1. “LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ”
THE SHIFTS AND TURNS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
1789 – 1795

2. Essential Questions
What political, social and economic factors led to revolution in France in 1789?
How did the revolution evolve or develop?
Why were there political shifts?
Who were the main “actors”?
What were the immediate and long-term results of the Revolution?

3. The English Civil War (1642-49) led to greater democracy…
HOW DID EVENTS ABROAD INFLUENCE THE OUTBREAK OF REVOLUTION IN FRANCE IN 1789?

4. What caused the English Civil War?
History of limits on the King’s power:
Magna Carta (1215)
Parliament (1295)

5. What other factors led to civil war in England in 1642?
Religious Conflict between Catholics and Protestants
Disagreements over the power of the King
James I (1603 – 1625)
Charles I (1625 – 1649)
Petition of Right (1628)
Civil War (1642 – 49)
Cavaliers v Roundheads
Oliver Cromwell (1649 – 58)
Charles II (1659 – 85)
Restoration
Habeas Corpus (1679)
James II (1685 – 1688)
The Glorious Revolution (1688)
William and Mary
James I
Charles I
Oliver Cromwell
Charles II

6. The English Civil War finally ended…
The English Civil War resulted in the Glorious Revolution. William and Mary took the throne of England after agreeing to sign the English Bill of Rights in The English Bill of Rights guaranteed basic rights to the people of England, and established Parliament, as a legislature.
How would passing the English Bill of Rights in 1689 help to pave the way for Revolution in France 100 years later?
English Bill of Rights
William & Mary

7. The English Bill of Rights …
Declared that a ruler could not:
Suspend the laws of Parliament
Levy (impose) taxes without the consent of Parliament
Interfere with freedom of speech in Parliament
Penalize a citizen for complaining about the King
The Bill also led to the creation of a Cabinet (today headed by the Prime Minister)

8. The American Revolution also inspired the French to revolt in 1789…
Parliament passed the Navigation Acts in the 1660s.
After the French and Indian War (1763), Britain toughened its enforcement of these laws >> angered the colonists
1765 >> Stamp Act >> tax to the Crown
Boycott >> repeal of the Stamp Act (1766)
1773 – Boston Tea Party
1774 – First Continental Congress protested the closing of Boston Harbor
Second Continental Congress
1775 – Lexington / Concord
July 1776 – Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson
1781 – Victory!!
1787 – US Constitution / Bill of Rights

9. Answer this question in your notebook.
So, how did the English Civil War and the American Revolution pave the way for Revolution in France in 1789?
Answer this question in your notebook.

10. What problems did France face in 1788 (eve of Revolution)?
WHAT DOES THE
CARTOON
ILLUSTRATE ABOUT
FRANCE’S
PROBLEMS IN
1788?
WHY DID FRANCE
FACE SO MUCH
DEBT?
“The nobility, clergy and the Third Estate carrying the national debt…”

11. HOW DOES THE
CARTOON
ILLUSTRATE PROBLEMS
IN FRENCH SOCIETY
IN 1788?
WHO IS “RIDING” THE
MAN IN SHACKLES? WHO
DOES THE MAN IN
SHACKLES REPRESENT?
HOW WOULD
ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
INFLUENCE FRENCH
RESPONSE TO THIS
SITUATION?

12. HOW WAS THE SYSTEM OF THREE ESTATES POLITICALLY UNEQUAL?

13. What problem(s) does the graph illustrate?

14. MOREOVER..
A SERIES OF BAD HARVESTS LEFT PEASANTS WITH LITTLE MONEY TO PAY TAXES OR TO BUY INCREASINGLY EXPENSIVE FOOD

15. LOUIS XVI AND MARIE ANTOINETTE WERE UNPOPULAR…
WHY?
HE COULDN’T MAKE DECISIONS
HE DIDN’T LIKE HIS JOB
HE WAS INFLUENCED BY HIS WIFE – “MADAME DEFICIT”
HE WAS SEEN AS A WEAK MONARCH

