The French Revolution "Bourgeois" Phase: 1789-1792

-- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity… -- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities

Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI The French Monarchy: 1775 - 1793 Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI

Marie Antoinette and the Royal Children

Marie Antoinette’s “Peasant Cottage”

Marie Antoinette’s “Peasant Cottage”

1,600,000 livres [$100 million today] The Necklace Scandal 1,600,000 livres [$100 million today] -Countess de LaMotte becomes the Cardinal’s mistress and convinces him that Marie Antoinette wants him to be the middleman between the Jeweler and her. -Hires a prostitute to pretend she is Marie Antoinette and sets up a meeting in the gardens of Versailles were she “agrees” to purchase the necklace in payments. -Necklace is delivered by jeweler… a few days later the jeweler seeks payment and Marie Antoinette knows nothing about the incident. Effects: -discrediting the Bourbon monarchy in the eyes of the French people years before the French Revolution -Marie Antoinette became even more unpopular, and malicious gossip about her made her even more of a liability to her husband.[4] She was never able to shake off the idea in the public imagination that she had perpetrated an extravagant fraud for her own frivolous ends -the affair prompted Louis XVI to become closer to his wife, and may have inclined him to be more defensive of and more responsive to her leading up to and during the revolution. Cardinal Louis René Édouard de Rohan The Countess de LaMotte

Let Them Eat Cake! Marie Antoinette NEVER said that! “Madame Deficit” “The Austrian Whore”

Crane Brinton’s Anatomy of a Revolution He borrowed his terms from pathology. Compares a revolution to a fever or a disease: The revolutionary “fever” begins with the appearance of certain “symptoms.” It proceeds by advances and retreats to a crisis stage, or “delirium.” The crisis ends when the “fever” breaks. A period of convalescence follows, interrupted by a relapse or two before the recovery is complete. Pathology= medicine

Crane Brinton: Conditions Present Before a Revolution Occurs People from all social classes are discontented. People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the govt. People are hopeful about the future, but they are being forced to accept less than they had hoped for. People are beginning to think of themselves as belonging to a social class, and there is a growing bitterness between social classes. The social classes closest to one another are the most hostile.

Crane Brinton: Conditions Present Before a Revolution Occurs The scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates. The government does not respond to the needs of its society. The leaders of the government and the ruling class begin to doubt themselves. Some join with the opposition groups. The government is unable to get enough support from any group to save itself. The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt or trying to tax heavily and unjustly.

Socio-Economic Data, 1789

The French Urban Poor

Financial Problems in France, 1789 Urban Commoner’s Budget: Food 80% Rent 25% Tithe 10% Taxes 35% Clothing 20% TOTAL 170% King’s Budget: Interest 50% Army 25% Versailles 25% Coronation 10% Loans 25% Admin. 25% TOTAL 160%

Lettres de Cachet The French king could warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his seal. A carte-blanche warrant. Cardinal Fleury issued 80,000 during the reign of Louis XV! Eliminated in 1790.

Ancien Regime Map, 1789

The Suggested Voting Pattern: Voting by Estates Clergy 1st Estate 1 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 1 1 Commoners 3rd Estate Louis XIV insisted that the ancient distinction of the three orders be conserved in its entirety.

The Number of Representatives in the Estates General: Vote by Head! Clergy 1st Estate 300 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 300 648 Commoners 3rd Estate

Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes 1st What is the Third Estate? Everything! 2nd What has it been heretofore in the political order? Nothing! 3rd What does it demand? To become something therein! Abbé Sieyès 1748-1836

Convening the Estates General May, 1789 Last time it was called into session was 1614!

“The Third Estate Awakens” The commoners finally presented their credentials not as delegates of the Third Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.” They proclaimed themselves the “National Assembly” of France.

“The Tennis Court Oath” by Jacques Louis David June 20, 1789

Europe on the Eve of the French Revolution

Storming the Bastille, July 14, 1789 A rumor that the king was planning a military coup against the National Assembly. 98 died. 73 wounded. 7 guards killed. It held 7 prisoners [5 ordinary criminals & 2 madmen].

Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to Take Impossible demands made of government which, if granted, would mean its end. Unsuccessful government attempts to suppress revolutionaries. Revolutionaries gain power and seem united. Once in power, revolutionaries begin to quarrel among themselves, and unity begins to dissolve. The moderates gain the leadership but fail to satisfy those who insist on further changes.

Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to Take Power is gained by progressively more radical groups until finally a lunatic fringe gains almost complete control. A strong man emerges and assumes great power. The extremists try to create a “heaven-on-earth” by introducing their whole program and by punishing all of their opponents. A period of terror [extreme violence] occurs. Moderate groups regain power. THE REVOLUTION IS OVER!

The Great Fear: Peasant Revolt (July 20, 1789) Rumors that the feudal aristocracy [the aristos] were sending hired brigands to attack peasants and pillage their land.

The Path of the “Great Fear”

Night Session of August 4, 1789 Before the night was over: The feudal regime in France had been abolished. All Frenchmen were, at least in principle, subject to the same laws and the same taxes and eligible for the same offices. Equality & Meritocracy!

National Constituent Assembly 1789 - 1791 Egalité! Liberté! Fraternité! August Decrees August 4-11, 1789 (A renunciation of aristocratic privileges!)

BUT . . . . . Feudal dues were not renounced outright [this had been too strong a threat to the principle of private property!] Peasants would compensate their landlords through a series of direct payments for obligations from which they had supposedly been freed. Therefore, the National Assembly made revolutionary gestures, but remained essentially moderate. Their Goal Safeguard the right of private property!!

The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED & BLUE of Paris. The Tricolor (1789) The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED & BLUE of Paris. Citizen!

The Tricolor is the Fashion!

The “Liberty Cap”: Bonne Rouge Cap was used by the French to represent liberty and freedom

Revolutionary Symbols Cockade Liberté A cockade uses distinctive colors to show the allegiance of its wearer to some political faction, their rank, La Republic Revolutionary Clock

Revolutionary Playing Cards

Create a timeline with the following events: Calling of the Estates General Creation of the National Assembly Cahiers de dolences Tennis Court Oath National Constituent Assembly Storming of the Bastile The Great Fear The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

For each event do the following: A. dates B. explanation C. social effects of the event D. political effects of the event

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen August 26, 1789 Liberty! Property! Security Resistance to oppression! Thomas Jefferson was in Paris at this time. Two most important ideas CIVIC EQUALITY & POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY Came before the constitution Drew on the political language of the Enlightenment and the Declaration of Rights that the state of Virginia had adopted in 1776 All men are “born and remain free and equal in rights” Govts exist for the sole purpose of protecting those rights |

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen August 26, 1789 Two most important ideas CIVIC EQUALITY & POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY Civic equality- challenged the social and legal inequality of European society Popular Sovereignty asserted that governments must be responsible to the governed Came before the constitution Drew on the political language of the Enlightenment and the Declaration of Rights that the state of Virginia had adopted in 1776 All men are “born and remain free and equal in rights” Govts exist for the sole purpose of protecting those rights |

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Posed New Dilemmas Did women have equal rights with men? What about free blacks in the colonies? How could slavery be justified if all men were born free? Did religious toleration of Protestants and Jews include equal political rights? Influenced by Rousseau Political language of the Enlightenment left out women

March of the Women, October 5-6, 1789 A spontaneous demonstration of Parisian women for bread. -7k Parisian women armed w/pikes, guns and swords march to Versailles demanding bread We want the baker, the baker’s wife and the baker’s boy!

The “October Days” (1789) The king was thought to be surrounded by evil advisors at Versailles so he was forced to move to Paris and reside at the Tuileries Palace.

Planting the Tree of Liberty -Everything was peaceful until Summer of 1792 1790

Louis XVI “Accepts” the Constitution & the National Assembly. 1791 -Goal of National Constituent Assembly was to create a constitutional monarchy in France -King would be allowed a suspensive veto that would delay legislation but not stop it

The French Constitution of 1791: A Bourgeois Government The king got the “suspensive” veto [which prevented the passage of laws for 4 years]. He could not pass laws. His ministers were responsible for their own actions. A permanent, elected, single chamber National Assembly. Had the power to grant taxation. Assembly held the power to make war and peace -most political authority would lie within a Legislative Assembly -Assembly held the power to make war and peace - An independent judiciary.

