & Voltaireideas of Rousseau & Voltaire

The Old RegimeThe Old Regime -system of feudalism left over from the Middle Ages-system of feudalism left over from the Middle Ages Social classes are called EstatesSocial classes are called Estates Privileged estatesPrivileged estates 11stst- Roman Catholic Church- Roman Catholic Church 22ndnd Nobles Nobles Third Estate- 98% pop.Third Estate- 98% pop. 11stst Bourgeoisie – merchants & artisans Bourgeoisie – merchants & artisans 22ndnd- Workers, cooks, servants ect.- Workers, cooks, servants ect. 33rdrd 80% -Peasants- half their money went to taxes 80% -Peasants- half their money went to taxes

The French Monarchy:The French Monarchy:1775 - 17931775 - 1793

Marie Antoinette & Louis Marie Antoinette & Louis XVIXVI

Forces of ChangeForces of Change Enlightenment IdeasEnlightenment Ideas Equality, Liberty, and DemocracyEquality, Liberty, and Democracy Success of the American RevolutionSuccess of the American Revolution “ “ Power lies with the People”Power lies with the People”

Economic problemsEconomic problems Crop failures(Harsh Winter), Bad leadership (LouisXVI), Crop failures(Harsh Winter), Bad leadership (LouisXVI),

& his Wife Marie Antoinette spent money on luxury& his Wife Marie Antoinette spent money on luxury As a result France was going Bankrupt, he needed As a result France was going Bankrupt, he needed

moneymoney The 2The 2ndnd estate made him call a meeting of the Estates estate made him call a meeting of the Estates

General General May 5, 1789 the first in 175 yearsMay 5, 1789 the first in 175 years for Tax for Tax reformreform

Convening the Estates General Convening the Estates General May, 1789May, 1789

Last time it was called into session was 1614!Last time it was called into session was 1614!

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Suggested Voting Pattern:The Suggested Voting Pattern:Voting by EstatesVoting by Estates

1

1

1

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Number of RepresentativesThe Number of Representativesin the Estates General: Vote by Head!in the Estates General: Vote by Head!

300

300

648

““The Third Estate Awakens”The Third Estate Awakens”

RevolutionRevolution

The National Assembly (NA)The National Assembly (NA) Under old rules each estate had 1 voteUnder old rules each estate had 1 vote 1&2 would always out vote the poorer 31&2 would always out vote the poorer 3 rdrd

Abbe Sieyes argued “What is the 3Abbe Sieyes argued “What is the 3rdrd estate ? estate ? EVERYTHING”EVERYTHING”

They formed the (N A), Abolishing the kingThey formed the (N A), Abolishing the king The next day they were locked outThe next day they were locked out They broke down the door & pledged to They broke down the door & pledged to

stay(Tennis court oath)stay(Tennis court oath)

““The Tennis Court The Tennis Court Oath”Oath”

by Jacques Louis Davidby Jacques Louis David

June 20, 1789June 20, 1789

Storming the BastilleStorming the Bastille

The King sensed trouble, ordered the 1&2 The King sensed trouble, ordered the 1&2 to join the N A, at the same time he sent to join the N A, at the same time he sent his SWISS Guard to Paris because he did his SWISS Guard to Paris because he did not trust his own army,not trust his own army,

The people said foreign troops were The people said foreign troops were coming to kill French, they stormed the coming to kill French, they stormed the Bastille to get gun powder,Bastille to get gun powder,

This is National HolidayThis is National Holiday

The Radical PhaseThe Radical Phase

The National ConventionThe National Convention

The Decree of FraternityThe Decree of Fraternity ** it offered French it offered French assistance to any assistance to any subjectsubject peoples who wished to peoples who wished to overthrow their overthrow their governments. governments.

When France sneezes, When France sneezes, all of Europe catches cold!all of Europe catches cold!

The First Coalition The First Coalition &&

The The Brunswick Brunswick ManifestoManifesto

FRANCEFRANCE

1792-

1797

1792-

1797

AUSTRIAAUSTRIAPRUSSIAPRUSSIABRITAINBRITAINSPAINSPAINPIEDMONTPIEDMONT

Duke of BrunswickDuke of Brunswick if the Royal Family is if the Royal Family is harmed,harmed, Paris will be leveled!! Paris will be leveled!!

