Download French Revolution

French Revolution
1789-1799
France
French Society Divided
• Old Social Order: Ancien Regime= old order of
France all the way from Feudalism/Middle Ages.
• Divided into one of three estates=social
classes=
i. 1st Estate= Clergy= Officials of the Church
ii. 2nd Estate= Nobility= Wealthy families that meet
certain requirements by law
iii. 3rd Estate= Everyone else- Lawyers, doctors,
merchants, peasants, etc.
Ist Estate- Clergy- 1.5% of Population
Clergy= Members of the Church
2nd Estate- Nobility- 1.5% of Population
3rd Estate- Everyone
Else- 97% of
Population
Privileges
1st and 2nd Estate
• Paid no taxes or
almost no taxes.
• Were allowed
weapons to hunt.
• Given land
• Given top job
opportunities
• 3rd Estate• Hmmmm….. non
Complaints
1st and 2nd EstateHmmm…..
3rd Estate
• Had to pay all the
taxes• Had no say in
government decisions
• Owed debts
• Food was expensive
• Wages were unfair
Causes of the French Revolution
A.
B.
C.
•
Enlightenment- Ideas, Beliefs, Etc.
The Inequalities among the social classes.
Financial TroublesContributed to Financial debt:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
7 years war
American Revolution
Court (King and Queen) Spending
Only taxing the 3rd Estate
Over- borrowing money
Bad Harvest- Make food prices sky rocket
I.
Population had increased dramatically within the recent
century.
In towns and cities,
Enlightenment ideas led people
to question the inequalities of the
old (ancien) regime.
Why should the first two estates
have such great privileges at the
expense of the majority?
King Louis XVI- Calls the Estate
General
• What was the Estates General?
– The legislative body consisting of
representatives of the three estates.
3rd Estate not
represented
fairly for being
a majority of
the population
Estates General
I. Had not been called in 175 years.
II. France’s assembly of representatives from
all 3 estates.
III. 1st and 2nd delegates knew that they could
outvote the 3rd estate on any decision.
IV. Prepare Grievance Notebooks= Cahiers
V. Many called for reforms such as fairer taxes,
freedom of the press, regular meetings of the
Estates General.
VI. The cahiers testified to the Boiling class
resentments.
Financial Troubles
• Jacques Necker- A financial Expert was
called upon by the King because he knew
the people were unhappy and about to
revolt.
• He advised the king to lower court spending.
• Reform government
• Tax the 1st and 2nd Estate – This caused the
nobles and clergy to force the king to dismiss him
• Stop burdensome tariffs (taxes) on internal trade.
Events of the French
Revolution: The Moderate
Phase of the Revolution
Storming of the Bastille
• The people storm the Bastille (Fortress/Prison)
that represented the old social order of France
(feudalism) to obtain gunpowder to defend
themselves. July 14, 1789. This symbolized
the tearing down of the old order and the
people taking power. The people actually took
the bricks as keepsakes- this was symbolic
because this was them putting an end to the
oppression of the king.
•
•
•
Tennis Court Oath
Delegates from the Third Estate= They wanted reform in government based
on enlightened writers ideas.
All three estates were deadlocked over the issues of Voting= Each Estate
having 1 vote.
After weeks of stalemate, delegates of the 3rd estate declared themselves
the national assembly= being locked out because of this they stood in a
tennis court and took an oath= “never to separate and to meet wherever the
circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just
constitution”
The National Assembly
I.
The National Assembly- The True Representatives of
the people of France NOW- Made up of the 3rd Estate.
A. They declare their declaration: Rights of Man and the Citizentheir version of the Declaration of Independence.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
End to tyranny
Seized the power from the Monarchy.
Establish a Constitutional Monarchy
Equality for all
Reasonable Justice
Freedom of Press
Only established rights for men
Did not give women any rights
Women’s
March
ON
Versailles
Spontaneous demonstration of Parisian women for bread and rights
•
• The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens did not give women
any rights and they felt they needed a movement to win rights for
themselves.
• Forces King Louie XVI and Marie Antoinette to move back to ParisRemember they were living in their lavish Palace in Versailles- so
away from the people because they were unconcerned with the
troubles of what was going on in French society.
The Church is Taken Under
State Control
• The people drafted a constitution to solve
the continuing financial crisis- Civil
Constitution of 1790.
• To pay off the huge government debt–
• As a radical move, the National Assembly
put the French Catholic Church under
state control.
• This obviously made the clergy of the
church very angry.
