French Revolution

*Eve of the Revolution Intellectual Capital of the World Yet Gov’t extremely oppressive Well educated middle class Inspired by American Revolution

*Causes of the Revolution Bankruptcy of the treasury (High Debt) Tax burden on the 3rd estate Inflation Abuses of Old Regime Enlightenment ideas influenced demands for social equality

*Causes of Revolution-SOCIAL Social Classes in France 1st Estate - Roman Catholic 2nd Estate - Nobility/ Aristocracy 3rd Estate - Everyone Else Estates based on social class Commoners & Bourgesious paid most of the taxes

*Cause of the Revolution — Weak Leadership King Louis XVI Absolute Monarch - King/Queen have complete control over people & land King when the Revolution began Married Marie Antionette Built the Palace of Versailles

*Marie Antoinette Austrian princess—one of France’s longtime enemies Extravagant Spender $$$ French citizens did not like her Queen when revolution began Executed by guillotine in 1793

Palace of Versailles

Palace of Versailles

Marie Antoinette’s Bedchamber & the Hall of Mirrors                                                                            

French Legislature: Estates-General Each Estate had one vote Third Estate wanted more representation

The National Assembly King Louis XVI refused - greater representation of the 3rd Estate Third Estate broke away and declared themselves the National Assembly

Louis XVI Actions June 27- To make peace, called the 1st and 2nd Estates to join the National Assembly France was bankrupt Riots were spreading Louis XVI also called for Swiss guards

*The Fall of the Bastille July 14, 1789 Rumor of foreign armies Citizens stormed the Bastille looking for gunpowder Great symbolic act of the Revolution Celebrated much like July 4th is celebrated in the United States.

The Great Fear Fear and violence swept through France Peasants attacked noble’s homes and destroyed old feudal records

The Great Fear They broke into Versailles and killed 2 guards Forced Louis XVI and family to return to Paris Signaled the change in power

National Assembly August 27, 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man Expressed Enlightenment ideas of liberty, property, speech and religion

What document is this similar to in the United States?

Louis XVI Louis and family try to flee to Austria Captured, brought back to Paris

Louis XVI Louis XVI arrested and put on trial Found guilty Executed on Jan 21, 1793 by the guillotine along with Marie Antionette

National Convention European monarchs shocked Formed 1st Coalition against France – April 1793 France defeats in October 1795

Committee of Public Safety Formed to protect France from foreign and domestic enemies

Committee of Public Safety Maximillien Robespierre Led Reign of Terror Led Committee of Public Safety Executed thousands What conduct is Robespierre trying to justify? “If the mainspring of popular government in peacetime is virtue, in revolution it is both virtue and terror; virtue without terror is fatal; terror without virtue is powerless”

The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) Committee of Public Safety sentencing citizens to death ANYONE considered an enemy of France is guillotined No one was safe 20,000-40,000 sentenced to death and executed by the Guillotine

*French Revolution Ends Napoleon seizes power from government in coup d’etat (1799) Napoleon brought stability to France Unlike American Revolution, France now ruled by dictator