16. TO SUM UP…

17. WHAT FACTORS LED THE FRENCH TO REVOLUTION IN 1789? (CLASS DISCUSSION)
SOCIAL
POLITICAL
ECONOMIC

18. I. A. (Crane Brinton) What political, social and economic factors led the French to Revolution in 1789? As we have seen, the OLD REGIME faced numerous problems…
SOCIAL
POLITICAL
ECONOMIC
SYSTEM OF UPPER CLASS PRIVILEGE
1ST / 2ND ESTATES HAD ALL THE PRIVILEGES AND NONE OF THE BURDEN
THE RISE OF A MIDDLE CLASS – BOURGEOISIE HAD ECONOMIC POWER AND WANTED POLITICAL POWER TO MATCH IT (I, B – Crane Brinton)
CROP FAILURES >> HUNGER / FAMINE FOR PEASANTS
ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
LOUIS XVI WAS A WEAK MONARCH (NOT INTERESTED IN RULE)
HIS POLITICAL MARRIAGE TO MARIE ANTOINETTE ALIENATED HIM FURTHER FROM THE FRENCH
THE BOURGEOISIE RESENTED HAVING NO POLITICAL POWER
THE ESTATES GENERAL SYSTEM ALLOWED THE NOBLES AND CLERGY (3% POP.) TO OVERRIDE THE VOTE OF THE 3RD ESTATE (97% POP.)
FRANCE WAS IN GREAT DEBT
UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF THE WEALTH
UNFAIR TAX SYSTEM PLACED TAX BURDEN ON THE LEAST ABLE TO PAY
CROP FAILURES >> RISING FOOD PRICES
FINANCE MINISTER’S (TURGOT) ATTEMPTED REFORMS FAILED
DEFICIT SPENDING (TO AID AMERICAN REV.) / LOANS LED TO HIGHER INTEREST >> MORE DEBT >> CYCLE
HIGH TAX ON LAND AND COMMERCE; CORVEE BORN BY 3RD ESTATE

19. I. B.(Crane Brinton) A CRISIS IS LOOMING…
Louis XVI’s finance minister (Calonne) proposed taxing ALL landowners’ yields (nobles also!!)
The Second Estate (nobles) said no and forced Louis to convene the Estates-General >>

20. As the Estates General prepared to meet…
All throughout France, local villages and towns prepared lists of grievances (cahiers de doleances)… (see Primary Sources “Grievances of the 3rd Estate”)
Representatives were chosen by election…
Expectations for reform were raised…

21. The first steps to REVOLUTION… II, A (Crane Brinton)
JUNE 17, The 3rd Estate proclaimed a “National Assembly” inviting the 1st and 2nd Estates to join them
JUNE 23, 1789 – LOUIS XVI recognized the National Assembly (after the 3rd Estate ignored his order to meet in their own hall – he had sent for 20,000 troops due to arrive in July)
The Tennis Court Oath, JUNE 20, 1789

22. NEXT STEPS…
SEVERE ECONOMIC CRISIS: price of flour / bread 2X; unemployment; homelessness; angry consumers stormed markets;
RAGE AT VERSAILLES “DO-NOTHING LEADERS”
Parisians feared that the King would use troops against the National Assembly and so…on July 14, they stormed the Bastille
Storming of the Bastille, JULY 14, 1789

23. INCREASING ANGER AMONGST THE PEASANTS LED TO..
Rumors (baseless) that nobles were going to intimidate peasants, unleashed a peasants’ revolt against the nobles >> burned docs
AUG. 4 DECREE >> nobles and clergy renounce their privileges >> feudalism, church tithes abolished
THE GREAT FEAR (July/Aug. 1789)

24. Women March on Versailles-Oct
Women March on Versailles-Oct and force Louis XVI to return to Paris – What does that show?

25. A quick timeline 1788 – Crisis in France
May, 1789 – Louis XVI calls the Estates General
June 17, 1789 – 3rd Estate declares the National Assembly
June 20, 1789 – Tennis Court Oath
June 23, 1789 – Louis recognizes the National Assembly
July 14, 1789 – Storming of the Bastille
July / Aug – Great Fear in the countryside
Aug. 4, 1789 – Aug. 4 Decree abolished titles of nobility
Oct – Women marched on Versailles & force Louis XVI to return to Paris

