The French Revolution1789-1799

What were the causes of the French Revolution?

What were the causes?1. Unfair social classes

– Unfair tax system – Social inequality

1st 2nd

Estate Estate

3rd Estate

1% of Pop.Owned 5-10% of LandReceived 10% TithePaid no taxes

2% of PopOwned 25% of landHeld all govt. and military positionsPaid no taxesReceived Feudal Dues

97% of PopulationPaid all of the taxesNo Voice in GovernmentInspired by Enlightenment Ideas

BourgeoisieArtisansPeasants

The Three Estates

What were the causes?2. Enlightenment Ideas/American

Rev.– Enlightenment spread through

French “Salons”– Belief all men should have natural

rights– Right to overthrow an unjust gov’t– Equality for all– American Revolution

• Dec. of Independence • Constitution

– Called for the end of Absolute Monarchy

What were the causes?

3. King Louis XVI’s Weak Leadership

– Absolute Monarch

– 19 years old– Indecisive– Extravagant

parties

What were the Causes ?

4. Economic ProblemsWars: 7 Years War/French & Indian,

American RevolutionLouis XVI lifestyleEconomic Depression

Crop failuresUnemployment

Causes of French Revolution1.1. Unfair Social Structure of France Unfair Social Structure of France

– Unfair taxesUnfair taxes– Unfair class system Unfair class system

2.2. Enlightenment IdeasEnlightenment Ideas

3.3. Poor Leadership of Louis XVIPoor Leadership of Louis XVI

4. Financial Problems4. Financial Problems– Debt Debt from wars – 7 Year War, American Rev, Louis XVI from wars – 7 Year War, American Rev, Louis XVI

spendingspending– DepressionDepression

Which type of government did Louis XVI have?

1. Constitutional Monarchy

2. Dictatorship

3. Absolute Monarchy

4. Theocracy

Which of the following is not a cause of the French Revolution1. Unfair class system

2. Unfair taxes

3. Ignoring the Magna Carta

4. Expenses from the American Revolution

5. Excessive spending by the King

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

France’s Situation

• France’s Government is in extreme debt. Half of France’s debt is contributed to war, especially money owed for helping the US gain independence. The Government is near bankruptcy and the banks are refusing to lend money to the troubled country.

• Recent crop failures have caused a shortage in food, making famine a real possibility. Yet the newspapers publish stories about King Louis’ lash parties and his wife’s extreme spending habits.

• Assuming the role you were assigned yesterday, what would you do to solve the problems in France?

King Called the Estates General to “convince” the 1st and 2nd

Estate to pay taxes

What is the Estates General?– Legislative body, similar to parliament– Had not met since 1614 ( 179 years!)– Made up of members from all 3 Estates– Each Estate has one Vote

Estates General Voting

1 Vote First Estate

Clergy

1 Vote Second Estate Nobles

1 Vote Third Estate

Commoners

Situation

• The Estates General has members from each Estate but each only has one vote regardless of the population. The Nobles and the clergy plan to force the third estate to pay even more taxes so they don’t have to. 2 votes against 1

• Is there another alternative?

Is There Another Alternative?

1 Vote per Representative

300 Members 1st Estate

300 Members 2nd Estate

648 Members 3rd Estate

What is Citizen Action?

• Social Action – a public demonstration of disapproval of government law or action (i.e. protest)

• Political action – working within a political system to change a law or government action (petition, lobbying, referendum)

• Revolution - A radical changing of government, typically through an overthrow of the current gov’t system.

Meeting of National Assembly (June 1789)

• Third estate is upset there is not equal representation in Estates General

• Noble and Clergy block 3rd estate vote• 3rd estate leaves and forms NATIONAL

ASSEMBLY.

Political ActionPolitical Action

Tennis Court Oath(June 1789)

• Could be seen as the first act of Revolution

• National Assembly locked out of Estates General

• Meet on Tennis court, vow to not give up till France has a new constitution

Political Action/Revolution

Political Action/Revolution

Storming of Bastille (July 1789)

• King Mobilized Troops • 3rd Estate feared King would dissolve

the National Assembly• Bastille is symbolic of old

regime/monarchy• 3rd Estate lets prisoners out, leads to

attacks on nobles

Social Protest/RevolutionSocial Protest/Revolution

The Great Fear (July 1789)

• Rumors spread to the countryside of nobles killing peasants and stealing property

• In fear, Peasants broke into Manors, robbed and destroyed property, killed nobles.