The Constitution of 1791
Establishes a New
Government:
• National Assembly produced a
Constitution in 1791– It set up a limited monarchy in place of the
absolute monarchy.
– A new legislative assembly had the power to
make laws, collect taxes, and decide on
issues of war and peace. Lawmakers would
be elected by tax-paying male citizens over
25.
Flight Away From Paris
• 1791- King Louie XVI makes his servants
dress as nobility, he and the queen dressed as
servants and they tried to escape Paris!
• King and Queen were captured and Brought
back to Paris!!!!
• This was viewed as King Louis XVI as
abdicating the throne! Giving up his title as
King!
NOTES STOP HERE
STOP HERE FOR NOTES.
The JacobinsJacobin Meeting House
 Started as a debating society.
 Membership mostly middle class..
 Radicals who want a republic
The Radical’s
Arms:
No God!
No Religion!
No King!
No Constitution!
Radicals Take Control
• Took control of the National Assembly, called for
the election of a new legislative body called the
National Convention.
–The Monarchy is abolished
–Established a republic.
–Drew up a new Constitution (2nd)
–King and Queen are beheaded.
Marie Antoinette
on the Way to the Guillotine
Maximillian Robespierre
(1758 – 1794)
Main Architect of the “Reign of
Terror!”
Reign of Terror
• Headed by Maximilien Robespierre
• Set up a Committee of Public Safety which
actually goes around arresting and
beheading people.
• De-Christianization- They felt religion had
no place in their secular republic.
Committee for Public Safety
 Revolutionary Tribunals.
 300,000 arrested.
 16,000 – 50,000 executed.
In Reaction to the Terror
• Move away from the National Convention
• Moderates take over and produce the 3rd constitution
• They set up 5 man Directory and a two-house legislature
elected by male citizens of property- They are now under
the control of the Directory.
–
–
–
–
Estates General
National Assembly
National Convention
Directory.
• The middle class and professional people held most
power during this time period (1795-1799.)
The Directory Phase
1. Somewhat weak but dictatorial
2. Many people were returning to France
now and in 1797, supporters of a
Constitutional Monarchy won the majority
of the seats in Legislature.
3. People then turn to Napoleon Bonaparte,
a popular military hero who would soon
trick them all and become a ruler of
France.
Revolution Brings Change
Changes:
• Dislodged the old
social order
• Overthrown the
monarchy
• Brought the church
under state control
• Nationalism Spreads
The Age of Napoleon 17991815
• His parents sent him to
military school at a young age
where he studied public
speaking, strategy, etc.
• At age 16 he graduated.
• He then moved through the
military ranks fast thus gaining
control.
•He was only 5’2….
What does Napoleon have to do with
the French Revolution?
• He was a military general throughout the
French Revolution.
• He brought an end to France’s post revolution
chaos.
• He rebuilt France to bring it back to its former
glory.
• He brought stability to French society in terms
of commerce and laws.
– He founded a French Banking System.
– He founded a FAIR, and modern legal code that is still used today.
Napoleon’s Many Mistakes
• Continental System- Initially just a
blockade against the British that ended up
crippling the economies of Britain, Spain,
Portugal and even France.
• Invading Russia- This cost Napoleon over
500,000 men and much more in horses
and money.
• Peninsular War-
Other Things He Did…
• Crowned himself Emperor (WHAT?!?!?!
Yup!!!)- He Overthrew the Directory.
• Invaded nearly every country in Europe… War
War War…. Destruction Destruction…
Enemies Enemies Enemies
• Placed family members in top ranked positions
(undeserving of course)
• Started dozens of wars that cost millions of
lives (and $$$).
Sooo….
• Once his armies started losing battles his
people became fed up, captured him and
gave him to the enemy!
• They banished him to a small, isolated
island, St. Helena. Where he lived till his
death under guard.
– After he escaped, returned to France, was
welcomed back, captured again at the Battle
of Waterloo, then was banished again….
Napoleon’s Impact
• Napoleonic Code consolidated many changes
of the Revolution
• France was now a centralized state with a
constitution (just).
• Elections were held with expanded, though
limited, suffrage.
• Many more citizens had rights to property and
access to education
What then for Europe?
• Congress of Vienna
– Brilliant gathering of European leaders
– To restore stability and order in Europe after years
of war.
– Bring lasting peace to Europe
– Redrew the map of Europe
– Restored Monarchies in Europe and restricted the
rights of citizens in monarchies.