Assignment 06.05

Before the revolution, France’s society was divided into three classes:

• The First Estate made up of the clergy (high ranking officials—including priests—and the wealthy)

• Second Estate consisting of the nobility

• the rest of the French population made up the Third Estate (more than 95% of the population)

Social Tensions

• Although the Third Estate was compromised of Although the Third Estate was compromised of the majority of the French population, it held little the majority of the French population, it held little political power as whereas…political power as whereas…

• The First and Second Estates had a The First and Second Estates had a stranglehold on politics and did not have to pay stranglehold on politics and did not have to pay taxes. taxes.

• With droughts damaging the harvests, nobility With droughts damaging the harvests, nobility ignoring spending restrictions, & the serious ignoring spending restrictions, & the serious debts from recent major wars, Louis XVI needed debts from recent major wars, Louis XVI needed to raise taxes so…to raise taxes so…

• He called for a meeting of the Estates General.He called for a meeting of the Estates General.

• The Estates General was first established in 1302 as a legislative body representing the three social estates of France.

• This group of representatives hadn’t met in some 175 years before Louis XVI had called for it in 1789.

• At the meeting, the representatives of the 2nd estate arrived in hopes to gain favors from the king in the form of political power and greater freedoms in the form of a new constitution.

• Representatives of the 3rd Estate wanted greater freedom, referring to Britain’s former colonies in America. They went as far to suggest that the Estates General meet under one roof.

• However, the top court in Paris, the parliament, ruled in favor of the nobility & ordered the estates to meet separately and vote by order.

Estates-General (cont.)

• Frustrated at the strong Frustrated at the strong possibility of being shut out possibility of being shut out of the new constitution by of the new constitution by the other two Estates, the the other two Estates, the Third Estate declared Third Estate declared themselves as the National themselves as the National Assembly on June 17, 1789Assembly on June 17, 1789

Tennis Court OathTennis Court Oath• In it, the majority swore “never to

separate, and to meet wherever circumstances demand, until the constitution of the kingdom is established and affirmed on solid foundations”.

• The King was unwilling to use force and eventually ordered the first and second estates to join the new National Assembly. The Third Estate had won.

• The King had rejected the activities and ideas of the Third Estate as the National Assembly

• The opposition of Louis XVI led to the National Assembly meeting on June 20, 1789 in a tennis court at Versailles. There, they took an oath.

Fall of the Bastille

• The dismissal of Finance Minister Jacques Necker in July 1789 sparked the violent retaliation of the third Estate.

• The Bastille was targeted because of its secrecy and terror, holding prisoners considered enemies of the king without proper trial.

• All 7 prisoners were freed and every guard was killed. • The fall of the Bastille became a symbol of the fight

against the tyranny and injustices of France’s absolute monarchy

–July 14, 1789

“The Great Fear”

• After the siege of the Bastille, a series of riots continued to break out amongst the peasants in the countryside.

• Targets of the riots included nobles’ châteaux, monasteries, and buildings that housed public records—especially those containing records of their feudal obligations.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

• Drafted by, the of the National Assembly in August of 1789, it is a document recognizing natural rights and based on the ideas of the Enlightenment, The American Declaration of Independence, and particularly the writing of Jean-Jacque Rousseau.

• It was widely copied and distributed across Europe top push forward the ideas of freedom, equality, and rule of law.

Civil Constitution of the Clergy

• The National Assembly’s solution for the The National Assembly’s solution for the financial crisis. Created July 12, 1790.financial crisis. Created July 12, 1790.

• Placed the church under control of the Placed the church under control of the State and seized the lands because the State and seized the lands because the Church was the largest landowner in Church was the largest landowner in France.France.

• Caused the new government to lose Caused the new government to lose support of Catholics—which made up support of Catholics—which made up much of the French. populationmuch of the French. population

Constitution of 1791Constitution of 1791

• Declared France to be a constitutional monarchy• Legislative powers went to a single Legislative

Assembly, which alone had the power to declare war and raise taxes.

• Monarch had limited powers (could only implement a suspensive veto)

• Monarch could not control the army, Legislative Assembly, or local government.

• It only lasted for one year.

Committee of Public Safety & Robespierre

• Maximilien Robespierre was the head of the Maximilien Robespierre was the head of the Committee of Public Safety, the executive Committee of Public Safety, the executive committee of the National Convention. committee of the National Convention.

• Robespierre along with the radical Jacobins was Robespierre along with the radical Jacobins was also the leader of the Reign of Terror after the also the leader of the Reign of Terror after the death of Louis XVI in 1793.death of Louis XVI in 1793.

• The Reign of Terror was a period under the rule The Reign of Terror was a period under the rule of the conventions that focused on the of the conventions that focused on the elimination of economic and political threats of elimination of economic and political threats of any degree within France. any degree within France.

• Up to 50,000 French citizens were guillotined. Up to 50,000 French citizens were guillotined.

The Thermidorian Reaction

• After the arrest of Robespierre, moderates that were repressed under the Reign of Terror appeared back in the National Convention of 1794.

• Jacobins’ prisoners were freed, the power of the Committee for Public Safety was neutralized, and Robespierre’s affiliates were executed.

• In an attempt to fix the economy, the Convention printed more money and got rid of price controls—causing inflation.

The Directory• After the Reign of Terror, the constitution of After the Reign of Terror, the constitution of

1795 brought a new, more conservative 1795 brought a new, more conservative government made up of 5 officers.government made up of 5 officers.

• It had no legislative power, but it had the It had no legislative power, but it had the authority to appoint people to fill the other authority to appoint people to fill the other positions within the government.positions within the government.

• The Directory had to get rid of the Jacobin The Directory had to get rid of the Jacobin influence and prevent royalists from taking influence and prevent royalists from taking advantage of the disorganization to reclaim the advantage of the disorganization to reclaim the throne.throne.

• Focused more on keeping progressive members Focused more on keeping progressive members out rather than addressing the economic crisis. out rather than addressing the economic crisis.

• This paranoia of a counter-revolution weakened This paranoia of a counter-revolution weakened the group.the group.

NapoleonNapoleon• Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the Directory and replaced it with the Directory and replaced it with the Consulate in November 1799the Consulate in November 1799—marking the true end of the —marking the true end of the revolutionrevolution

• He soon assumed the position of He soon assumed the position of First Consul, with near dictatorial First Consul, with near dictatorial powers.powers.

• Helped abolish the feudal system Helped abolish the feudal system for good and established a for good and established a meritocracy.meritocracy.

• Reestablished the ChurchReestablished the Church• At first brought peace to the At first brought peace to the

French in domestic and foreign French in domestic and foreign affairsaffairs

• But would soon push France to But would soon push France to war again in 1803war again in 1803

Websiteshttp://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture11a.html

http://www.historywiz.com/oldregime.htm

http://www.helium.com/items/1086965-what-is-the-imporance-of-bastille-day

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/frenchrev/section5.rhtml

Books:Armstrong, Monty, Daniel David, and Kanarek Abby. Cracking the AP World History Exam. New York: Random House, Inc., 2006.