Stages of the French Revolution

Recap of the causes Absolute Monarchy Under absolutism most people in France were denied basics rights and any say in government

Social Inequality In France, everyone belonged to one of three social classes (Estates) 1st: Clergy 2nd: Nobles 3rd: Bourgeoisie, City Workers, Peasants The 3rd Estate grew increasingly discontent with its heavy tax burden and lack of rights

Economic Injustices The French Government, with its lavish court and expensive wars, spent more money than it earned (Deficit Spending) This led to an increase of taxes on the 3rd estate, furthering their discontent Bad harvests in 1789 caused food prices to rise Peasants and city dwellers often did not have enough to eat and began to riot, demanding bread

The Enlightenment Enlightenment thinkers were critical of France’s absolute monarchy and called for democratic reforms Enlightenment ideas led many French to question the traditional way of ordering society Giving the 1st and 2nd Estates privileges at the expense of the 3rd was unreasonable

English and American Examples England’s Glorious Revolution provided an example of how existing authority could be challenged Many French were inspired by American Colonists’ successful fight for liberty and equality in the American Revolution

Sans-culottes (“Without knee-breeches”) was a term created by the French aristocracy to describe the poorer members of the 3rd Estate. Their distinctive costume featured the pantalon (long-trousers), carmagnole (short-skirted coat), red cap of liberty and sabots (clogs)

The Revolution Begins As conditions grew worse in France, demands for reform increased In 1789, King Louis XVI finally called the Estates General A body made up of all three estates, each with one vote After this, change came swiftly

Meeting of the Estates General, May 5, 1789

3rd Estate = National Assembly The 3rd Estate was the only elected group in the Estates General They soon declared themselves the National Assembly Formed after a deadlock in the Estates General Vowed to write a new constitution for France

The representatives swore not to depart until they had given France a new constitution.

Seizure of the Bastille Working-class people, already rioting over the price of bread, stormed a prison called the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Goal was to gain weapons Fighting broke out, peasants attacked nobles and destroyed homes Succeeded and the rebellion took control of Paris

July 14th is known as Bastille Day in France, which the French consider the beginning of their freedom from tyranny. Similar to our 4th of July celebration

The Tennis Court Oath When trying to meet on July 20, 1789 the National Assembly found their chamber doors were locked and guarded by Royal Soldiers sent by Louis XVI The Assembly chose to meet in a nearby tennis court instead Vowed “never to separate” and to meet wherever necessary until a French constitution is established

“We swear never to separate ourselves from the National Assembly, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the realm is drawn up and fixed upon solid foundations”

Significance of Tennis Court Oath The Oath signified the first time French citizens formally stood in opposition to Louis XVI Forced the king to make concessions Declared that the National Assembly were acting as the supreme power of France’s government

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen National Assembly abolished the privileges of the 1st and 2nd Estates Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen Based on the Declaration of Independence Contained many Enlightenment ideas

Declaration of the Rights of Man: Revolutionary patriotism borrows familiar iconography of the Ten Commandments

A Limited Monarchy By 1791 the National Assembly had written a French constitution Set up a limited monarchy and a representative assembly Declared that people had natural rights Government’s job was to protect those natural rights Put the Church under state control

Reaction throughout Europe Many European rulers and nobles feared that revolutionary ideas would spread to their own countries Threatened to intervene to save the French monarchy To fight tyranny and spread the revolution, France declared war on Austria, Prussia and Britain