Post on 18-Feb-2016
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The Revolutions of 1789
The French Debt Crisis
• France is deeply in debt b/c of the Seven Years’ War and American Revolution
• 1786-1788 Louis XVI can’t convince aristocracy and church to pay more taxes.
• parlement of Paris says only Estates General can make new taxes.
The Estates General Become the National Assembly
• Divided into the three Estates
• Meet in Versailles in May 1789
• On June 1, the Third Estate mostly bourgeosie asks the others to form a legislature.
• June 17th The National Assembly is created
• Three days later they take the Tennis Court Oath: They will sit until France has a constitution
• Louis XVI orders them to stop but more clergy and some nobles join
• June 27th: The king gives up and they become the National Constituent Assembly
The Fall of the Bastille• Louis XVI gathers troops near Versailles and Paris
• The troops make the people of Paris nervous and they organize a militia in June.
• On July 14, they march on the Bastille, a fortress, to get weapons.
• Troops open fire. The angry crowd frees prisoners and kill the governor. Louis recognizes the gov. and its National Guard.
The Great Fear• Peasants start reclaiming rights and property.
• They burn chateaux, destroy documents and refuse to pay feudal dues.
• Aug 4th: Aristocrats in the NCA surrender game rights, judicial authority, tithes and exemptions.
• All were now subject to the same laws.
Declaration of the Rights of Man• Issued on August 27, 1789
• Said all men were born equal with rights to liberty, property and personal safety.
• Gov. exists to protect rights.
• Equality before the law and in work
• Due process
• Religious freedom
• Progressive taxation
• Louis hesitates to ratify and on Oct 5th 1,000s of Parisian women march on Versailles demanding bread
• Louis is forced to return to Paris and the assembly follows