THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Mr. Hardy RMS IB,

Background Information Began in when the US was created – How do you think the Americans might have influenced the French? Consider the Treaty of Paris, Benjamin Franklin, and the idea of revolting against your government. More complex, more violent, and far more radical than American Revolution A turning point in EUROPEAN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL HISTORY

Social Causes of the Revolution Enlightenment Ideas -Individual Rights -Democracy Inspiration from the American Revolution – How do you think the American Revolution might inspire the French? Social Inequality – Social class was divided into three estates or classes – Social Conditions

Estates Outlined 1 st Estate – Clergy 2 nd Estate – Nobility, powerful within the government, vastly wealthy 3 rd Estate- A Majority of People – Peasants, shopkeepers, craftspeople – Bourgeoisie- Middle class, owned 25-30% land Upset at all the privileges held by people in higher estates

Three estates First Estate Second Estate Third Estate Clergy (130,000 people), owned about 10% of land, Nobility (350,000 people), owned 30%, held leading positions Commoners (peasants), made up of 75 percent of total population. Owned % of land

Economic Forces of Change Economic Troubles National government in financial collapse Bad harvest Slow manufacturing High number of poor people Costly wars and aid to the US Expensive monarchies High Taxes

Political Causes of the Revolution King Louis and Marie Antoinette National Assembly Excessive Debt due to nearly a century of fighting/war Taxation – The general public paid upwards of 80% of their income in taxes

King Louis and Marie Antoinette – King Louis married Marie Antoinette Antoinette was an Austrian princess Louis was 15 and Marie was 14 years old Spent so much money on luxuries she was nicknamed Madame Deficit French people hated her

National Assembly Versailles, May 5, 1789 Meeting of all Estates Problem = voting – Each estate would get one vote – 1 st and 2 nd Estate could outvote the 3 rd Why might this be a problem for the 3 rd Estate? How might this lead to revolution?

Tennis Court Oath Not happy with result of National Assembly – Decided to create their own Assembly Tennis Court Oath- Met on June 17, 1789 – original place was locked Made an oath to create a new constitution – Which form of government do you think they wanted to create? Think about Enlightenment ideas of the times! King Louis XVI was against this and used force Rebellions started forming all over France

TENNIS COURT OATH

Storming the Bastille Louis fears a rebellion in Paris – Stations Swiss guards in the city (won’t trust his own men) – The people of Paris see foreign soldiers, hear rumors that Louis will disassemble the National Assembly, and freak out – The people storm the Bastille (a prison in Paris) looking for weapons – July 14 th

Reign of Terror Jacobins (radicals) want France to become a true Republic 1793: Louis XVI is publicly tried for treason and executed – Marie Antoinette would be executed Closed churches Mass executions Suspended civil liberties

Leader of the Terror Maximilien Robespierre – Member of the Jacobins – Ruled France like a dictator – Hunted down, tried, and executed enemies of the Revolution Eventually, members of the National Assembly conspire against Robespierre – He is arrested and executed – Hundreds of Jacobins are hunted down and killed

Outcomes of the Revolution End of absolute monarchy in France Republic established with separation of powers 1795 – 1799 – How does this represent enlightenment ideas? Rise of Napoleon – French military controlled riots and rebellions – French General Napoleon rises to power, and will eventually take over France

Napoleon Bonap arte Emperor of France

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