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 rises out of the Directory
Still a republic but back to conservative/moderate

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

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…
Three Estates add to financial crisis (First and Second don’t pay taxes!!!!)
Everyone 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. works (or doesn’t work)
Political Context
The way government
works (or doesn’t work)

11. French Institutions of Gov’t Under Absolute Monarchy
Everyone is 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 get to meet (May, 1789)
Haven't met since 1615!!!
Estates vote by order (by estate) despite equal numbers (don’t vote by head - individually) 3 1 2

13. Estates General Con’t…
Six months pass between the calling and the meeting
Before the meeting, each estate of each region of France gets 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 Reading Read pages 159-162 in the text. causes
National Assembly
Cahiers
Bread Riots
Bastille
Estates General Voting
Abbe Sieyes

15. Events Immediately Preceding the Revolution
1. Most 3rd Estate members of the Estates General were _______________.
2. Some ___ Estate allied with ____ Estate.
3. Together they became the ________ _____________.
4. Louis ___________ them out of their hall.
5. They went to the ________ ________ and took an ________ to make a new ___________.
Meanwhile…
6. __________ __________s led by women.
7. Storming of the _____________.
8. Louis had to ___________________________.
***Which event was the true beginning of the revolution?