The French Revolution

Causes of the French Revolution

• Absolute Monarchy– Growing discontent and a weak ruler threatened

the existence of the throne.

• Social Inequality– Clergy = Wealth– Nobles = Government Jobs– Bourgeoisie & Peasants = Resentment

Causes of the French Revolution

• Economic Problems– Louis XIV left France deeply in debt, due to

deficit spending, or spending more money than it takes in.

• Government Failures– Weak monarchs and an unwillingness to reform

a broken system led to more discontent.

Causes of the French Revolution

• Voting Issues– Only white men who owned property could vote.

• Enlightenment Ideas– Led people to question the inequalities of the old

regime.

• American Revolution– After a successful revolt removed colonial rule in

America, French citizens gained confidence in their convictions.

The 3 Estates

What is the Third Estate? EVERYTHING.What has it been in the political order until now? NOTHING. What is it asking for? To become SOMETHING.

Biography: Louis XVI• Grandson of Louis XV.• Too weak to fix the

economic crisis.• His wife, Marie

Antoinette and the Nobility pushed him to unpopular decisions and few effective reforms.

• Called meeting with the Estates General, the first meeting in 175 years.

Estates General• When the Estates General

met in May 1789, each estate solemnly marched into the hall at Versailles. The third estate, dressed all in black,   the nobility dressed in all their finery and finally the clergy dressed in full regalia. 

• The delegates of the third estate insisted that the three orders meet together and that the vote be taken by head, rather than by order. (Since there were far more delegates from the third estate, this plan would give them a majority). The King refused to grant their request. The third estate refused to budge.

Attempted Reforms

• All three estates prepared cahiers, notebooks with their grievances.– Fairer Taxes

– Freedom of the Press

– Regular Meetings of the Estates General

Tennis Court Oath• 3rd Estate insisted on reform. The 3rd estate then declared

itself the National Assembly.• Louis allowed the 3rd Estate to have more delegates at the

Estates General, but would not promise them equal, or more votes.

• On June 20th 1789, they were locked out of the meeting so they met together in side an indoor tennis court and vowed not to disband until a new constitution was written.

“Is it a Revolt? … No it’s a Revolution.• Crowds formed outside the

Bastille (used as a prison), demanding weapons and gunpowder inside.

• After commander refused, he opened fire into the crowd. Many were killed including the commander and five guards.

• Became a symbol of the revolution-Bastille day (July 14th Independence day).

The Great Fear• Rumors spread of government imposing medieval rules.• Rumors also spread of nobles burning supplies of grain to

stop the insurgents (rebels).• Before nobles came to collect, they were attacked at their

homes by peasants, who burned

the manor records and stole.• Demonstrated peasant anger

of the time.• During this time privileges

of estate were eliminated.

July-August 1789

While the Great Fear Raged On• With the "great fear" raging in

the countryside, the National Assembly was motivated to move quickly. On the night of August 4, the delegates rose one by one to propose new reforms and to surrender class privileges. The manorial system in which peasants were tied to their landlords through obligations and fees were gone, as was the corvee and all tithing to the church. The nobility and the clergy gave up their exemptions from taxation. By the end of August, feudalism was dead in France. These were called the "August days.“

• "What glory, what honor to be a Frenchman!"

Robespierre• Lawyer and politician, leader of

Committee on Public Safety in early 1793.

• Titled “the In-corruptible”.• Stated “Liberty can’t be secured

unless criminals lose their heads”. & “Can achieve a republic of virtue only through the use of terror”.

• Promoted religious tolerance and sought to abolish slavery.

• Follower of Rousseau’s teachings.

"Terror is nothing other than prompt, severe, inflexible, justice"

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

• “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”• Modeled after the Declaration

of Independence.• August 4th 1789, said

government existed to protect the rights of the natural citizen.

• All male citizens are equal.• Taxes to be levied based upon

the ability to pay.

Radicals vs. Conservatives

• Jacobins and other republicans wanted to abolish the monarchy.

• Wanted radical changes.

• Committee on Public Safety set up 12 member committee with absolute power.

• Those who sat on the far right wanted things to stay the same or to go back to the way things were in 1788.

The Moderates

• Sat in-between the Radicals and Conservatives.

• Produced the 3rd Constitution since 1789.

• Set up 5 man directory (1795-1799)

• Leaders of these governments were corrupt.

• Discontent grew and bread riots ensued.

• People felt let down and turned to popular war hero (Napoleon Bonaparte).

The Fall of the Monarchy, 10 August 1792

Although the royal family hadalready fled the palace for therelative safety of the Assembly'smeeting place, the Swiss guardsthat were stationed at the palaceopened fire on the crowd. Theywere quickly overpowered, andmost of the Swiss soldiers werehacked to death by bystanders-it was the bloodiest day of theRevolution so far.

• On the morning of August 10, 1792, the National Guard and a mob of Parisians invaded the residence of the royal family (Tuileries in Paris).

Reign of Terror• July 1793-July 1794,

hasty trials were conducted.

• 40,000+ were executed, many unjustly.

• Guillotine was the instrument of horror and death.

• Robespierre’s death marked the end of the Reign of Terror.

Beheadings

• All members of the Royal family were executed/died except one – Mary Therese.

Crowds lined the street to jeer at him when he was returned to Paris. The King remarked, "There is no longer a King in France."

King Louis XVI Beheaded

• "I forgive those who are guilty of my death"

Women’s Rights

• Gained few rights

• Made divorce easier.

• Allowed women to inherit property.

• Lost the right to express views in public.

Daily Life

• Got rid of old social order.• Overthrew the monarchy.• Wore plain clothing instead

of fancy wigs etc.• Church under state control• Liberty and equality for all

male citizens.• New kinds of names,

Constitution, Republic.

Nationalism

• A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one’s country.

• Change in Loyalty– With the Louis XVI’s execution,

loyalty shifted from king or queen to defending the nation itself.

Rise to a New Power

• Moderates corrupt 5 Man Directory led to a new powerful man in charge: Napoleon.

• Napoleon was a war hero (general) during the French Revolution driving the British out of Toulon.

• Became 1st Consul on 3 man Consulate eventually named himself emperor.

•Good and decent people must be protected and persuaded by gentle means, but the rabble must be led by terror.

Phases of French Government