The French Revolution Unfolds Chapter 18 Section 2

What were economic conditions like in 1789? Starving peasants 1000s of unemployed persons in search of work Rising grain prices (80% of income spent on bread alone)

“Great Fear” Rumors caused a “Great Fear”, or panic, to sweep across France Rumors spread of government attacks on peasants and villagers and seizures of peasant crops. In retaliation, peasants attacked nobles and their homes, burned records, and seized grain Great Fear

Paris Commune Paris, capital of France, was center of revolutionary activity Different groups, or factions, competed for political power Moderates looked to Marquis de Lafayette for leadership (Lafayette assisted Washington in American Revolution) Lafayette organized the National Guard in response to king’s royal troops A radical political group known as Paris Commune replaced the Paris government More political clubs developed and demanded 1) end to the monarchy and they 2) spread wild rumors about royal family The

France

Marquis de Lafayette He was a French leader who assisted George Washington during the American Revolution.

What changes occurred in the National Assembly (formerly the Third Estate)? A meeting was held on August 4, 1789 Nobles surrendered their right to collect dues from peasants, exclusive hunting rights, special legal status, and exemption from paying taxes The National Assembly made the above reforms into law and achieved a key Enlightenment goal: “THE EQUALITY OF ALL MALE CITIZENS BEFORE THE LAW” (sorry – females still not included at that time)

National Assembly

What was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen? The National Assembly published this document It was modeled after the U.S. Declaration of Independence All French men “born and remain free and equal in rights”

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen Natural rights include “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression” Governments must exist to protect the natural rights of citizens (hey, remember John Locke??) All male citizens equal before the law, freedom of religion, and taxes according to one’s ability to pay

Slogan of the French Revolution “LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY” (sorry, but not for women)

Olympe de Gouges She was a female journalist who demanded rights for women She authored a similar document - Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen

Women’s March on Versailles (October 5, 1789) 6,000 angry women marched 13 miles in rain from Paris to king’s palace at Versailles The Women demanded 1) bread and 2) to personally see King Louis XVI They had no food to feed their families!! The monarchs and their family left for Paris followed by the angry women Royal family was imprisoned in the Tuileries Palace in Paris

Women’s March on Versailles These angry women are marching with pitchforks and a cannon!!

Why did women HATE Queen Marie Antoinette?? Common women hated Queen Marie Antoniette, who spent huge sums of money on herself (clothing, jewelry, perfumes) while ignoring the poor, starving citizens of France

Versailles Palace

How did the National Assembly Pay Off France’s Huge Debts? 1) Assembly voted to take over and sell church lands to raise money 2) National Assembly put French Catholic Church under state control (church was not happy about this) 3) Bishops and priests were elected and salaried – not appointed anymore 4) Constitution ended papal (pope’s) authority over French Church (the pope was furious!!) 5) Convents and monasteries were dissolved

Reaction to National Assembly’s Authority Over Church Bishops and priests refused to accept new Civil Constitution Pope condemned the new constitution Many religious French peasants rejected the changes Government punished clergy who refused to support the Civil Constitution

Constitution of 1791 The absolute monarchy was replaced by a limited monarchy New Legislative Assembly had power to make laws, collect taxes, and decide issues of war and peace Lawmakers would be elected by tax-paying male citizens over age 25 Old provinces replaced with 83 departments (counties) of equal size

French Departments (counties)

King Louis Attempts to Escape King and family attempted escape in June, 1791 The escape attempt failed as the monarchs tried to cross the border At the border, a guard recognized the king’s face from paper currency The royal family was escorted back to Paris This escape attempt made Louis XVI appear to be a traitor to the Revolution

King Louis XVI of France He did not care at all about the problems of the French people. He lacked leadership. He lacked the political and economic skills to govern France effectively.

How did European rulers react to the French Revolution? European rulers did not want French Revolution to spill across the border and spark similar revolutions in their countries Emigres (nobles, clergy, and others who fled the Revolution to other countries) reported attacks on their privileges, property, their religion, and their lives European rulers did not want “revolutionary ideas” to “infect” their populations

Map of Europe Eve of French Revolution

Declaration of Pilnitz The king of Prussia and Emperor of Austria jointly issued the Declaration of Pilnitz Under this declaration, these monarchs threatened to intervene to protect the French monarchy (protecting and restoring the French monarchy would prevent the French Revolution from spreading to other European countries) Other European monarchs did not want the French Revolution to incite violence in their countries!! The French revolutionaries viewed this declaration as a threat against the revolution itself

Why did the Legislative Assembly fail? Lasted one year amidst new economic problems: Assignats (currency) dropped in value Prices rose rapidly People selfishly hoarded food and supplies Significant food shortages

Sans-Culottes (“without breeches”) Another radical revolutionary group They wore long trousers The Sans-Culottes demanded a republic (government ruled by elected representatives) instead of a monarchy (government ruled by king and queen)

Hostile Political Factions Sans-culottes found support in Legislative Assembly among the Jacobins, a revolutionary political club Mostly middle-class lawyers or intellectuals Jacobins used power of newspapers to spread revolutionary ideas

War on Tyranny A war of words between French revolutionaries and European monarchs erupted into battlefield war The French Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria, Prussia, and Britain - to spread the revolution!! The great European powers expected an easy victory against France But the fighting began in 1792 and lasted until 1815