1. The French Revolution

2. The Enlightened Despots Frederick the Great –“first servant of the state.” Catherine the Great –Did little actual reform Joseph II of Austria –Most extensive reformer. –Religious toleration and state control. –Agrarian reform (abolished serfdom)

3. Political Tension in Western Europe Three social estates –First Estate - clergy –Second Estate - nobility –Third Estate - bourgeoisie, workers, peasants, poor. Absolutism reduced power of assemblies (Estates General in France had not met since 1614). Conflict between monarchies and aristocracies developed (particularly in Austrian and Dutch Netherlands) and spread to the commoners.

4. Political Turmoil in Britain Political Turmoil in Britain King George III attempted to “buy” Parliamentary influence. Gov’t persecution of John Wilkes and other cause backlash. Calls for reform came from all classes of society.

5. Rebellion in America Rebellion in America British moved to have costs of American defense paid by colonists. Colonists wanted to defend their rights as British subjects - “no taxation without rep.” Theories of popular sovereignty and natural rights along with fluid social system allowed for broad revolution to succeed. First successful colonial rebellion.

6. France – The Ancien Régime Louis XV (r. 1715-74) –Cardinal Fleury chief minister (1726-43) –French state faced major financial problems. –Bureaucracy inefficient. –Nobility began to demand more rights

7. France – The Ancien Régime Louis XVI (r. 1774-92) –Attempted to make financial reforms. –Appointed Jacques Turgot financial minister. Cut spending – hurt some. –Jacques Necker takes his place as financial minister. Increases spending – problems continue.

8. 1789 - Causes of the Revolution Financial crisis gripped France. Inept leadership of Louis XVI. Inequity in French economic, political and social system (taxation of third estate). Growing size and power of the bourgeoisie. Influence of Enlightenment ideas. Bad weather (little ice age) and resulting crop shortages and famine.

9. The Estates General Called by Louis XVI to meet (at the urging of Necker) in July 1788. Elections gave 300 seats each to First and Second Estates, 600 to Third Estate. Bad harvest brought greater criticism. Aristocracy demands to constitutional monarchy, bourgeoisie wanted to end mercantilism and noble privileges, peasants want end to manorialism. May 5, 1789 they meet and vote by order.

10. The National Assembly June 17, 1789 – Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly and invited other estates to join. June 20 th, Third Estate locked out; they meet on handball court and declare the Tennis Court Oath. Louis XVI opposes, but relents and asks other two estates to meet with Assembly. Assembly controlled by middle class and liberal nobility.

11. Storming of the Bastille Rumors spread that the King is organizing troops. On July 11 th, he dismissed Necker (later rehired). July 14 th, mob storms the Bastille, symbol of despotic Bourbon rule. Necker is restored to power and the Marquis de Lafayette becomes commander of the National Guard.

12. The Great Fear Nobility begin to flee France in great numbers in the summer of 1789. Revolutionary fervor spreads among the peasants. Famine and riots spread across the countryside. On August 4, National Assembly ended manorialism and privileges of the nobility.

13. Declaration of the Rights of Man August 27 th 1789 – Assembly approved Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen –Provided freedom of speech and press. –Freedom of assembly and petition. –Freedom of religion. –Freedom from arbitrary arrest. –Embraced the doctrine of popular sovereignty.

14. The Women's March to Versailles Autumn of 1789, rumors persisted of a plan by the king to use military force. On the night of Oct. 5-6, mob of mostly women marched to Versailles to protest the lack of bread. Royal family moved to Tuileries Palace in Paris

15. Political Clubs Jacobins –Moderate faction that became more radical; supporting the end of the monarchy and establishment of a republic. Maximilien Robespierre was the most famous member Cordeliers –Radical faction (support end of monarchy). Leading figures included Georges-Jacques Danton and Jean-Paul Marat Feuillants –More conservative, supported constitutional monarchy.

16. Civil Constitution of the Clergy Nov. 1789 – to deal with financial crisis, Assembly confiscated all Church lands. Assembly then issued paper money (assignats) using land as security, but it quickly lost value. Assembly passed Civil Constitution of the Clergy on July 12, 1790. –Bishops and priests were elected by people. –Needed to swear allegiance to Assembly. –Over half refused to do so, became opponents of the revolution.

