The French Revolution

Mepham High SchoolGlobal History II

Kempton & Patten

The Story of Revolution

The Old Regime By the 1770s, the France

of the Middle Ages, The Old Regime, still survived.

The people of France were divided into three estates (large social class).

King Louis XVI would soon be besieged with calls for reforms.

The Estates

First

Estate

Second Estate

Third Estate

People in Estate

High Clergy & Priests

RightsPaid NO Taxes

People in EstateNobility

RightsPaid NO Taxes

People in Estate

Bourgeoisie (Middle Class)

PeasantsDoctors Merchants

Professionals

RightsPaid ALL

TaxesNO Privileges

1%

2%

97%

Questions? Describe the

distribution of the French population across the 3 estates?

The Estates General 1789 – The meeting of the

Estates General – legislative body of France

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.

The King refused to grant their request. The third estate refused to budge. The meeting of the Estates General

May 5, 1789

Questions? What is the Estates

General? Why do you think the

3rd Estates wanted the vote to be taken by head not by each estate?

Beginning of the Revolution The members of the Third

Estate demanded more power and rights and formed the National Assembly.

June 17, 1789 – delegates of the Third Estate voted to establish the National Assembly – this is the first act of the French Revolution

Delegates Established the Tennis Court Oath The Tennis Court Oath

The Storming of the Bastille Louis XVI attempts to

make peace with the Third Estate by ordering the other two estates to join the National Assembly

Rumors begin of foreign troops coming to kill French citizens The Bastille - medieval fortress

The Storming of the Bastille July 14, 1789 – a mob

overtakes the Bastille – a French prison – in order to get gun powder.

The Bastille falls to the control of the citizens and the Revolution has begun.

The fall of the Bastille

Questions? Why is the storming of

the Bastille an significant event in the French Revolution?

Reforms of the Assembly August 27, 1789 – The

Assembly adopts the Declaration of Rights of Man All men have Natural Rights Government protects

Natural Rights All male equality under the

law Free to practice any religion Tax based on what people

could afford Uses America as a model Liberty, Equality, &

Fraternity

The Declaration of the Rights of Man

Questions? Where do you think the

ideas for the Declaration of Rights and Man came from?

Other Changes Made By The Assembly A limited constitutional monarchy is created –

stripping the king of most of his powers September 1791, the National Assembly

finishes the constitution and gives the power to the Legislative Assembly

The Legislative Assembly is given power to make laws and approve or prevent any war declared by the king

The National Convention 1791 – A new government is elected - The

National Convention Radical groups begin to form, mobs became

more common and had more real power than the government

September 1791 – The National Convention abolishes the monarchy and declares France a Republic

Death of Louis XVI

1793 – Louis XVI is tried and 1793 – Louis XVI is tried and convicted of treasonconvicted of treason He is sentenced to death He is sentenced to death

by the guillotineby the guillotine

Questions? What was the

guillotine used for?

Struggle for Power Because of threats from

foreign armies and domestic mobs there is a struggle for power

Maximilien Robespierre gains power

Robespierre wipes out all traces of the monarchy and religion (Ex. Sunday was removed from the calendar because it was considered religious and church were also closed).

Questions? Who gains power in

France and how do you think he wiped out all traces of the monarchy?

The Reign of Terror Summer 1793 –

Robespierre becomes the leader of the Committee of Public Safety

The committee would decide who was an enemy of the state of France

Robespierre become a dictator and his reign becomes known as the Reign of Terror

The 4 R’s… Robespierre Radical Reign of Terror Republic

Questions? What is the main goal

of the Committee of Public Safety?

Victims of Terror The most famous was

Marie Antoinette, who was the widow of the king

Even those who helped with the revolution were put to death for not being “Radical Enough”

The End of the Reign of Terror By July 1794 – no one

was safe from Robespierre

The National Convention turns on Robespierre and he is sentenced to death (Beheading) – July 28, 1794

1795 – A new government is formed

A two hours legislative body and a five man executive called The Directory

Napoleon Bonaparte is put in charge of France’s army.

The Age of Napoleon

Questions? Why did the French

Revolution follow the path that it did?