1. The French Revolution

2. Political Causes King was divine right monarch
Ministers chosen by noble birth
Government frequently corrupt or inefficient
People were denied voice in government
censored speech and press
Enemies of state imprisoned without charge, bail, or trial

3. Political Causes—Incompetent Gov’t.
Louis XVI--incompetent
Dull mind, indecisive
Weak character
No leadership qualities
Marie Antoinette-- unpopular
Austrian Hapsburg
Seen as vain, frivolous person

4. Social Causes- 3 Estates
First
Clergy
1.5%
Second
Nobility
Third
Bourgeoisie
Merchants
Bankers
Attorneys
City workers
Peasants
97%

5. Social Causes-1st & 2nd Estates
Owned most land
Collected feudal dues (banalites)
Were exempt from most taxes
Held best government/military jobs
Received special legal treatment
Did include some poor parish priests

6. Social Causes—3rd Estate
Bourgeoisie was most powerful group in continental Europe
Wealthy
Well-educated
Ambitious
Resented arrogance of nobles
Third Estate was the unprivileged class
As bourgeoisie continued to gain wealth, there was increased demand for political power.

7. Social Causes— 3rd Estate
Many bourgeoisie became French revolutionary leaders
They wanted to end mercantilism, preferring laissez-faire capitalism
Influenced by Scottish economist Adam Smith
Wealth of Nations (1776)

8. Economic Causes—Spending
Louis XVI
Spent heavily to aid American colonists against Britain
Past debts from Louis XIV mounted as they were unpaid
Maintained lavish court at Versailles
Did not tax privileged classes

9. Economic Causes— Ignored Advice
He ignored economic advice to:
End court extravagances
Tax the nobility
Louis heeded his nobles and dismissed economic advisors

10. Economic Causes-Taxes
Peasants
High % of income=taxes  
To government  
Taille (land tax)  
Corvee (forced labor)  

11. Economic Causes-Taxation
Bourgeoisie  
Provincial tariffs on trade  
Guild restrictions on manufacturing  
Government mercantilistic regulations

12. Ideological Causes— French Philosophes
Challenged traditional thinking and institutions
Vision

13. Ideological Causes—Other “Revolutions”
England--Puritan Revolution and Glorious Revolution
Geographically close
English took refuge in France
French philosophes praised English parliamentary government

14. Ideological Causes—Other “Revolutions”
American “Revolution”
Demonstrated a viable government can be founded on these principles
Lafayette and other French involved
Franklin and Jefferson were popular American envoys to France

15. Estates-General Summoned
1789
To solve financial crisis
Had not been called since 1614 (175 years)
Representatives brought petitions for change

16. National Assembly—1789 Louis rejected proposed National Assembly
Demanded that E-G be changed into a National Assembly
Each member (not estate) would have 1 vote
3rd Estate (joined by some liberal clergy and nobility) get majority
Louis rejected proposed National Assembly
“The Third Estate is the True Strength of the French Nation” - Sieyes

17. Declaration of the Rights of Man
Men are born free and equal with rights to:
Liberty
Property
Security
Resistance to oppression
All citizens are entitled to voice in making nation’s laws

18. National Assembly—1789 3rd Estate:
Declared themselves to be the National Assembly
In Tennis Court Oath, pledged to write constitution
Paris mobs pressured Louis to give in to National Assembly

19. The Bastille
July 14, 1789
Rumors that king was sending troops to disperse Assembly
In reaction, Paris mobs destroyed Bastille
Peasants attacked nobles’ castles, destroyed records of feudal dues

20. Women’s March on Versailles
October, 1789
7,000 women (?)
Rumor of grain hoarded at Versailles
Demanded royal family return with them to Paris

21. The Great Fear: National Assembly (1789-1791)
Controlled by bourgeoisie
Abolished:
Noble/Clergy Privileges
Tax exemptions of privileged
All class distinctions
Guild restrictions

22. Assembly’s Political Measures
Assembly stimulated loyalty to nation:
Streamlined provincial organization
Ended provincial taxes and created national ones
Also illustrates the lack of unity in France and the transition to National Identity through the Revolution.

23. Assembly’s Political Measures
Constitution of 1791
Bourgeoisie to hold power in new government
Limited monarchy
Elected Legislative Assembly
Property owners elected by taxpaying citizens

24. End of Monarchy-1792
Foreign armies moved on Paris
French mobs attacked, accusing king of communicating with enemy
Legislature deposed king and called for election of National Convention
Govern France
Draw up new, more democratic, constitution

25. National Convention 1792-1795 First French Republic
The Convention tried Louis on charges of treason and put him to death
Louis’ death alarmed other monarchs
Soon France was invaded

26. Committee of Public Safety
Jacobins seized Convention
Respond to ALL Threats
Centralized power into Committee of Public Safety
Led first by Danton
Then by Robespierre

27. Reign of Terror
Created by CPS to protect revolution from domestic enemies
Brutally crushed all opposition
Arrested all persons suspected of treason
Thousands died on guillotine
"Constructed of wood, the guillotine is a sinister tree that has grown on the land, watered by sweat and blood, and tears of every tyranny." --Victor Hugo

28. Thermidorian Reaction
"Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible” -Robespierre
Eventually horrors of Reign of Terror turned French against Jacobins
In 1794, Danton and Robespierre were guillotined
Moderates regained control of Convention

29. Significance of French Revolution
Democratic ideals
Liberty—freedom for all
Equality—equal treatment for all
Fraternity—brotherhood of all
Emphasis on nationalism
Marseillaise became national anthem
Bastille Day made national holiday
State-controlled education to preserve nation’s ideals