17. The Constitution of 1791 Necker loses favor with the Assembly and resigns in Dec. 1790. On June 20, 1791 Royal family attempts to flee that country, but is caught at Varennes and retuned to the capital. On Sept. 14, 1791 the king accepted the constitution creating a constitutional monarchy. Legislative Assembly was created as the legislative branch.

18. Reforms of the National Assembly Abolished the titles of nobility and the parlements which they dominated. Created elected courts and juries. Ended torture. Reorganized local government into the 83 Departments. Followed laissez-faire economic policies by abolishing guilds and mercantilism. Created fairer tax system.

19. Legislative Assembly, 1791-1792 Dominated by middle class, but more radical than National Assembly. King vetoed many measures. New Factions Emerge: –Jacobins: political club that dominated Legislative Assembly –Girondins: radical Jacobins who were advanced party of the revolution and brought the country to war. –The Mountain: political group, whose members, called Montagnards, sat on the highest benches in the Assembly.

20. International Opposition Declaration of Pillnitz, August, 1791: issued by Prussia and Austria – Attempt to protect royals. Èmigrès: French nobles who fled France sought support of foreign countries. Emperor Leopold II declared he would restore gov’t of France if other powers joined him; really a bluff French revolutionaries took Leopold at his word and prepared for war.

21. War of the First Coalition Legislative Assembly declared war in April, 1792 Austrian armies defeated French armies but divisions over eastern Europe saved France Brunswick Manifesto: Prussia & Austria would destroy Paris if royal family harmed Battle of Valmy, Sept. 20, 1792: Prussian invasion stopped; moral victory for Convention Battle of Jemappes: first major victory for France; took Austrian Netherlands But war turned against France by Spring 1793

22. The Second Revolution Begins Revolutionary sentiment in the Assembly led by Robespierre, Danton, and Marat King’s palace stormed at Tuileries on Aug. 1o 1792, Swiss Guards killed; king taken prisoner. Monarchy outlawed. Revolutionaries attempt to make the king wear the red hat at the Tuileries Palace.

23. Paris Commune Revolutionary municipal gov’t set up in Paris, which usurped powers of the Legislative Assembly Led by Georges-Jacques Danton Legislative Assembly suspended 1791 constitution September Massacres (led by Paris Commune) Rumors of aristocratic and clerical conspiracy with foreign invaders led to massacre of over 1,000 priests, bourgeoisie, and aristocrats

24. National Convention, 1792-1795 France proclaimed a republic, September 21, 1792 Equality, Liberty, Fraternity! Two factions emerged: –The Mountain: radical republicans (Jacobins); urban class (Danton, Robespierre, Marat) –Girondins: more moderate faction; represented countryside sans-culottes (“without breeches”): (not part of National Convention) –working-class; extreme radical –kept revolution moving forward: stormed Bastille, march to Versailles, driving king from Tuleries, September Massacres

25. National Convention - Leaders Maximilien Robespierre –Rose through strength of character and speech. –Became increasingly radical. Georges-Jacques Danton –Rose to power through Paris Commune –Became Mister of Justice Jean-Paul Marat –Voice of the Revolution –Radical, became martyr figure. Danton

26. National Convention, 1792-1795 Louis XVI beheaded January, 1793 Jacques Roux: demanded radical political action to guarantee bread Mountain ousts Girondins, May 1793: urged to do so by sans- culottes Enragès, radical working-class group (even more than sans- culottes) seized and arrested Mountain members in the Convention Charlotte Corday, member of Girondins, kills Marat (martyr) The Death of Marat, by Jacques-Louis David

27. National Convention - Reforms Slavery abolished in the French colonies. Primogeniture abolished. Metric system enacted. Estates of émigré nobility sold to peasants. Military draft instituted and civilian control confirmed. New calendar enacted – Sept. 22, 1792 day one, year one of French Republic. Calendar had 12 months named after seasons, 10 day weeks.

28. Committee of Public Safety Formed in April 6, 1793 as executive emergency gov’t by the National Convention. Maximilien Robespierre is its primary leader. Responsible for beginning the Terror. Robespierre

29. The Reign of Terror (1793-94) Law of Suspects: Created Revolutionary Tribunals at the local level to hear cases of accused enemies brought to “justice” guillotine: created as an instrument of mercy. Queen Marie Antoinette beheaded Many Girondins executed in September, 1793 Vendèe: region in western France that opposed revolution; many executed Danton and followers executed in 1794 Overall 16,000 victims. Cult of the Supreme Being: deistic naturalist religion imposed by Robespierre; Catholics now opposed.