26. FOR DISCUSSION:
WHICH PROBLEM DO YOU THINK WAS MOST IMPORTANT IN CAUSING THE REVOLUTION?
DO YOU SEE ANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN 1788 FRANCE AND 2016 USA?
DO YOU THINK THAT THERE ARE ANY CONDITIONS THAT COULD MAKE PEOPLE REVOLT IN THE USA? IF SO, WHAT WOULD THOSE BE? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

27. NATIONAL ASSEMBLY REFORMS
GRIEVANCES -
REFORMS
WHO BENEFITTED?

28. III. A. NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’s reforms (1789 – 91)
What they wanted (different groups had different needs)
Reforms
Who benefitted?
An end to unfair privileges for nobles / clergy
A fairer tax code / to end unfair taxes: taille, capitation, vingtieme, corvee
A fairer court system: right to a fair trial; habeas corpus
A gov’t. by Constitution
A constitutional monarchy
A republic
Voting rights for men with property
Voting rights for all men
Voting rights for all
An end to Church privilege
Women, Free Blacks and Jews wanted citizenship & suffrage
Slaves wanted freedom, citizenship & suffrage
An end to the buying of offices
Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen
Constitution of 1791
Voting rights for men with property (who paid a min. of tax) (including Jews, but not women or blacks)
Est. a limited monarchy w/ separation of powers – representative democracy (LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY)
New Court system – Justice of the Peace; Civil Court and Criminal Court; judges elected; felony trials by jury; defendants had right to counsel; arbitration & mediation
Laissez-faire policies (less gov’t. regulation of business)
Nationalization of Church lands>> sold at auction
Civil Constitution of the Clergy (bishops & priests chosen by electorate; paid salary by state)
FAIRER TAX CODE
>> BOURGEOISIE / FORMER NOBLES
>> BOURGEOISIE /FORMER NOBLES
>> ALL
>> BOURGEOISIE/FORMER NOBLES
>> BOURGEOISIE/FORMER NOBLES /LANDED PEASANTS
>> CAUSED LOSS OF PEASANT SUPPORT

29. THE REVOLUTION SHIFTS LEFT – WHY?
Problems persisted:
Food shortages
National debt
Political factions created deep divisions

30. Political factions… LEFT Center to Left CENTER Right to Center RIGHT
JACOBINS
-- MOUNTAIN –RADICAL
GROUP
SANS-CULOTTES >> FROM PARIS
III, C (Crane Brinton) – radicals encourage Peasants and urban workers to demand reforms
Girondins / Girondists >> wanted a constitutional monarchy; provincial liberties and laissez-faire economics; blamed the Jacobins for the Sept. massacres
MODERATES >> FAVORED A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
THE PLAIN – UNDECIDED CENTRISTS
ROYALISTS (ABSOLUTE MONARCHY) >>
EMIGRES
FLED FRANCE TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

31. III. B. April 1792 –Austria, Prussia & the emigres invade France

32. Louis XVI is driven from the throne
III, D - Turning Point: The King is caught trying to escape and IV, A – Parisian mobs storm the royal palace (Aug. 1792)
Louis XVI is driven from the throne
The Legislative Assembly suspended Louis XVI
Most members of the Assembly fled Paris
Remaining deputies call for new elections >> National Convention

33. IV. The Radical Phase C. Bloodbath follows September Massacres (1792)
B. Radicals use force and terror against “enemies of the Revolution.”
C. Bloodbath follows
September Massacres (1792)
Louis XVI executed (Jan. 1793)
Purge of the Girondins (23 executed) (June 1793)
Military draft imposed
Law of Maximum and Law of Suspects (Sept. 1793)
Committee of Public Safety / Reign of Terror (Oct. 1793)
Constitution written but set aside until Peace

34. V. Power Vacuum Chaos & corruption
People seek a new gov’t. / order
Anti-Jacobinism (after Robespierre’s execution in July 1794)
Public “virtue” and rigidity gave way to luxury and self-indulgence among the wealthy
36 sans – culottes executed and 1200 imprisoned for Reign of Terror crimes
National Convention writes another Constitution (1795)
Constitutional republic
Directory (5-man executive)
Bicameral legislature
Voting rights for propertied men

35. VI. DICTATORSHIP – NAPOLEON?
Sick of revolution, masses accept a strong leader
Strong leader abuses his power? Or does he?