Social Protest/RevolutionSocial Protest/Revolution

Declaration on the Rights of Man and the Citizen (Aug 1789)

• French created their own Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen modeled after TJ’s Declaration of Independence

• All people equal before law• No taxation without representation• Similar to Bill of Rights• Louis XVI rejects declaration

Political ActionPolitical Action

Constitution of 1791

Constitution of 1791• Constitutional Monarchy• Guaranteed basic rights• Property owning males could vote• All legislators get a vote

Political ActionPolitical Action

Women’s March on Versailles (Sep. 1791)

• 6000 angry women march on Versailles• Food prices in France were soaring• Wanted King to move to Paris and accept the

National Assembly and Declaration of Rights• Louis XVI arrested and forced to leave

Versailles for Paris

Social ProtestSocial Protest

Which of the following is the last event to occur?

Tennis Court

O...

Decla

ration of...

Third Esta

te f...

Convening of t...

25% 25%25%25%1. Tennis Court Oath

2. Declaration of the Rights of Man

3. Third Estate forms the National Assembly

4. Convening of the Estates General

Which event describes the first act of the revolution?

Storm

ing of t

h...

Decla

ration of...

Tennis Court

O...

Calling of t

he...

25% 25%25%25%1. Storming of the Bastille

2. Declaration of the Rights of Man..

3. Tennis Court Oath

4. Calling of the Estates General

Which of the following declared an end to the three estates?

Decla

ration of...

Tennis Court

O...

Women’s

Marc

h ...

Storm

ing of t

h...

25% 25%25%25%1. Declaration of the rights of man…

2. Tennis Court Oath

3. Women’s March on Versailles

4. Storming of the Bastille

Which of the following was not a citizen action during the French Revolution?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Fo

rmation of t

he Natio...

March

on Versaille

s

Civil War

Storm

ing of t

he Bastille

25% 25%25%25%1. Formation of the

National Assembly

2. March on Versailles

3. Civil War

4. Storming of the Bastille

Which of the following events is the best example of a protest against the government’s

actions?

Nat

ional

Ass

embly

Mar

ch o

n Ver

saill

es

Sto

rmin

g of t

he Bas

tille

Const

itutio

n of 1

791?

0% 0%0%0%

1. National Assembly

2. March on Versailles

3. Storming of the Bastille

4. Constitution of 1791?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

What type of government did France decide on?

• A Republic– A government without a

King – Constitution limits the

power of the leaders who are elected by the people.

– Every man could vote

What happened to King Louis XV1?

• He was tried and executed

What was the Reign of Terror?

• Radicals called Jacobins took control of the government

• Leader – Maximilien

Robespierre

• People hunted down suspected traitors and turned them in

• 40,000 people executed

What Happened to Marie Antoinette?

• She is executed during the Reign of Terror

How does the Reign of Terror End?

• Robespierre is executed

• The Directory takes over– Committee of five conservative men– Still has many problems

• Napoleon Bonaparte stages coup d'état – quick seizure of power

imposes new constitution - declares himself first emperor

What do you think is the Reaction Of the French?

I am EmperorOoh la laFinally, we can

have peace andstability again

Roman Empire

French Empire

Napoleon Bonaparte

What are the top 5 facts to know about Napoleon Bonaparte?

• Became Dictator of France – people were tired of the Revolution

• Conquered most of Europe– 3 major losses contributed to his downfall

• Battle of Trafalgar against English Navy• Invasion of Russia • Battle of Waterloo against Prussia, Britain, Netherlands

• Created the Napoleonic Code – – New law code– Enlightenment ideas – equality, religious freedom

• Continental System – protected France’s industries at the expense of Great Britain (similar to Navigation Acts it was considered “protectionism”

• Exiled to Elba after defeat by foreign armies , but escaped to rule for 100 more days until his defeat at Waterloo

Results of the French Revolution

– The French rev ended with the est. of a military dictatorship

–The rev influenced French society to measure status by ability rather than birth–The rev influenced French society to measure status by ability rather than birth

–The ideals of the French rev spread throughout Europe. –The ideals of the French rev spread throughout Europe.

-It brought an end to legal inequities between the estates.-It brought an end to legal inequities between the estates.

What type of government did Napoleon have?

Parliam

entary ...

Absolute

Monar..

.

Constitu

tional...

Dict

atorsh

ip

25% 25%25%25%1. Parliamentary Democracy

2. Absolute Monarchy

3. Constitutional Monarchy

4. Dictatorship

What was the purpose of Napoleon’s Continental System?

To conquer a

ll...

To benefit Fra...

To enslave

any...

To attack Russ.

..

25% 25%25%25%1. To conquer all of Europe

2. To benefit France’s economy and hurt England’s economy

3. To enslave anyone who wasn’t French

4. To attack Russia in the winter

Which of the following was a result of the French Revolution?

The thre

e esta...

The country

be...

Enlig

htenment ..

.

Socia

l inequit..

.

25% 25%25%25%1. The three estates no longer existed

2. The country became a Parliamentary Democracy

3. Enlightenment Ideas failed to spread

4. Social inequities continued to exist