American and French Revolutions “Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite”

Quick American Revolution  Based on Enlightenment beliefs, Rousseau, Locke, Montesquieu  Colonies resented paying taxes without a representative in Parliament  British imposed higher taxes after the French and Indian (Seven Years’) War  British also restricted colonial movement west as a result

Colonies Revolt  1776, Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson (based on John Locke), “Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness”  With aid of French, the Americans are successful by 1781  Articles of Confederation too weak  1789 New Constitution by James Madison: checks and balances and separation of powers (based on Baron de Montesquieu)  Bill of Rights added individual freedoms

French Revolution 1789

Causes  Political Absolute monarch Ministers selected by favoritism Censorship Imprisoned enemies without trial, charges, bail, jury People no say in government

Social & Economic Causes  Social Three distinct classes (Estates)  First Estate: Clergy  Second Estate: Nobility  Third Estate: Everybody else (bourgeoisie, workers, peasants)  First and Second estates: 3% of population, owned most of land Exempted from most taxes Special treatment from law  Third estate bore almost entire tax burden

Influence of English and American Revolutions  English Two countries geographically close Many English had taken refuge in France French Enlightenment philosophers praised the English Parliamentary system  American French fought for Americans Brought back Revolutionary ideas

King Louis XVI   No charisma, small minded  Queen Marie Antoinette very unpopular, vain, frivolous, and a foreigner from Austria

Immediate Causes  Louis XVI bankrupted France by court extravagance and war  Summoned the Estates-General (French Legislature) Hadn’t been summoned in 175 years (because he summoned them it made him seem weak) Each estate was represented and got 1 vote each, the First and Second estates always outvoted the Third

Revolution Begins  Third Estate demanded the Estates General be turned into a National Assembly with each member having one vote (1 st : 300, 2 nd : 300, 3 rd : 600)  King Rejected idea  Third Estate Declares itself the National Assembly Tennis Court Oath: pledged to provide France with a constitution

Storming of the Bastille July 14, 1789  Rumor that king sent troops to disband National Assembly  Paris mob stormed Bastille, prison holding political prisoners and symbol of Old Regime  Actually released no political prisoners, but 154 Mental patients  Anniversary is French Independence Day

Work of the National Assembly  Abolition of special privileges by 1 st and 2 nd estate  Declaration of the Rights of Man Liberty, property, resistance to oppression All citizens should have a voice in government All equal before law Freedom of speech, press, religion  Based on Declaration of Independence  Church lands broken up and sold to ease financial problems  Took power from Catholic Church  Constitution of 1791 Limited monarch’s power, made a Legislative Assembly

Limited Monarch Favored by bourgeoisie and peasants Favoring a Republic  Girondists: moderate bourgeoisie, wanted Republic similar to US  Jacobins: Radical city workers, paid no taxed; therefore had no voice in government Wanted republic run by poor Opposed king and bourgeoisie Favoring the Old Regime  Louis XVI  Devout Catholics  French Nobles  Foreign Monarchs: feared that their own people would revolt

National Convention ( )  French Legislature deposed king and set up a new Government called the National Convention  National Convention proclaims France a republic First French Republic  National Convention tried Louis XVI for treason and sentenced him to beheading by the guillotine

Reign of Terror  Jacobins seize control of the National Convention; set up Committee of Public Safety led by Robespierre  Reign of Terror instituted to protect revolution from “domestic” enemies  Arrested everyone suspected of treason  Sentenced thousands to death by guillotine, no matter how small or far-fetched the evidence  Eventually people ridded themselves of the Committee for Public Safety and Robespierre was killed on the guillotine

Democratic Ideals of the Revolution  Liberte: freedom for all and a voice in government  Egalite: equal treatment before law, society, and business  Fraternite: brotherhood of all persons "Unity, indivisibility of the Republic; liberty, equality or death".

Results:  Emphasis on Nationalism  Influenced people throughout the world Western Europe Latin America Asia Africa