1. The French
Revolution

2. -- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…
-- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities

3. Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI
The French Monarchy:
Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI

4. Conditions Present in France Before the Revolution.
People from all social classes are upset.
People feel restless and held down by restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the gov’t.
The King does not respond to the needs of his people.
The leaders of the government and the ruling class begin to doubt themselves. Some begin joining with the opposition groups.
The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is going bankrupt and to tax heavily and unjustly to make up for the defecit.

5. Financial Problems in France, 1789
Urban Commoner’s Budget:
Food %
Rent %
Tithe %
Taxes %
Clothing 20%
TOTAL 170%
King’s Budget:
Interest %
Army %
Versailles 25%
Coronation 10%
Loans %
Admin %
TOTAL %

6. The Number of Representatives in the Estates General:
Clergy
1st Estate
300
Aristocracy
2nd Estate
300
648
Commoners
3rd Estate
Despite having nearly twice as many representatives, the 3rd Estate could do little to facilitate change, since each Estate voted and was counted as a
separate bloc.

7. Convening the Estates General May, 1789
Last time it was called into session was 1614!

8. “The Third Estate Awakens”
The commoners finally presented their credentials not as delegates of the Third Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”
They proclaimed themselves the “National Assembly” of France.

9. “The Tennis Court Oath” by Jacques Louis David
June 20, 1789

10. Europe on the Eve of the French Revolution

11. Storming the Bastille, July 14, 1789
A rumor that the king was planning a military coup against the National Assembly.
18 died.
73 wounded.
7 guards killed.
It held 7 prisoners [5 ordinary criminals & 2 madmen].

12. The Great Fear: Peasant Revolt (July 20, 1789)
Rumors that the feudal aristocracy [the aristos] were sending hired brigands to attack peasants and pillage their land.

13. Night Session of August 4, 1789
Before the night was over:
The feudal regime in France had been abolished.
All Frenchmen were (at least in principle) subject to the same laws and the same taxes and eligible for the same offices.
Equality & Meritocracy!

14. National Constituent Assembly 1789 - 1791
Liberté!
Egalité!
Fraternité!
August Decrees August 4-11, 1789
(A renunciation of aristocratic privileges!)

15. The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED & BLUE of Paris.
The Tricolor (1789)
The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED & BLUE of Paris.
Citizen!

16. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
Set out basic human rights.
Guaranteed freedom of thought, speech, religion, security and property.
Placed limits on the power of government.
Contained ideas from: Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu & Rousseau.

17. March of the Women, October 5-6, 1789
A spontaneous demonstration of Parisian women for bread.
We want the baker, the baker’s wife and the baker’s boy!

18. New Relations Between Church & State
Government paid the salaries of the French clergy and maintained the churches.
The church was reorganized:
Parish priests  elected by the district assemblies.
Bishops  named by the department assemblies.
The pope had NO voice in the appointment of the French clergy.
It transformed France’s Roman Catholic Church into a branch of the state!!
Pope Pius VI [ ]

19. Louis XVI “Accepts” the Constitution & the National Assembly. 1791

20. The Royal Family Attempts to Flee
June 1791
Helped by the Swedish Count Hans Axel von Fusen [Marie Antoinette’s lover].
Headed toward the Luxembourg border.
The King was recognized at Varennes, near the border.

21. A Revolutionary Timeline.
The National Convention: 1791
Girondist Rule:
Jacobin Rule: [Robespierre’s “Reign of Terror”]
Thermidorian Reaction:
The Directory 

22. Reign of Terror
Under Robespierre’s Leadership 2,639 victims were executed in 15 months. (Including King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette & Georges Jacques Danton.)
The total number of victims nationwide was over 20,000!
The Reign of Terror ended with guillotining of Robespierre on July 28th, 1794.
Hoping for a peaceful conclusion to the revolution the Directory stepped in to take control of the country.

23. The executions of Louis XVI & Danton.