2. The French Revolution May 2015 Background

3. Remember France…  We spoke of French Absolutism  We looked at Kings’ Henry IV, Louis XIII and Louis XIV  We toured Versailles, Louis XIV’s Summer Palace, today a museum  Louis XIV was known as The Sun King and he considered that he was the state – L’etat c’est moi  All these factors cost France large amounts of money, and like many other European nations, few peasants had the ability to pay.

4. Events which weakened France:  Grandeur of King Louis XIV  Palace of Versailles  Weakness of King Louis XV ~ Nobles shared power  Seven Years’ War between Britain & France for the control of overseas empires  Aid to the American Colonies against Britain  High debt, poor taxation, failing government

5. American Revolutionary War Marquis Da Lafayette Admiral De Grasse Versailles & Royal Family

6. Several Attempts at Fixing the Finances  Turgot (Finance Minister) – Cut spending, Abolished the trade guilds, ended the Corvee (Peasant labor service)  Necker (Finance Minister) – Borrowed more money & increased spending  Neither worked  King Louis XVI had to call the Estates-General to meet – he needed new taxes and he expected to get them, but he was wrong.

7. Estates General Opening Session May 5, 1789

8. Estates-General  France’s law-making body  Made up of the three estates (social classes) of France  1 st Estate – Clergy <1% of population – Most did not pay taxes  2 nd Estate – Nobility <2% of population – They did not pay taxes  3 rd Estate – Bourgeoisie (Agricultural Workers, Artisans, Merchants, Scientists, Doctors & Lawyers) – 97% of the population, Paid all the taxes, but controlled very little of France’s wealth.

9. May 5, 1789:  Estates-General meets for the first time since 1614  Discussion over Taxation and Voting Rules creates the first trouble.  Calonne (Finance Minister) wants the Nobility & Clergy to pay taxes  3 rd Estate want to vote individually rather than ‘en bloc’ (?)  Cahiers de doleances (grievances) are brought into the discussion

10. June 10, 1789:  National Assembly formed by the 3 rd Estate and members of the 1 st & 2 nd estates eventually joined them.  Tennis Court Oath – Locked out of their chambers, they issue this statement that they will meet until they give France a constitution (?)

11. July 12, 1789  King Louis XVI & his family are asked to conserve their spending  The king fires Jacques Necker (Finance Minister) and the French people see this as the beginning of the Revolution.

12. July 14, 1789:  Bastille, a former fort in Paris that is used as a prison for political detainees is stormed by the crowds  Prisoners were released  No weapons or powder were found  Storming the Bastille becomes a symbol for the people of France – represents the years of abuse by the monarchy  Today, July 14 th is seen as French Independence Day

13. The Bastille

14. Summer 1789 The Great Fear Peasants attacked those above them - the upper classes – Nobility and Clergy fled to save their lives. The peasants wanted to wipe out the records of Feudalism and to even the score with their harsh lords. Arson, Theft & Violence swept the countryside Strangers were attacked and/or feared

15.  August 4, 1789: The nobles vote to end their privileges, especially Feudalism  It is too little & way too late.

16. France’s Declarations:  August 26, 1789:  Declaration of the Rights of Man as Citizens issued  Males citizens were equal in the eyes of the law  Women were disappointed, but they had another document ready:  Declaration of Rights of Woman & Citizens was written by Olympe de Gouges

17. Declaration of Rights of Woman & Citizens Olympe de Gouges Declaration of Rights of Man & Citizens

18. Declaration of Rights…  COMPLETE READING AND DISCUSSION OF the DOCUMENTS:

19. October 5, 1789:  6,000 women march on Versailles shouting for bread & asking to see their king  They refuse to leave until the King agrees to return to Paris

20. Next day:  All the women along with the King & his family return to Paris, many of them wearing the Tricolor – Blue – White – Red, a symbol of the Revolution.

21. Changes in France:  Catholic Church placed under civil control – Civil Constitution of the Clergy – They clergy became elected & paid by the state.  By 1791 the Constitution was written – The National Assembly could make laws, collect taxes, decide issues of war & peace. Male suffrage for all those over 25 years who paid taxes.

22. June 1791:  King Louis and his family attempt to flee France, but they are intercepted at the border and escorted back to Paris.  Louis is now seen as a Traitor to the Revolution  Other nations become concerned that the French revolutionary spirit may spread to their nations…