French Soldiers & the French Soldiers & the Tricolor:Tricolor:

ViveVive Le Patrie!Le Patrie!

The Storming of the The Storming of the Tuilieres:Tuilieres:

August 9-10, 1792August 9-10, 1792

The September Massacres, The September Massacres, 17921792

Buveurs de sangBuveurs de sang [“drinkers of blood.”] [“drinkers of blood.”] Over 1,000 Parisians killed!Over 1,000 Parisians killed!

The JacobinsThe Jacobins

Jacobin Meeting HouseJacobin Meeting House

A Jacobin Club MeetingA Jacobin Club Meeting

The The Sans-Culottes:Sans-Culottes:The Parisian The Parisian

Working Working ClassClass

The The Sans-CulottesSans-Culottes

Depicted as Savages by a British Depicted as Savages by a British Cartoonist.Cartoonist.

Committee for Public SafetyCommittee for Public Safety

Revolutionary Tribunals.Revolutionary Tribunals. 300,000 arrested.300,000 arrested. 16,000 – 50,000 executed.16,000 – 50,000 executed.

Maximillian RobespierreMaximillian Robespierre(1758 – 1794)(1758 – 1794)

Georges Jacques DantonGeorges Jacques Danton(1759 – 1794)(1759 – 1794)

Jean-Paul MaratJean-Paul Marat(1744 – 1793)(1744 – 1793)

The Assassination of MaratThe Assassination of Maratby Charlotte Corday, 1793by Charlotte Corday, 1793

The Assassination of The Assassination of MaratMarat

by Charlotte by Charlotte CordayCorday

(Paul Jacques (Paul Jacques Aimee Aimee Baudry,Baudry, 19c)19c)

““The Death of Marat”The Death of Marat”by Jacques Louis David, 1793by Jacques Louis David, 1793

The The Levée en Masse:Levée en Masse:An Entire Nation at Arms! – 500,000 SoldiersAn Entire Nation at Arms! – 500,000 Soldiers

An army based on merit, not birth!An army based on merit, not birth!

The Reign of TerrorThe Reign of Terror

Terror is nothing other than Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, justice, prompt, severe, inflexible.inflexible. -- Robespierre-- Robespierre

Let terror Let terror be the be the

order of order of the day!the day!

The “Monster” GuillotineThe “Monster” Guillotine

The last guillotine execution in France was in 1939.The last guillotine execution in France was in 1939.

Louis XVI’s Head Louis XVI’s Head (January 21, 1793)(January 21, 1793)

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette on the Way to the on the Way to the

GuillotineGuillotine

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Died in October, Died in October,

17931793

War of Resistance to the War of Resistance to the Revolution, 1793Revolution, 1793

VendéeVendée Revolt, 1793 Revolt, 1793

Drowning the Traitors!Drowning the Traitors!

The Contrast:The Contrast:“British Liberty / French Liberty”“British Liberty / French Liberty”

The Contrast:The Contrast:“French Liberty / British Slavery”“French Liberty / British Slavery”

Religious Terror:Religious Terror:De-Christianization De-Christianization (1793-1794)(1793-1794)

The Catholic Church was linked withThe Catholic Church was linked withreal or potential counter-revolution.real or potential counter-revolution.

Religion was associated with theReligion was associated with theAncien RégimeAncien Régime and superstitious and superstitiouspractices.practices.

Very popular among the Very popular among the sans-culottessans-culottes..

Therefore, religion had no place in aTherefore, religion had no place in arational, secular republic!rational, secular republic!

The De-Christianization ProgramThe De-Christianization Program1.1. The adoption of a new The adoption of a new Republican Republican

CalendarCalendar:: ** abolished Sundays & religious abolished Sundays & religious holidays. holidays. ** months named after seasonal months named after seasonal features. features. ** 7-day weeks replaced by 10-day 7-day weeks replaced by 10-day decades. decades. ** the yearly calendar was dated from the yearly calendar was dated from the creation of the Republic the creation of the Republic [Sept. 22, 1792] [Sept. 22, 1792]

The Convention symbolically The Convention symbolically divorced the state from the divorced the state from the

Church!!Church!!

