French Revolution

UNREST 1. Bad harvests 2. High prices 3. High taxes 4. Questions raised by the Enlightenment

Old Regime 3 Estates  1 st Estate Catholic Church (clergy ) 1% of population  2 nd Estate Nobles 2% of population

1 st and 2 nd Estates Access to gov’t offices Exempt from taxes Rejected Enlightenment Owned 30 % of land

3 rd Estate Everyone else  Bourgeoisie ( middle class ) Bankers, factory owners, merchants Well educated Believed strongly in Enlightenment Payed high taxes  Wealth ≠status and power

3 rd Estate cont.  Workers Poorest Low wages High unemployment  Peasants Largest Farmers 80% of population Paid ½ income to nobles, church, gov’t

Factors New ideas about gov’t Economic troubles  Debt Louis XVI  Inherited  Backed American Revolution  Spent

Factors cont. Weak leader – Louis XVI  Indecisive  Paid little attention to advisors  Queen interfered  Ignored problems

Estates-General Louis XVI decides to try to tax 2 nd Estate Forced to call meeting of Estates-General  First in 175 years  May 5, 1789 Versailles

Estates General cont. Each estate met separately to vote Each estate had one vote 1 st and 2 nd outvoted the 3 rd

Estates General cont. 3 rd Estate wanted changes  All 3 meet together  Each delegate have a vote Give advantage to 3 rd King denied Leaders of 3 rd called for National Assembly  Pass laws and reforms for people of France

National Assembly June 17, 1789 voted to form National Assembly  Proclaimed end of monarchy  Representative gov’t  First deliberate act of revolution

National Assembly Locked out of meeting room Broke into indoor tennis court Tennis Court Oath  Pledge not to disband until new constitution is written  Joined by nobles and clergy in favor of reform Louis XVI stationed military around Versailles

Storming of Bastille Rumors spread People began to arm themselves July 14, 1789 stormed Bastille  Prison built in 1300  In search of gunpowder Mob overwhelmed guards Symbolic act of revolt

Great Fear Rebellion spread to countryside Wave of panic Peasants armed themselves  Broke in nobles homes October 1789  Angry women of Paris march on Versailles Demand action to provide bread  Force Louis and Marie to return to Paris

The Rights of Man By August 5 th, Old Regime was dead  Commoners equal to nobles Nat’l Assembly adopts statement of ideals  The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Rights of Man “Men are born free and remain free and equal in rights” “Life, liberty, security, and resistance to oppression” Equal justice Freedom of speech and religion

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

The Church Took over Church lands Church officials and priests were to be elected an paid as gov’t officials  Many peasants alarmed Opposed assembly’s reforms

June 1791  Louis and Marie try to escape  Captured and returned to Paris

New Plan for Gov’t September 1791  New constitution Creates limited monarchy Creates new legislative body  Legislative Assembly  Power to create laws  Declare war

Divisions Legislative Assembly split into 3 groups  To the left – RADICALS Opposed monarchy; lots of change  In center – MODERATES Some change  To the Right – CONSERVATIVES Limited monarchy; few changes

War with Europe Austria and Prussia urge for restoration of monarchy April 1792  Legislative Assembly declares war

War with Europe Prussian forces advance quickly outside of Paris Threaten to destroy Paris if royals harmed August 10 th  20,000 men storm palace Kill guards Arrest Louis and family

Paris Commune Paris radicals  More radical, more violent  Took king captive  Wanted universal male suffrage Sans-culottes  Wanted greater changes  Discovered ways to exert power

September Massacres Rumors that royal supporters would break out of prison and seize city Citizens take law into own hands  Raid prison  Murder over 1000 prisoners

New Constitution Legislative Assembly pressured 1. Set aside Constitution of Deposes king 3. Dissolves assembly 4. Calls for election of new legislature

New Government September 21  National Convention takes office Abolishes monarchy Declares France a republic Adult male citizens granted right to vote and hold office

Political Clubs Girondins  Moderate  Represent areas outside of Paris  Feared radical mobs The Mountain  Radicals of Paris  Jacobins

Jacobins Jacobins – radical political organization takes charge  Jean-Paul Marot  Georges Danton Tried Louis XVI for treason  Convicted  January 21, beheaded

Problems Within Many enemies within France  Peasant horrified by execution of king  Priests angered by gov’t control  Rival leaders stirring up rebellions in other provinces of France

Committee of Public Safety To oversee war efforts created Committee of Public Safety  Maximillien Robespierre headed Governed France as dictator  REIGN OF TERROR

Reign of Terror Protect France from its enemies Many fellow revolutionaries were sentenced to death 1793 – 1794  45,000-55,000 people executed

Reign cont. Revolutionary armies bring rebellious cities under control  Lyon – 1880 citizens executed  Nantes – sunk in barges 85% from 3 rd Estate Violence was temporary Republic of Virtue

Republic composed of good citizens  Good education – primary education for all  “citizen” replaced mister  Tried to control prices  Women attended National convention sessions  De-Christianization Cult of the Supreme Being Superstition rather than reason New calendar (Sept 22, 1792)

End of Terror June 1794  Law of 22 Prairial July 1794  National Convention turns on Robespierre July 28, 1794  Robespierre is beheaded

New Government Following terror moderate leaders draft new plan for gov’t (3 rd since 1789)  Power with upper middle class  2 house legislature  Executive body of 5 men (moderates) Directory

Corrupt Gave country period of order Chose right general to lead army  Napoleon Bonaparte