FRENCH REVOLUTIONMiranda Mitan

+Ashley Irvin

French Pre-Revolution

First Estate- Comprised the entire clergy Divided into “higher” and “lower” clergy Higher clergy- clerical nobility, from the

families of the second class Lower clergy- equally divided between parish

priests and monks and nuns. Constituted about 90 percent of the first estate.

French Pre-Revolution cont…

Second Estate French nobility, royalty and the monarch

himself Traditionally divided into "noblesse de robe"

("nobility of the robe"), and noblesse d'épée" ("nobility of the sword").

1.5% of France’s population

French Pre-Revolution cont…

Third Estate The people who were not part of the other

groups Divided into 2 groups: urban and rural Urban- included bourgeoisie 8% of France's

population, and wage-laborers. Rural- included peasantry, or the farming

class. 90% of France’s population Now considered middle class

French Pre-Revolution cont…

Economic troubles- For years, the French government had engaged

in deficit spending Louis XIV had left France deeply in debt. Recent wars, a general rise in costs in the 1700s,

and the lavish court were incredibly costly. To bridge the gap between income and

expenses, the government borrowed more and more money.

Bad harvests in the late 1780s sent food prices soaring and brought hunger to poorer peasants and city dwellers.

French Pre-Revolution cont…

Societal Problems- The first and second estates make up 2% of

the population. They are rich and don’t pay taxes.

The third class makes up 98% of the population. They are poor and they pay all the taxes.

Paying the taxes leave them with nothing to buy food with.

When taxes inflate they cant pay them. They begin to panic.

1789

Tennis court oath- The oath was a pledge signed by 576 out of

577 members from the third estate who were locked out of Estates-General on June 20th in the tennis court.

The oath was “not to separate, and to reassemble where ever circumstances required, until the constitution of the kingdom is established”.

This was an act of bravery and the king – Louis XVI- told the clergy and the nobles to join the third estate.

1789 cont…

The storming of Bastille- Occurred in Paris Bastille was fortress and prison in Paris During the time of the storming, there was

only 7 inmates but the event is still known as a flashpoint in history.

It was the beginning of the rebellion of France.

1789 cont…

The great fear- Between June and the beginning of August

there were riots in the countryside. Peasants burned their nobles' chateaux,

monasteries and buildings which housed public records.

They particularly targeted documents which contained records of their feudal obligations.

It was called "The Great Fear" and spread quickly throughout France.  

1789 cont…

King and Queen- The people wanted the king to hear them They didn’t like him and wanted to make sure

he listened to their outcries They found out that the king and queen

secluded themselves in a village and tried to escape the turmoil

But the people found him and drug him back to Paris so that he would be there the whole revolution and so he could listen to them.

Reign Of Terror

AKA: Terror or Grand Fear The national convention had Louis XVI and Marie

Antoinette executed. Maximilien took the ideas of Rousseau’s philosophies

and thought about the rights of men and that men were virtuous.

He believed it was the monarchy that was at fault for corrupting them.

When he became head of the Committee of Public safety, he began to send people who spoke out against him to the guillotine to be killed. No one was safe.

He was the ultimate reason Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were killed.

Reign Of Terror cont…

Ending of the reign of terror- The Reign of Terror was ended when Max was

killed. Members of the convention, when thought to

be his next target, shouted him down as he got up to speak.

He was accused of tyranny and arrested. Subject to the same procedures he had used against his political enemies, Robespierre was denied the right to self-defense.

After a failed rescue attempt, Robespierre and more than 80 of his followers went to the Guillotine.

Changes to France

French constitution established during the Thermidorian Reaction in the French Revolution.

Known as the Constitution of Year III in the French republican calendar, it was prepared by the Thermidorian Convention.

It was more conservative than the abortive democratic Constitution of 1793.

The Constitution of 1795 established a liberal republic with a franchise based on the payment of taxes, similar to that of the Constitution of 1791; a bicameral legislature to slow down the legislative process; and a five-man Directory.

The central government retained great power, including emergency powers to curb Freedom of the press and freedom of association.

Changes to France cont…

Olympe de Gouges- Declaration of Women’s Rights and Citizens Wake up call to women. Born free and have same rights has men. Men were reluctant to give women rights. Women were the ones who brought the king

and his wife back when he tried to make a run for it.

Women's rights stayed the same.

Changes to France cont…

Reforms Social reforms State schools instead of religious ones Systems organized for poor, old soldiers, and

war widows. No slavery in Caribbean Islands Secular was formed making 1793 the first year tried to ban Christianity

Napoleon Takes Charge

Dictator He started in the army During the revolution, he rose in rank quickly In 1799 he became a political leader He helped over throw the week Directory and

set up a 3 man governing board He final had himself named Consul in 1802

and made himself that for life. During a ceremony, Napoleon took the popes

crown and placed it on his own head.

Napoleon Takes Charge cont…

Changes- Gave peasants rights to land Opened jobs

Napoleonic code- Embodied Enlightment principles Woman lost most of their newly found rights Men regained full control over their wives and

children

Napoleon Takes Charge cont…

Build an Empire- Furthered his reputation on the battle field Redrew the map of Europe giving France more

land Through forceful diplomacy, Napoleon

owned and controlled much of Europe. Britain stopped him in its tracks. Their fleet kept them at bay and they had a

blackade on them.

Napoleon’s Downfall

Napoleon and France were disliked by Europe because they were trying to take them over and create a large dictatorship and instore power.

Defeat in Russia- As 400,000 French troops invaded Russia, the

Russian citizens ran eastward, burning crops on their way

The scorched dirt mad the French troops go hungry and cold

When Napoleon entered Moscow he finally realized he could not feed his troops. He headed back home.

Napoleon’s Downfall cont…

Napoleon's legacy He died in 1821 Elections were held He created a new government that lasted

awhile In 1803 Napoleon’s decision to sell Louisiana

territory to the US caused them to double in size.

Congress of Vienna

Stability restored- Napoleon had eliminated royal control in many

countries. Members of the old Bourbon royal family were

returned to the thrones of Spain and Sicily. Monarchies were restored in Portugal and

Sardinia. After Napoleon's reign-

France reconstructed its government. They restored stability and they no longer had

absolute monarchs.