The De-Christianization ProgramThe De-Christianization Program

2.2. The public exercise of religion The public exercise of religion waswasbanned.banned.

3.3. The Paris Commune supported The Paris Commune supported the:the: ** destruction of religious & royal destruction of religious & royal statues.statues. ** ban on clerical dress. ban on clerical dress. ** encouragement of the clergy to encouragement of the clergy to give up their vocations. give up their vocations.

4.4. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was turned into the was turned into the “Temple of “Temple of Reason.”Reason.”

5.5. The deportation of priests denounced The deportation of priests denounced bybysix citizens.six citizens.

The “Temple of Reason”The “Temple of Reason”

Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this temple, Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this temple, Become the goddess of the French people.Become the goddess of the French people.

The Festival of Supreme BeingThe Festival of Supreme Being

A new secular A new secular holiday.holiday.

Backlash to theBacklash to theDe-Christianization ProgramDe-Christianization Program

It alienated most of the populationIt alienated most of the population(especially in the rural areas).(especially in the rural areas).

Robespierre never supported it.Robespierre never supported it. ** he persuaded the Convention to he persuaded the Convention to reaffirm the principle of religious reaffirm the principle of religious toleration. toleration.

Decree on the Decree on the “Liberty of Cults”“Liberty of Cults”was passedwas passed ** December 6, 1793. December 6, 1793. ** BUT, it had little practical effect! BUT, it had little practical effect!

The Terror Intensified:The Terror Intensified:March to July, 1794March to July, 1794

Ô Law of 22 PrairialLaw of 22 Prairial [June 10, 1794]. [June 10, 1794]. * Trials were now limited to deciding only * Trials were now limited to deciding only onon liberty OR death, with defendants having liberty OR death, with defendants having nono rights. rights. * Were you an * Were you an “enemy of the people?”“enemy of the people?” (the (the law was so broadly written that almost law was so broadly written that almost anyone could fall within its definition!) anyone could fall within its definition!)

Ô 1,500 executed between June & July.1,500 executed between June & July.

Danton & Danton & thethe

“Indulgents”“Indulgents”

Danton & Danton & thethe

“Indulgents”“Indulgents”

Jacques Jacques Hébert & theHébert & the

HérbetistsHérbetists

Jacques Jacques Hébert & theHébert & the

HérbetistsHérbetists

Executed in April, 1794Executed in April, 1794..Executed in March, 1794Executed in March, 1794..

The The “Thermidorean Reaction“Thermidorean Reaction,” ,” 17941794P July 26 July 26 Robespierre gives a Robespierre gives a

speech illustrating new speech illustrating new plots & conspiracies. plots & conspiracies. ** he alienated members of the he alienated members of the CPS CPS & CGS. & CGS. ** many felt threatened by his many felt threatened by his implications. implications.

P July 27 July 27 the Convention arrests the Convention arrests Robespierre. Robespierre.

P July 28 July 28 Robespierre is tried & Robespierre is tried & guillotined! guillotined!

The Arrest of RobespierreThe Arrest of RobespierreThe Arrest of RobespierreThe Arrest of Robespierre

The Revolution ConsumesThe Revolution ConsumesIts Own Children!Its Own Children!

Danton Awaits Danton Awaits Execution, Execution,

17931793

Robespierre Lies Robespierre Lies WoundedWoundedBefore the Before the Revolutionary Tribunal Revolutionary Tribunal that will order him to that will order him to be guillotined, 1794.be guillotined, 1794.

Bibliographic ResourcesBibliographic Resources

““Hist210—Europe in the Age of Hist210—Europe in the Age of Revolutions.”Revolutions.”http://www.ucl.ac.uk/history/courses/europe1/chron/rch5.htm

“ “Liberty, Fraternity, Equality: Liberty, Fraternity, Equality: Exploring the French Revolution.”Exploring the French Revolution.” http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/

Matthews, Andrew. Matthews, Andrew. Revolution and Revolution and Reaction: Europe, 1789-1849Reaction: Europe, 1789-1849. . CambridgeCambridgeUniversity Press, 2001.University Press, 2001.

“ “The Napoleonic Guide.” The Napoleonic Guide.” http://www.napoleonguide.com/index.htm