1. The French Revolution Origins
Vive la revolution!
The French Revolution
Origins

2. Phases of the French Revolution
Not official – just to help understanding
Phase I: Overthrow of the monarchy – Constitutional Monarchy
Phase II: Republic – radicalization and terror
Phase III: Napoleon – empire

3. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité A New Republic is Born in Blood
Program covers Phases I & II
Notes on chart or on your own & transfer later
Note dates-timeline
Helpful spelling:
Maximilien Robespierre, L’ami du peuple: Jean- Paul Marat, Sans-Culotte, Jacobins, Girondins, Georges Danton

4. Thesis
The extreme decadence coupled with the physical and psychological remoteness of the monarchy caused civil unrest in late 18th-century France. Combined with the recent, successful, Enlightenment based revolution in the United States, this spurned the French people into revolting on their own after the catalyst incident: The Fall of the Bastille.

5. America & France
Why does the section reading start off the the American Revolution?
American Revolution and French Revolution very deeply connected
French ideals influenced American rebels
American rebels influenced French radicals who were unhappy with the monarchy
Rich/poor divide in France was at its worst

6. Short & Long Term Causes?
Absolute government & government system
The Three Estates
The Enlightenment
Louis XV & Louis XVI + Marie Antoinette
Food
Unemployment
Bankruptcy

7. Questions to consider…
Why absolutism is a problem in France? How does the government structure contribute to the FR?
What were the three Estates and why do they become important at this time?
How does the Enlightenment influence the FR?
What happens when you have bad harvests, high unemployment and a bad government?

8. The Old Regime (absolutism & government structure)
Ancien Regime (Old Regime) – the social and political system of France before the revolution
French society divided up into three estates or three classes – since the Middle Ages - battle each other
Basic problem – system is built on inequity
Rigid, not flexible-too much power in one person
Other problems:
Intendants corrupt
Inefficient tax system
War is important and expensive

9. Estates First Estate – Roman Catholic Church
1% of the population of France
Owned 10% of the land in France
Provided education and help to the poor
Donated 2% of its income to the government
Second Estate – Rich nobles
Owned 70% of the land in France
Paid no taxes
Only 2% of the population of France

10. Third Estate Everyone else – 97% of population Three main groups
Bourgeoisie (middle class) – 8%
urban lower class – 14%
Peasants – 75%
Bourgeoisie (middle class):
Traders, merchants, artisans
Sometimes wealthy but paid high taxes
No access to power like the 1st and 2nd estates had

11. Third Estate Urban lower class: Peasants: Workers who lived in cities
Apprentices, laborers, servants, maids
Paid little, would often riot if food not available
Peasants:
80% of the population
50% of their income paid in taxes to government and tithes to the church
Very bitter and resentful toward nobility (2nd estate)

12. Why did revolution break out? (Enlightenment)
Enlightenment ideals led to both aristocrats (nobles) and bourgeoisie (middle class) feeling frustrated with the system
Everything based on monarchs having excessive privilege
Class structure rigid – could not move from one to another

13. Bad Government Louis XV Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette
Really likes it, but bad at it
Lose colonies in Canada, Caribbean, etc.
Help other colonies – like America
Drains the budget – which is already not good…
Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette
Really doesn’t like it, and is bad at it
Marie Antoinette - call her “Madame Deficit”
Diamond Necklace Affair
Role-playing, not so good

14. The Hamlet

15. Revolution
Despite France’s wealth, the monarchy could not cope with change and crisis
Bad harvests in 1787 resulted in drop in economic growth
Food shortages (bread example)
Inflation
Mass unemployment (50% of Paris unemployed)
All while Marie-Antoinette was playing “shepherd” at Petit Trianon

16. Louis XVI has to act Estates-General (remember this?)
Had not met since 1614
Louis XVI forced to call it into session to figure out how to deal with this economic mess (he wanted to raise taxes)
Each of the three social groups was allowed to have equal representation of 300 delegates each
Why is this a problem?

17. Estates-General
Government decides that the Third Estate, since it represents 97% of the population could have double the number of delegates (600 instead of 300)
Each delegate had one vote, so the Third Estate now had as much power as the First and Second combined
King and nobles very unhappy with this

18. Estates-General
June Third Estate declares itself a “National Assembly” which could pass laws for the nation
They find themselves locked out of the meeting, decide to meet at a nearby indoor tennis court
Vow to remain there until they had written a constitution for France
Several members of the First and Second Estates join them in sympathy
Louis XVI calls out his mercenary troops to guard Versailles

20. Bastille Old fortress in central Paris
Rumors fly that Louis XVI is going to use army to shut down National Assembly
People start to stockpile weapons in Paris
July 14, Mob attacks the Bastille looking for gunpowder and weapons
Seize control of the building, murder the prison guards and parade their heads on the end of pikes around Paris
Bastille Day (like the Fourth of July)

21. Great Fear France is now in full-blown chaos and terror
Peasants start to attack manor houses looking for food but also to destroy the houses
October 1789 – Women rioting over price of bread attack Versailles, killing some of the guards
This forces Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to leave Versailles and return to Paris to face the revolution

22. The French Revolution Documents
What are the themes you see in all three documents?
What does this align with in the program we just watched?
What does NOT align with what we just watched?