The French RevolutionChapter 23

The Old OrderPeople of France were divided

into three social classes

The EstatesFirst Estate Clergy of the

Roman Catholic Church (1%)

Owned 10% of the land

Paid 2% of income to government

Second Estate Rich Nobles (2%

of population) Owned 20% of

the land Paid no taxes

Third Estate

Everyone else (97%) Bourgeoisie – middle class Working class Peasants – poor Paid high taxes Nearly half of their wages went to the

government

Other Issues

The success of the American Revolution created desire for liberty and democracy

Economic troubles (food prices increased while wages dropped)

Weak leadership of King Louis XVI

“The Atlantic Revolution”

French Revolution was a part of a whole series of revolutions which took place during the late 18th century--Political agitation in England, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the American colonies

One big movement of revolutionary acts

The French Revolution

More fundamental and profound consequences than the American Revolution

France = most powerful and populous state in Europe

Massive social revolution Worldwide impact Becomes model for future revolutions

The Events of the French Revolution

Origins Began as a revolt of

the aristocracy (Second Estate)

The financial woes of the monarchy led to

tax reform and a direct tax on all property

Aristocracy forces a meeting of the Estates General to vote on the tax (for 175 it had not met)

The Estates-General An old feudal assembly

that had not met since 1614

Three Estates: Clergy, Nobility, All Others

Each estate had 1 vote. The two privileged estates could always outvote the Third Estate.

The Third Estate demanded change in the system of voting and announced formation of a new “National Assembly”

The National Assembly

Representative government.

Estates-General became the National Assembly in June of 1789 with the power to frame a constitution

This was the first deliberate act of the revolution.

Vowed to write a new constitution

Louis XVI Reacts to Revolutionaries

Locks them out of the meeting hall

When they break down door in the tennis court, he surrounds his Swiss guards around the city

Citizens feared a massacre and gathered weapons to defend themselves

“Tennis Court Oath”

Revolutionaries Storm the Bastille

Events of the night of July 14, 1789

Mobs stormed a prison in search of gun powder

Killed the guards and paraded their heads on pikes in the street

“The Great Fear” Independent

revolutionary agitation in the countryside

Fear breeds fear and peasants start marching

Within 3 weeks of July 14, the countryside of France had been completely changed into a war zone

The National Assembly calls an emergency meeting and does away with class privileges, thus equalizing society

Declaration of the Rights of Man—August 27, 1789

Declares all men equal

Events from October, 1789 through September, 1791

Abolition of the French nobility as a legal order

Constitutional Monarchy established King limited power and Legislative

Assembly established Nationalization of the Church

--Stage set for subsequent civil war

LOUIS XVI Tries to Escape

JUNE 1791. He is apprehended near Austria border

King tried for treason and executed

January 21, 1793 King Louis XVI was

found guilty and beheaded by guillotine

Robespierre’s Reign of Terror

Maximilien Robespierre gains power as the leader of the Committee of Public Safety.

He rules France as a dictator and kills 40,000 “enemies of the revolution” by guillotine.

The Reign of Terror (cont)

End of Robespierre’s dictatorship on July 28, 1794

He was guillotined by members of the National Convention who feared for their own safety.

The Directory and Napoleon Bonaparte

The Directory (1794-1799) was established which was made up of two houses – legislative and executive branch.

Napoleon’s Rise to Power came as he is named commander of Frances Army.

He eventually seizes power from the Directory in 1799 and rules France until 1815.