French Revolution

THE BACKGROUND

The Ancien Regime: 3 Estates (classes) 1 st Estate: The Clergy 130,000 people (1%) Owned lots of land Received tithes + fees 2 nd Estate: The Nobility hereditary 300,000 people (2%) Owned 30% of the land Controlled almost everything, paid no taxes 3 rd Estate: Everybody Else Wealthy Commoners=17% Peasants=80% Not in Control of anything paid ALL taxes

3 rd Estate: The Bourgeoisie Involved in commerce, finance, manufacture Bourgeoisie= wealthy and growing middle class in France. Literate, influenced by Enlightenment ideas

3 rd Estate: Sans-Culottes Sans-Culottes= Urban Poor People Life was OK when crops were good   if they weren’t. Violent protests and rage over Increased bread prices taxes

THE CAUSES

I. National Bankruptcy Expensive wars Bad tax system Versailles = 1/3 of national budget

The Unlucky Couple

II. New Ideas About Government Locke; natural rights Rousseau; government = a contract okay to overthrow a government not doing its job Bourgeoisie (Middle Class) began to demand to have a say in their government

III. No Food bad harvests Hungry people = angry people

IV. Crisis Louis XVI called the Estates General (Parliament) to a meeting to grant him new taxes Estates General = members from each estate who met to help advise the King Argued over how to vote – by estate or one man, one vote

V. National Assembly 3 rd estate walked out Met at a Versailles Tennis court Gave the Tennis Court Oath – would not disband until France had a Constitution Night of August 4 th - Abolished nobility France now a Constitutional Monarchy

VI. Storming of the Bastille Prison July 14, 1789 Paris workers (sans culottes) attacked the Bastille (gov’t prison)

VII. Reign of Terror Austria & Prussian rulers invade France to stop the revolution Fear & panic Radical “Jacobin” political party takes control of Paris. France run by the Committee of Public Safety (led by Robespierre) Guillotine used to execute “enemies of the revolution” including Louis XVI = Reign of Terror!

VIII. Napoleon Successful war general Has a coup d’etat (military takeover) Declares himself EMPEROR (ironic, right?!) Conquered almost all of Europe Napoleonic Code = equality before the law & meritocracy but NOT “freedom” “If the Press is not controlled, I shall not remain in power 3 days.” - Napoleon

IX. Napoleon’s Downfall Unsuccessfully invades Russia British and others defeat his army at Waterloo – he is exiled to St. Helena Island in the Atlantic Constitutional Monarchy (not absolute!) restored in France. Very few rich men = voters. Napoleonic Code = still used.