The French Revolution!

Social Class in France• Prior to the

Revolution, France was made up of three estates:– 1st Estate - Clergy

• .5% of population• Owned 10% of land

– 2nd Estate – Nobles• 1.5% of population• Owned 25% of land

– 3rd Estate – Commoners• 98% of population• Owned 65% of land• PAID ALL TAXES!

Causes of the Revolution1. Economic Pressures on

Third Estate• 3rd Estate paid all taxes• Prices were on the rise –

particularly bread2. Absolutism

• King has absolute authority

3. National Financial Crisis• Poor harvests; high

unemployment• Assisting U.S. Revolution

drains French treasury• Lavish spending by King

and nobility4. Influence of

Enlightenment• Ideas have infiltrated the

middle and lower classes.• Rousseau? Montesquieu?

The Beginnings of Revolution• With France facing bankruptcy

in May 1789, King Louis XVI looked to raise taxes.– Needed approval from Estates

General• Parliament• Each estate received one vote

– 1st and 2nd estates always voted (2-1) in favor of raising taxes on the 3rd estate!

• Claiming the Estates General was unfair, the 3rd Estate formed their own parliament – the National Assembly – in protest!– To prevent them from meeting,

Louis XVI locked them out of the meeting rooms.

– Met on Tennis Courts instead.• June 1789 – Tennis Court Oath

– Swore not to disband until a new constitution was written!

The People Revolt!• July 1789 - French

citizens storm the Bastille in search of weapons. – Paris’ royal prison and

armory.– Seen as symbol of

oppression of monarchy.

• Summer 1789 – Great Fear– Revolts break out all over

France

• August 1789 – National Assembly issues the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen– Statement of the principles

of the revolution!

Attack on the King!• Louis XVI refused to

endorse the declaration or submit to any of the National Assembly’s demands.

• October 1789 - Parisian women marched to, and stormed, Versailles.– “Bread March”– Capture Louis and

Marie.• Force them to Paris.

A New Constitution?• For the next two years, the

monarchs were forced to stay in Paris while a new constitution was drafted by the National Assembly.– Looking to establish a

Constitutional Monarchy• Limited kings power; laws were

made by the National Assembly.

• June 1791 - Louis XVI & family attempted to flee France, but were caught near the French-Austrian border.– Brought back to Paris; forced to

sign new Constitution.

• Fall 1792 - it was clear the new Constitution was not working.

The National Convention• September 1792 – National

Convention is called to draft another Constitution.– Dominated by two groups:

• Girondins– More conservative; wanted

Constitutional Monarchy.• Jacobins

– More radical; Wanted France to become a republic.

– Jacobins dominate convention; dissolve the monarchy and establish a republic!

• December 1792 – Fearing his betrayal, the republic decided Louis must not live.– Executed January 1793

The Revolution Gets Radical• Reacting to the execution

of Louis, a coalition of nations prepared to invade France and end the revolution. – Austria, Prussia, Spain,

Portugal, Britain, and the Dutch.

– Why?• Spring 1793 - The

Committee of Public Safety is created.– Dominated by Maximilien

Robespierre – Goals:

• Protect France from invasion– Establish Revolutionary

Army• Ensure success of

Revolution– Eliminate individuals who

put its success at risk.

The Reign of Terror• Spring 1793 to July

1794 – Reign of Terror– Thousands are killed or

arrested in name of keeping Revolution alive.

• 17,000 killed– Guillotine

• 200,000 arrested

• Robespierre passed policies to create a “Republic of Virtue”– New Titles– Education Changes– Price Controls– De-Christianization– Revolutionary Calendar

The End of the Terror• Summer 1794 -

Revolutionary Army had defeated the foreign invaders.

• July 1794 - National Assembly arrested and executed Robespierre.– Was too radical and violent.– Revolution then takes a

more conservative turn.

• French Republic eventually ended in 1799 by Napoleon Bonaparte.– Becomes absolutist leader!

Legacy of the Revolution?1. Enlightenment ideas spread around Europe and the

New World.2. Absolutist reaction all over Europe.

• Kings become MORE absolutist in order avoid revolution.

3. Inspire other later revolution.• Appeal of violent social upheaval – especially in New World.