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Enlightenment to French Revolution

Objective: How did the Enlightenment lead to the French Revolution?

Warm-Up: Please take out your HW and check your work with your classmates. Spend five minutes improving your responses before turning them in.

Lesson 1-3: Enlightenment to Revolution

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The French RevolutionThe French Revolution

Liberty Equality

Fraternity

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Key Concept:Key Concept: How did the Enlightenment evolve and affect society and

government?◦ The scientific revolution shattered long-held views about

the universe. This encouraged Enlightenment thinkers to question

society and government:◦ Locke (contract between government and governed)◦ Montesquieu (checks and balances)◦ Rousseau (individual freedom and civilization corrupts)◦ Voltaire (freedom of thought and expression)

◦ Their beliefs in the natural rights of man inspired the American and French Revolutions.

◦ These ideas were RADICAL!

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Key Concept… Key Concept…

Scientific revolution

New thinking encouraged

New thinking leads to revolutions in America and France

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Ingredients for RevolutionIngredients for Revolution 1688: Glorious/Bloodless Revolution in England removes

James II◦ William and Mary take over

No more Catholic kings or queens No more absolute monarchy

◦ Parliament ◦ Bill of Rights

Enlightenment ideas American Revolution (1776) and Constitution (1789) The Estates in France

◦ 1st Estate = clergy = wealthy/no taxes = privileged ◦ 2nd Estate = nobles = wealthy/few taxes = privileged◦ 3rd Estate = everybody else

Bourgeoisie/middle class = some wealth = high taxes = some rights

◦ Bankers◦ Merchants◦ Professionals◦ Business owners

Farmers and peasants

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Ingredients for Revolution…Ingredients for Revolution… Monarchy: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

◦ Put country in debt Supporting American Revolution Personal luxuries

◦ Louis XVI Weak leader

◦ Couldn’t control country’s spending◦ Couldn’t control wife’s spending

Needed more money = taxes on the 2nd Estate◦ 1789: 2nd Estate forces Louis to call a meeting of

Estates-General First such meeting in 175 years First two estates could out vote the 3rd Estate,

even though the 3rd Estate had more people.

◦ Louis sides with 1st and 2nd Estates

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1. The Enlightenment influenced revolutionary thought by

a.Encouraging the poor to take up armsb.Stressing the importance of the monarchyc. Designing a common revolutionary strategyd. Instilling a belief in the natural rights of man2. Which group directly challenged the political

philosophy expressed in this statement?a.Advocates of divine rightb.Writers of the EnlightenmentAbsolute monarchs of Europea.Leaders of the Catholic Church

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3. Enlightenment thinkers contributed to changes in relationships between citizens and governments through their belief that

a.Most changes in government are dangerousb.Absolute monarchy is the most effective form of

governmentc. Governments are instituted to protect citizens’

rightsd.Popular liberties should be limited by the need for

social order

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4. Which of these enlightened rulers made enlightened reforms which completely failed?

a.Frederick the Greatb. Joseph IIc. Catherine the Greatd.Louis XVI

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John Locke believed that the government had an obligation to the people it governed to protect their natural rights. If the government failed to do this, then the people had the right to

a.Move to another countryb.Refuse to vote in the next electionc. Overthrow the governmentd.Continue to be persecuted

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The Fuse Is Lit!The Fuse Is Lit!◦ Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes gets 3rd Estate to declare themselves

the National Assembly and become government of France National Assembly locked out of their meeting room by king Tennis Court Oath: National Assembly breaks down door to

tennis court and vows to stay until a constitution is created◦ Some nobles and clergy join

Painting of the National Assembly in the tennis court at Versailles

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Complete the DBQs from yesterday:◦Be a NINJA!!!◦When you are done, answer the following

questions (A paragraph each- use examples from the primary documents you just read): Is man inherently good or bad? What is the best form of government and why? Who is your favorite Enlightenment philosopher?

Explain why.

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The Revolution Goes Off!The Revolution Goes Off! Rumors

◦ King to use military against National Assembly◦ King to send troops to Paris to massacre French citizens

Citizens arm themselves with whatever they can July 14, 1789: The Bastille prison is stormed by a mob looking

for weapons◦ Release prisoners◦ Take some guards hostage and killed others

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The Great Fear SpreadsThe Great Fear SpreadsRumor

◦ Nobles hiring outlaws to attack peasantsCitizens break into houses of nobles

◦ Destroy legal papers (can’t owe king or lord what can’t be proved)

◦ Kill nobles◦ Burn houses

A chateau burns as peasants riot in the countryside

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The Great Fear Spreads…The Great Fear Spreads… October 1789: Women riot at Versailles

over cost of bread◦ Demands:

National Assembly provide bread King and queen return to Paris

August 1789: Great Fear spreads to clergy and nobles, more of whom now (out of fear) support National Assembly

◦ National Assembly ends Estate system

◦ Commoners/peasants now equal to clergy and nobles

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Statement of Revolutionary IdealsStatement of Revolutionary Ideals August 1789: National Assembly adopts Declaration of the

Rights of Man and of the Citizen◦ Influenced by Enlightenment & U.S. Declaration of

Independence “Men are born and remain

free and equal in rights.”◦ Rights included

Liberty Property Security Resistance to oppression Equal justice Freedom of speech Freedom of religion

Revolutionary leaders adopt “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” as motto (fraternity = brotherhood)

Illustration of Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

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State-Controlled ChurchState-Controlled ChurchNational Assembly goes after

Catholic Church◦ Takes lands Sale of church lands helps pay

off French debt◦ Declares clergy will be elected and

paid as state officials◦ French peasants (mostly Catholics)

take offense Creates division in revolution

Cartoon: “The Zenith of French Glory; The Pinnacle of Liberty.” A French revolutionary watches a beheading while resting his foot on the head of a hanging clergyman.

