1. The French Revolution 1789-1799

2. Review 1688 Glorious Revolution in England Enlightenment 1700’s
Constitutional monarch created and Bill of Rights
Enlightenment 1700’s
Natural rights, limited government, right to rebel when gov’t is unjust
American Revolution 1776
Overthrew King; created a democratic government- limited; power to the people

3. France ruled by absolute monarchs Believed in divine right theory
Background Info.
France ruled by absolute monarchs
Believed in divine right theory

4. French Estates (social classes) Under the Absolute Monarchs
First Estate – Catholic clergy: priests, nuns and church leaders. Less than 1% of the population.
Second Estate – Nobility % of the population.

5. French Estates in the Old Regime
Third Estate – Diverse group of French citizens. 98% of population. Divided into three groups.
bourgeoisie – wealthy middle class. Bankers, merchants, manufactures, lawyers, doctors, etc.
city dwelling laborers, artisans and servants
peasants – 90% of the population. Rural workers and farmers.
**Only estate that was taxed

6. Three Estates
Which estate is represented by the man under the stone? What is the picture saying about this estate?

7. Estates General
Representatives from all three estates meet together to raise taxes
Consultants to the kings, like parliament in England
Absolute monarchs, rarely every called the estates general to meet

8. Louis XIV – The Sun King 1643-1715 “I am the state”
Built France into one of the most powerful nations in Europe
Disbanded Estates General
Spent vast amounts of money on arts
Created extensive military
Built Versailles
Left France deeply in debt

9. Louis XV:
Continued deficit spending (spending more money than it takes in)
French Indian War
Taxed the third estate unmercifully
Pursued pleasure before the business of the state

10. Louis XVI – The Last King
Inherited a huge economic crisis
Starvation was very real in the cities
France deeply in debt
Called Estates General to try to raise funds by enticing bourgeoisie to raise taxes on themselves.
Third Estate objected to unfair conditions and demanded reform, a constitutional monarchy

12. Marie Antoinette Became Queen of France at 19
Nicknamed “Madam Deficit”
Daughter of Marie Teresa of Austria
Had little understanding of the conditions of the lower classes
Became less and less popular as years went by

14. Children
1st Child- Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte- only child to survive the revolution
2nd- Louis Joseph (died at 7)
3- Louis Charles
4th – Sophie- died in a year

15. Versailles

17. Versailles Built 1624 Floor space 51,210 m2 2,153 windows 700 rooms
67 staircases
6,000 paintings

18. The Revolution Begins…
Louis calls the Estates General to meet
in order to raise taxes

19. The Third Estate breaks from the first two Estates
Due to unfair voting system and creates the
National Assembly.

20. The Tennis Court Oath National Assembly locked out of Versailles
Meet on tennis court
Pledged “Tennis Court Oath” – not to disband until a new constitution had been written.
Constitution that creates a limited monarchy

22. The Great Fear
Rumors spread that foreign troops were on their way to stop the revolution
Peasants Rebel: peasants broke into noble’s houses

23. August 4, 1789 the National Assembly issues the
Declaration of the Rights of Man

24. The Declaration Stated:
1.All people are equal before the law
2. All people are guaranteed freedom
of press, speech, and
religion
3. All people are protected from unfair
arrest and punishment
***Created a limited monarchy

25. Slogan of the French Revolution
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

26. Causes of the French Revolution
Long Term Causes:
Immediate Causes:
Enlightenment ideas—liberty and equality
Example furnished by the American Revolution
Social and economic injustices of the Old Regime
DISCONTENT OF THE MASSES
Economic crisis—famine and government debt
Weak leadership
Discontent of the Third Estate
REVOLUTION
Fall of the Bastille
National Assembly
Declaration of the Rights of Man and a new constitution

27. March to Versailles
Louis XVI refused to accept the National Assembly’s Declaration
Oct ’s of women demanding bread marched to Versailles
Women demanded Louis move to Paris to show support of the Assembly
Louis and family moves to Paris- held prisoners

28. New Constitution 1791 Created a limited monarchy
Louis accepts constitution
Legislative Assembly- makes all the laws
Still conservative- only wealthy people in the Leg. Assembly
Leg. Assembly declared war on Austria in 1792

29. The Escape
1791- Louis and family tries to flee to Austria, but captured
1792- royal family imprisoned

30. French Republic 1792
Radicals (people who wanted a republic) backed by Paris crowds took over the Assembly
Called for a meeting (National Convention) to create a new government
Ended the limited monarchy and created a Republic (no king, people vote for their representatives)

31. Created the first democratic constitution in France
Placed power in a single legislature (representative assembly)
Created universal male suffrage (every man could vote)
What about the king?
Girondins – pol. group that wanted to keep the king alive
The Jacobins- get rid of the king

32. Death of a King
December 1792 Louis was tried before the Convention and convicted of having “conspired against the liberty of the nation.”
January 1793 beheaded on the guillotine

33. Louis XVI is Guillotined

34. The Republican Enthusiasm
People addressed each other as “citizen”
Rejected elaborate clothes and powdered wigs
France’s leaders were determined to overthrow royalty every where
Coalition of European countries threatened to invade France

35. COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFTETY
Leader of Committee of Public Safety= ROBESPIERRE
The new assembly gave power to this special committee
Ruled France for a year
Institutes Reign of Terror
Goal rid the republic of any domestic or foreign enemies
COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFTETY

36. The Reign of Terror From July 1793-July 1794
Neighborhood watch committees hunted down aristocrats and enemies of the state
All enemies are guillotined (Reign of Terror)*
40,000 people killed
Marie Antoinette is guillotined.
October 1793

37. Louis Charles
After Louis XVI’s death, he became Louis XVII even though he never ruled
Was separated from Marie Antoinette
Was abused and tortured
Died in 1795 of tuberculosis

38. End of the Reign of Terror
Foreign invaders were pushed back
Many leaders in France called for an end to the Terror
Except Robespierre - sent those men to the guillotine
Other leaders then turned against Robespierre and he was sent to the guillotine

39. Robespierre at the Guillotine

40. The Directory New Constitution (1795) More Conservative
Universal male suffrage ended
Qualifications to vote ( property)
Country ruled by a committee of 5 (Directory)
Corrupt
Had to rely on the military to stay in power

41. People look to the army to save France
– specifically to
General Napoleon Bonaparte