French Revolution

Palace of Versailles

Who was King Louis XIV? When did he reign over France? What was the Palace of Versailles? How did Louis XIV use the palace to increase his power?

King Louis XVI

Who was King Louis XVI? When did he reign? Who was the Queen of France during Louis XVI’s reign? Where was she from?

Peasants, nobility and clergy By end of 18 th C., France spends more than income By 1788, half of France budget for interest payments on debt; 25% of annual budget funds military; 6% funds life-style at Versailles Clergy and nobility mostly exempt from taxes Also: poor harvests, price of bread soars

Estates General King Louis XVI wants to solve financial crisis- calls Estates General Last convened in 1614 Divided France into 3 orders or estates: – The clergy – Nobility – Commoners/ peasants

Tennis Court Oath

Third Estate refused to conduct business if King did not sit Estates as single body Third Estate adopts National Assembly and declares itself true representative body of France June 20, National Assembly locked out of hall meet at nearby tennis court. Promise to not disband until they get a new, written Constitution King accepts constitutional monarchy in 1791 and new government seize land of Catholic Church and the nobles who fled

Storming of the Bastille

Storming of Bastille By July ¼ of people were unemployed; bread prices soared Rumors spread that king’s troops are coming to take over city July 14, hundreds of people march to Bastille, a medieval fort and prison for gunpowder Soldiers fire on crowd and kill 98 people. Soldiers surrender the Bastille to the revolutionary crowds This is the symbolic beginning of the FRENCH REVOLUTION– ie- Bastille Day is French Independence Day

March on Versailles

Hunger and unemployment continue to increase after the Storming of Bastille October 5, ,000 women march 12 miles from Paris to Versailles to demand bread Women invade palace and kill several guards King promised bread and walked them back to Paris with his family– with heads of two nobles on pikes. This act demonstrates the power of popular movements and King no longer resisted Revolution, nor returned to Versailles

Debrief the National Assembly Why did the National Assembly turn against the King? How did you feel when Robespierre gave his speech and showed the secret document? How did you feel when the King was executed? How did you feel toward Robespierre during the Reign of Terror? What do you think occurred in France after Robespierre was executed?

Execution of Louis XVI

June 21, royal family tries to flee France, but caught and returned to Paris King agreed to sign Constitution of 1791, then veto key decrees royal documents prove king was secretly trying to restore authority January National Convention convicts Louis XVI of treason and sentences him to death (by one vote!) The Queen was executed October 1793

Reign of Terror

Revolution at home and war with European countries- Robespierre takes charge. Robespierre enforced “virtues of new Republic” “crimes” included saying “down with the Republic” or owning a book with king’s seal : 40,000 French men and women executed by guillotine, until Robespierre sent to guillotine in 1794

Coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte

France ruled by five-man executive called the Directory : Napoleon Bonaparte rules as dictator. Makes France a centrally controlled police state Revolutionary ideals of freedom of speech and press disappear, but Napoleon abolishes feudal privileges and helps peasants. Napoleon's armies take over Europe.. But lose in Russia. He abdicates (gives up power) in 1814.