Housekeeping: Learning Logs out Work schedules Extra Reading

Which act was more revolutionary: The Tennis Court Oath or the Storming of the Bastille?

How revolutionary was the National Assembly?

The August Decrees NA response to the Great Fear of Summer 1789 – debated on 4 th Aug Went much further than the original cahiers had proposed. Abolition of Feudalism in France Tithes Purchase of Office Special Privileges Introduction of new freedoms: Fair taxation All Frenchmen granted same rights and privileges Able to enter any profession regardless of birth.

What are ‘feudal dues’?

Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen Foundation of French Constitution. N.B National Assembly became Constituent Assembly. “Men are born free and remain free and equal in their rights.” Established system of meritocracy. Laid down plans for fully representative elected assembly. Built on the ideas of the Philosophes.

Relationship with Louis XVI Still respected and supported by majority of population, including members of the Constituent Assembly. CA sought to establish a Constitutional Monarchy. Debate focussed not on whether there should be a King, but what position the King should have.

What is a Constitutional Monarchy?

Constituent Assembly Proposals Single elected Assembly – What is the alternative? It would decide laws and set taxation. King would ensure that laws were carried out. He could still appoint ministers, but these ministers were directly responsible to the elected Assembly. The King had suspensive veto.

Louis’s Response?

The October Days – 5 th Oct 1789 – The March of the Women

Aims Constitutional Monarchy or a republic? Methods Peaceful, threat of violence or actual violence? Who were they? Peasants, sans- culottes, clergy, nobles, bourgeois? Where events took place? Paris, towns, rural France 1. The opening of the Estates General 2. National Assembly 3. The fall of Bastille 4. The October Days

Discussion Points 1.How much did the aims of the revolutionaries change? 2.When did violence develop and why did it increase? 3.Who was the driving force behind the revolution? 4.To what extent was this a Parisian revolution? 5.What sort of revolution was taking place at different times during the year? 6.Historians have suggested different dates for the outbreak of the Revolution. Which would you choose – 17 June, 14 July or 6 October – or another date?