Transcript The French Revolution
The French Revolution
Causes of the French Revolution
• Absolute Monarchy – Growing discontent and a weak ruler threatened the existence of the throne.
• Social Inequality – Clergy = Wealth – Nobles = Government Jobs – Bourgeoisie & Peasants = Resentment
Causes of the French Revolution
• Economic Problems – Louis XIV left France deeply in debt, due to
deficit spending
, or spending more money than it takes in.
• Government Failures – Weak monarchs and an unwillingness to reform a broken system led to more discontent.
Causes of the French Revolution
• Voting Issues – Only white men who owned property could vote.
• Enlightenment Ideas – Led people to question the inequalities of the old regime.
• American Revolution – After a successful revolt removed colonial rule in America, French citizens gained confidence in their convictions.
The 3 Estates
What is the Third Estate? EVERYTHING.
What has it been in the political order until now? NOTHING. What is it asking for? To become SOMETHING.
Biography: Louis XVI
• Grandson of Louis XV.
• Too weak to fix the economic crisis.
• His wife, Marie Antoinette and the Nobility pushed him to unpopular decisions and few effective reforms.
• Called meeting with the Estates General, the first meeting in 175 years.
•
Estates General
When the Estates General met in May 1789,
each estate solemnly marched into the hall at Versailles. The third estate, dressed all in black, the nobility dressed in all their finery and finally the clergy dressed in full regalia.
• 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. (Since there were far more delegates from the third estate, this plan would give them a majority). The King refused to grant their request. The third estate refused to budge.
Attempted Reforms • All three estates prepared
cahiers
, notebooks with their grievances.
– Fairer Taxes – Freedom of the Press – Regular Meetings of the Estates General
Tennis Court Oath
• 3 rd Estate insisted on reform. The 3 rd itself the National Assembly.
estate then declared • Louis allowed the 3 rd Estate to have more delegates at the Estates General, but would not promise them equal, or more votes. • On June 20 th 1789, they were locked out of the meeting so they met together in side an indoor tennis court and vowed not to disband until a new constitution was written.
“Is it a Revolt? … No it’s a Revolution.
• Crowds formed outside the Bastille (used as a prison), demanding weapons and gunpowder inside.
• After commander refused, he opened fire into the crowd. Many were killed including the commander and five guards.
• Became a symbol of the revolution-Bastille day (July 14 th Independence day).
The Great Fear
• Rumors spread of government imposing medieval rules.
• Rumors also spread of nobles burning supplies of grain to stop the insurgents (rebels).
• Before nobles came to collect, they were attacked at their homes by peasants, who burned the manor records and stole.
• Demonstrated peasant anger July-August 1789 of the time.
• During this time privileges of estate were eliminated.
While the Great Fear Raged On
• •
With the "great fear" raging in the countryside, the National Assembly was motivated to move quickly. On the night of August 4, the delegates rose one by one to propose new reforms and to surrender class privileges. The manorial system in which peasants were tied to their landlords through obligations and fees were gone, as was the corvee and all tithing to the church. The nobility and the clergy gave up their exemptions from taxation. By the end of August, feudalism was dead in France. These were called the "August days.“ "What glory, what honor to be a Frenchman!"
Robespierre
• Lawyer and politician, leader of Committee on Public Safety in early 1793.
• Titled “the In-corruptible”.
• Stated “Liberty can’t be secured unless criminals lose their heads”. & “Can achieve a republic of virtue only through the use of terror”.
• Promoted religious tolerance and sought to abolish slavery. • Follower of Rousseau’s teachings.
"Terror is nothing other than prompt, severe, inflexible, justice"
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
• “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” • Modeled after the Declaration of Independence.
• August 4 th 1789, said government existed to protect the rights of the natural citizen.
• All male citizens are equal.
• Taxes to be levied based upon the ability to pay.
Radicals vs. Conservatives
• Jacobins and other republicans wanted to abolish the monarchy.
• Wanted radical changes.
• Committee on Public Safety set up 12 member committee with absolute power.
• Those who sat on the far right wanted things to stay the same or to go back to the way things were in 1788.
The Moderates
• Sat in-between the Radicals and Conservatives.
• Produced the 3rd Constitution since 1789.
• Set up 5 man directory (1795-1799) • Leaders of these governments were corrupt.
• Discontent grew and bread riots ensued.
• People felt let down and turned to popular war hero (Napoleon Bonaparte).
The Fall of the Monarchy, 10 August 1792
• On the morning of August 10, 1792, the National Guard and a mob of Parisians invaded the residence of the royal family (Tuileries in Paris).
Although the royal family had already fled the palace for the relative safety of the Assembly's meeting place, the Swiss guards that were stationed at the palace opened fire on the crowd. They were quickly overpowered, and most of the Swiss soldiers were hacked to death by bystanders-it was the bloodiest day of the Revolution so far.
Reign of Terror
• July 1793-July 1794, hasty trials were conducted.
• 40,000+ were executed, many unjustly.
• Guillotine was the instrument of horror and death.
• Robespierre’s death marked the end of the Reign of Terror.
Beheadings
• All members of the Royal family were executed/died except one – Mary Therese.
Crowds lined the street to jeer at him when he was returned to Paris. The King remarked, "There is no longer a King in France."
King Louis XVI Beheaded
•
"I forgive those who are guilty of my death"
Women’s Rights
• Gained few rights • Made divorce easier.
• Allowed women to inherit property.
• Lost the right to express views in public.
Daily Life
• Got rid of old social order.
• Overthrew the monarchy.
• Wore plain clothing instead of fancy wigs etc.
• Church under state control • Liberty and equality for all male citizens.
• New kinds of names, Constitution, Republic.
Nationalism
• A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one’s country.
• Change in Loyalty – With the Louis XVI’s execution, loyalty shifted from king or queen to defending the nation itself.
Rise to a New Power
• Moderates corrupt 5 Man Directory led to a new powerful man in charge: Napoleon.
• Napoleon was a war hero (general) during the French Revolution driving the British out of Toulon.
• Became 1 st •Good and decent people
must be protected and persuaded by gentle means, but the rabble must be led by terror.
Consul on 3 man Consulate eventually named himself emperor.