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Royals ArrestedRoyals ArrestedJune 1791: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette try to

sneak out of country◦ Arrested near Austrian border◦ Attempted escape made revolutionaries even angrier at

royalty

Arrest of Louis XVI and his Family, Varennes, 1791

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Divisions DevelopDivisions Develop1791: National Assembly creates a new constitution◦ Creates a limited constitutional monarchy Strips king of most authority Creates a Legislative Assembly King Louis XVI agrees (no choice!)Old problems still exist◦ Food shortages◦ Government debt◦ PovertyFactions split revolutionaries◦ Radicals/Left: get rid of king, redo

government◦ Moderates/Center: wanted some changes in

government◦ Conservatives/Right: wanted to keep a

limited monarchy with few changes in government

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Two illustrations of sans-culottes

Divisions Develop…Divisions Develop…Émigrés (the rich who fled France during the

revolution) took actions to try to undo the revolution to get back their land

Sans-culottes (the lower-class in Paris) wanted even more radical change

◦ They had no power in the assembly (but that didn’t stop them!)

Movie poster for A Tale of Two Cities, based on the novel by Charles Dickens about the French Revolution and an émigré

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War and ExecutionWar and ExecutionAustria and Prussia fear revolution will spread.◦ They pressure France to restore monarchy.◦ 1792: France responds by declaring war.Prussian commander warns that he will destroy

Paris if royal family is harmed.August 10, 1792: Parisians furious at threat.◦ They storm the Tuileries (place where the royals were under

arrest). Mobs massacre royal guard, takes royal family prisoners

Storming of the Tuileries Palace, Paris

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War and Execution…War and Execution…Rumor: King’s supporters in Paris prisons are

going to break out and retake Paris◦ Mobs raid prisons, and murder over 1,000 nobles = September MassacresRadicals force◦ Legislative Assembly to set aside the 1791 Constitution◦ Creation of a new government, National ConventionNew government◦ Abolishes monarchy◦ Declares France a republic◦ Adult males given right to

vote

Illustration by Armand Fouquier of the September Massacres

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War and Execution…War and Execution…National Convention, led by radical Jacobians put

Louis XVI on trial and sentence him to death ◦ January 21, 1793: Louis beheaded by guillotine. War with Prussia continues.◦ Prussia and Austria are joined by England Holland Spain◦ National Convention

takes extreme step of ordering a draft of men and women

Illustration of the execution of Louis XVI

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Reign of TerrorReign of Terror Many groups in France fighting for power◦ Peasants loyal to Catholic Church and/or king◦ Clergy resisting government control◦ Rival leaders in different regions of France 1793: Maximilien Robespierre gains power◦ Vowed to build a “republic of virtue” by erasing France’s

past. Changed calendar◦ Eliminated Sundays Closed churches Reign of Terror = Robespierre = leader of

Committee of Public Safety and virtual dictator◦ Goal = protect revolution from its enemies Bogus arrests, trials Lots of torture and death◦ Many “enemies of the revolution” = personal

enemies of Robespierre because of their challenges to his power

◦ Apprx. 40,000 killed◦ 85% = peasants or middle class, those who

were supposed to benefit from the revolution

Top: Robespierre Bottom: Poster for movie

version of the Scarlet Pimpernel, a story of intrigues and love during the Reign of Terror

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End of TerrorEnd of Terror 1794: Fearing for own safety, members of National Convention turn on Robespierre

◦ Demand his arrest and execution Reign of Terror ends on July 28, 1794 with

Robespierre’s execution◦ Public opinion shifts Tired of terror Tired of inflation for necessities◦ 1795: National Convention creates third government

since 1789 Gives more power to upper middle class Creates two-house legislature (like U.S. Congress) Created Directory = five men acting as executive body

(like U.S. president) Directory gives command of France’s armies to

Napoleon Bonaparte

Top: Illustration of the execution of Robespierre Bottom: Painting of Napoleon Bonaparte

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ReviewReview Ideas are powerful!◦ The scientific revolution shattered long-held views about

the universe. Enlightenment questioned society and government:◦ Locke (contract between government and governed)◦ Montesquieu (checks and balances)◦ Rousseau (individual freedom and civilization corrupts)◦ Voltaire (freedom of thought and expression)◦ Their radical beliefs in the natural rights of man inspired

the American and French Revolutions.

New thinking encouraged

New thinking leads to revolutions in America and France

Scientific revolution