Download French Revolution

French Revolution
World History Chp. 7
Adv. World History Chp. 3
Bell Ringer
• Why have people in the past struggle for
their rights?
Objective
• Explain how the French Revolution led
France to develop a constitutional
monarchy to democratic dictator to the
Napoleonic empire
Quote
• "It was the best of times, it was the worst
of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was
the age of foolishness.”
• By Charles Dickens
• Tale of Two Cities
Louis XVI
Marie Antoinette
Maximilien Robespierre
Old Regime
• Old regime still
remained
• France divided into 3
social classes called
estates
Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
Queen’s Bedroom
The Three Estates
• 1st estate is clergy – are from catholic
church own 10% of land and paid a small
tax
• 2nd estate is nobility – is 2% of population
but own 20% of land and paid no taxes
• 3rd estate is everyone else – 97% of
population. Divided into 3 classes
bourgeoisie, workers, & peasants (80% of
population and paid the most taxes).
Problems in France
• Ideas of
Enlightenment
• Economic troubles –
heavy taxes, bad
weather and crop
shortages, giving
money towards
American revolution
• Weak leader –
indecisive
Beginning of Revolution
• Meeting of EstatesGeneral called and 3rd
estate wanted more say
& power in govt. and
called themselves
National Assembly
• 3 days later 3rd estate
was locked out of
meeting. They went to a
tennis court and pledged
to reform govt. & have
constitution (Tennis Court
Oath).
Estates-General
Question
• What is the difference between a revolt
and a revolution?
Storming of Bastille
• Rumors of troops to
kill citizens
• Mob stormed a
French prison
(Bastille)
• Start of revolution
Revolution
Reforms of the Assembly
• Adopted Declaration of
the Rights of Man –
declared all men are free
and equal before the law
• Took lands from church
and priest/clergy must be
elected by ppl.
• Limited constitutional
monarchy
National Convention
• 1791 new govt. elected
• Abolished the monarchy
and declares France a
republic
• All male citizens can vote
and hold public office
• Radical groups started to
take control and mobs
are common
Death of King Louis XVI
• King Louis XVI tried
and convicted of
treason
• He is sentenced to
death and beheaded
Struggle for Power
• Threats from mobs and
foreign enemies cause
power struggle in govt.
• Maximilien Robespierre
gains power & establish
the republic of virtue
• Wipes out all trace of
monarchy and church
Reign of Terror
• Robespierre becomes
leader of the Committee
for Public Safety
• Committee decided who
were enemies of the state
and had them excuted
• Robespierre became a
dictator and his rule
became known as the
reign of terror
Victims of Terror
• About 400,000 were
excuted by guillotine
• Marie Antoinette was
beheaded
• Even those who
started the revolution
were put to death for
not being radical
enough
End of Reign of Terror
• No one was safe from
Robespierre
• National Convention turn
on Robespierre and
sentence him to death
• Form a new govt. called
the Directory
• Napoleon Bonaparte is
put in charge of France’s
military
Question
• Do you think changes in the French govt.
were inevitable?
• Inevitable means incapable of being
avoided or evaded