1. Introduction and Context
The French Revolution
Introduction and Context
Jacobin Mobs of the French Revolution
What seems revolutionary in this scene?
The Schiller Institute., Nov. 6-12, 1794, 2016
(March 23, 2016)

2. Phases of the French Revolution (Periodization, Pace of Change)
Prelude
Traditional aristocratic rights reasserted vs. royal absolutism
Phase 1,
Tone: Moderate
Who: Middle class, bourgeoisie (with some street action in Paris)
Form of Gov’t: Constitutional Monarchy

3. Phases of the French Revolution
Radical (The Terror - Jacobins under Robespierre)
Peasants and Paris workers (sans culottes)
Foreign Wars
Republic (execution of the king)

4. Phases of the French Revolution
Conservative/ Moderate
Napoleon rose out of the Directory
Still a republic but back to conservative/moderate

5. Economic Context France was bankrupt from
wars, wars, wars and financial mismanagement.

6. French Burden of Taxation on The Peasants
French Peasants must pay…
To the Church:
Tithe
To the State:
Taille
Vingtieme
Capitation
Gabelle (salt tax)
To Seigneur: (feudal lord of his/her parish)
Corvee (cash or kind)
Cens (feudal rent in cash)
Champart (renit in kind)
Lods et ventes ( charge on the transfer of property)
If he doesn’t own land himself, he may have to pay to use the lord’s mill, wine press, or bakery
*Note: In France, grain prices increased by 60% between 1730 and 1789

7. Social Context (and some Economic, too)
Back in the late 1600s, early 1700s, Louis XIV had taken power away from the nobles and replaced it with social privileges. They were grumbling about their loss of power.

8. The Three Estates in France – A Corporatist View of Society
First Estate
The Clergy
Main Privileges
About 130,000
138 archbishops and bishops
2,800 canons and priors
37,000 nuns and 23,000 monks
60,000 parish priests
Had their own law courts (parlement)
Exempt from taxes
Second Estate
The nobility
Main Privileges
Between 120,000 and 350,000 people
King and queen
Nobles of the sword: princes, dukes, marquises, counts, viscounts, barons, knights
Nobles of the robe
Had the right to carry a sword
Received special treatment in law courts (parlement)
Exempt from taxes
parish priests
Bourgeoisie = professionals
Third Estate
Everybody else
Privileges
About 27 million people
Lawyers, doctors, businessmen, merchants, soldiers, craftsmen, shopkeepers, peasants, etc.
None

9. Conflict…
Financial crisis - First and Second Estates didn’t pay taxes!!!!
Everyone was in conflict with Louis XVI, pointing out flaws of absolute monarchy
bourgeoisie
nobility
Influence of enlightenment/ philosophes makes them critical of absolute monarchy
Want constitutional monarchy
Complain about centralization
Re-assert power by claiming law courts have to register the King’s edicts (laws)
Louis XVI

10. Political Context The way government
worked (or didn’t work) under absolutism.

11. French Institutions of Gov’t Under Absolute Monarchy
Everyone is directly responsible to the king.
Where is the only place where the third estate had any influence?

12. Estates General
A sort of parliament where the three estates got to meet in May, 1789
Hadn't met since 1615!!!
Estates voted by order (by estate) despite equal numbers (didn’t vote by head - individually) 3 1 2
Which estates had common interests?

13. Estates General Con’t…
Six months passed between the calling and the meeting
Before the meeting, each estate of each region of France got to write its grievances (complaints, criticisms) in the form of Cahiers de Doleances
every estate had complaints, but didn’t agree how to reform government

14. Recommended Textbook Reading
Pages :
causes
National Assembly
Cahiers
Bread Riots
Bastille
Estates General Voting
Abbe Sieyes