The French Constitution of 1791: A Bourgeois Government “Active” Citizen [who pays taxes amounting to 3 days labor] could vote vs. “Passive” Citizen. 1/3 of adult males were denied the franchise. Domestic servants were also excluded. A newly elected LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. Only men paying annual taxes equal to 3 days labor wages could vote (active citizens) Only those who owned property could hold office (50k out of 25 million) Women were considered passive citizens GOAL  Make sure that the country was not turned over to the mob!

Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen (1791) Olympe de Gouges (1745-1793) Women played a vital role in the Revolution. But, The Declaration of the Rights of Man did NOT extend the rights and protections of citizenship to women. -Butcher’s daughter became a major revolutionary radical -DRMC reprinted replacing woman w/ word man -REVOLUTION IS INCOMPLETE UNTIL WOMEN ENJOY THE SAME RIGHTS AS MEN! Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen (1791)

83 Revolutionary Departments -Ancient French provinces abolished -All were generally the same size and named after geographic features. -Depts divided into districts, cantons, communes Ancient judicial courts abolished and replaced with courts were judges and prosecutors were elected Procedures simplified, cruel punishment was abolished February 26, 1790

How to Finance the New Govt.? 1. Confiscate Church Lands (1790) Chapelier Law– forbade workers’ associations because they resembled guilds wanted to promote political and social individualism both messages of the rev. Results of this decision: 1.Further inflation 2.Religious schism 3.Civil War One of the most controversial decisions of the entire revolutionary period.

2. Print Assignats Issued by the National Constituent Assembly. Interest-bearing notes which had the church lands as security.

Depreciation of the Assignat Whoever acquired them were entitled to certain privileges in the purchase of church land. The state would retire the notes as the land was sold. They began circulating as paper currency. Government printed more  INFLATION [they lost 99% of their value ultimately]. Therefore, future governments paid off their creditors with cheap money.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy July 12, 1790 Jurying vs. Non-Jurying [refractory] Clergy Church would become a branch of the secular state One diocese per department Refractory clergy did not take oath and were removed from position The oath of allegiance permanently divided the Catholic population!

New Relations Between Church & State Government paid the salaries of the French clergy and maintained the churches. The church was reorganized: Parish priests  elected by the district assemblies. Bishops  named by the department assemblies. The pope had NO voice in the appointment of the French clergy. It transformed France’s Roman Catholic Church into a branch of the state!! -Pope condemned the rev. and the DRMC -French citizens were divided because they felt that religious devotion and revolutionary loyalty were not compatible - Pope Pius VI [1775-1799]

The Royal Family Attempts to Flee June, 1791 Helped by the Swedish Count Hans Axel von Fusen [Marie Antoinette’s lover]. Headed toward the Luxembourg border. The King was recognized at Varennes, near the border -King seen as the main counterrevolutionary– constitutional monarchy would not last long -Declaration of Pillnitz– issued by Leopold II under pressure from emigres

French Soldiers & the Tricolor: Vive Le Patrie! The French armies were ill-prepared for the conflict. ½ of the officer corps had emigrated. Many men disserted. New recruits were enthusiastic, but ill-trained. French troops often broke ranks and fled in disorder.

The First Coalition & The Brunswick Manifesto (August 3, 1792) Duke of Brunswick if the Royal Family is harmed, Paris will be leveled!! 1792-1797 FRANCE AUSTRIA PRUSSIA BRITAIN SPAIN PIEDMONT -Increased distrust of the king - This military crisis undermined the new Legislative Assembly.

Sir Edmund Burke (1790): Reflections on the Revolution in France The conservative response to the French Revolution

Bibliographic Resources “Hist210—Europe in the Age of Revolutions.” http://www.ucl.ac.uk/history/courses/europe1/chron/rch5.htm “Liberty, Fraternity, Equality: Exploring the French Revolution.” http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/ Matthews, Andrew. Revolution and Reaction: Europe, 1789-1849. Cambridge University Press, 2001. “The Napoleonic Guide.” http://www.napoleonguide.com/index.htm