French Revolution

THE BACKGROUND

The Ancien Regime: 3 Estates (classes) 1st Estate: The Clergy 130,000 people (1%) Owned lots of land Received tithes + fees 2nd Estate: The Nobility hereditary 300,000 people (2%) Owned 30% of the land Controlled almost everything, paid no taxes 3rd Estate: Everybody Else Wealthy Commoners=17% Peasants=80% Lacked political privileges paid ALL taxes

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

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

THE CAUSES

I. National Bankruptcy Expensive wars (American War for Independence) Unfair 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

THE EVENTS MODERATE PHASE

IV. Crisis Louis XVI called the Estates General (Parliament) to a meeting to help gain support for 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 3rd estate walked out Met at a tennis court on the palace grounds Gave the Tennis Court Oath – would not disband until France had a Constitution Night of August 4th - 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) which was thought to hold weapons that would be used to stop the people’s revolution

The Events The Radical Phase

VII. Reign of Terror Austria & Prussian rulers invade France to stop the revolution (absolute monarchs feared their own people would rise up) Fear & panic grip France 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

Order Restored

VIII. Napoleon Successful war general Has a coup d’etat (military takeover) Declares himself EMPEROR (ironic, right?!) Conquered almost all of Europe – stopped by the Russian winter & “scorched earth” policy of the Russians Napoleonic Code = equality before the law & meritocracy but NOT “freedom” [rights like speech, press, and assembly restricted] “If the Press is not controlled, I shall not remain in power 3 days.” - Napoleon

IX. Napoleon’s Downfall 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. Congress of Vienna – reestablishes the old monarchs overthrown by Napoleon…Europe moving toward democracy but not there yet!