French RevolutionFrench RevolutionI. Old Regime - Three EstatesI. Old Regime - Three Estates

A. Many ways a feudal societyA. Many ways a feudal society

1. Person’s social status, political rights, and economic 1. Person’s social status, political rights, and economic privileges all depended on his or her estateprivileges all depended on his or her estate

B. First EstateB. First Estate

1. All members of Roman Catholic clergy from small town 1. All members of Roman Catholic clergy from small town priests to wealthy archbishops = 1% of poppriests to wealthy archbishops = 1% of pop

2. Bishops & archbishops very wealthy, powerful, and 2. Bishops & archbishops very wealthy, powerful, and prestigious prestigious

a. Only open to men of noble birtha. Only open to men of noble birth

b. Lower clergy resented restrictions on advancementb. Lower clergy resented restrictions on advancement

3. French people required to pay 10% of income to church - 3. French people required to pay 10% of income to church - tithetithe

a. Resented wealthy bishops, elaborate cathedrals, and a. Resented wealthy bishops, elaborate cathedrals, and expensive works of artexpensive works of art

b. Most people never saw any benefit from their taxesb. Most people never saw any benefit from their taxes

C. Second Estate- NobilityC. Second Estate- Nobility1. 2% of the population owned 20% of the land, 1. 2% of the population owned 20% of the land,

collected taxes and rents, and received feudal dues and collected taxes and rents, and received feudal dues and had special privileges.had special privileges.

2. Upper nobility legally entitled to the highest posts 2. Upper nobility legally entitled to the highest posts in the government, courts, army, and Churchin the government, courts, army, and Church

D. Third Estate- 97% of the populationD. Third Estate- 97% of the population1. Bourgeoisie- wealthy city dwellers1. Bourgeoisie- wealthy city dwellers

a. Lawyers, doctors, merchants, manufacturersa. Lawyers, doctors, merchants, manufacturersb. Great range in wealth from very poor to very richb. Great range in wealth from very poor to very rich

2. Skilled artisans, household servants, laborers2. Skilled artisans, household servants, laborersa. Usually lived in citiesa. Usually lived in citiesb. Conditions overcrowded and unsanitaryb. Conditions overcrowded and unsanitaryc. Often job and food shortagesc. Often job and food shortagesd. Angry violent mob tendenciesd. Angry violent mob tendencies

3. 80% of French Population- peasant3. 80% of French Population- peasanta. Poorest and most oppresseda. Poorest and most oppressedb. High rents and high taxesb. High rents and high taxesc. Dues of money, crops, and labor to clergy and c. Dues of money, crops, and labor to clergy and

noblesnobles

"People under the Old Regime"This image shows "the people" as a chained and blindfolded man

being crushed under the weight of the rich, including both clergy and nobility.

From: http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap1a.html#

"Two Peasants Repairing a Cart"This image of peasants repairing a cart demonstrates both the hard work done by cultivators and their fragile economic situation, which could easily be imperiled by a broken cart. Under such circumstances, poor people constantly repaired durable

and personal goods, such as carts or clothing, because they could not afford to replace them with new ones.

II. Financial ProblemsII. Financial Problems

A. Tax SystemA. Tax System

1. 1st, and 2nd Estate excused from taxes1. 1st, and 2nd Estate excused from taxes

2. Richest members of 3rd could buy exemptions2. Richest members of 3rd could buy exemptions

3. Burden fell on poorest members of society3. Burden fell on poorest members of society

B. Excessive Spending in 17th and 18th centuryB. Excessive Spending in 17th and 18th century

1. Caused need for increased revenue needed to tax 1. Caused need for increased revenue needed to tax 1st and 2nd estates but no king was savvy enough1st and 2nd estates but no king was savvy enough

C. Louis XVI – began reign in 1774C. Louis XVI – began reign in 1774

1. Tried to tax 1st and 2nd estates1. Tried to tax 1st and 2nd estates

2. They said ‘no’ w/o approval of Estates General 2. They said ‘no’ w/o approval of Estates General

3. Louis XVI didn’t want to give up power but he had no 3. Louis XVI didn’t want to give up power but he had no choice because he was bankruptchoice because he was bankrupt

"Louis the Sixteenth, King of France and of Navarre"

III. RevolutionA. Estates General

1. Last met in 16142. Dispute over voting

3. Before - each estate had one vote. 1st and 2nd voted together to suppress 3rd

4. Now- wanted one vote per member Louis XVI declared that 3rd estate could elect as many

members as 1st and 2nd could5. Dispute not solved by May 1789 when Estate General meta. Consensus could not be reached and 3rd Estate would not give in

b. Louis XVI ordered 3rd Estate locked out of meeting hall

"Awakening of the Third Estate"With the Bastille being destroyed in the background, a member of the Third Estate breaks his shackles. Here, the clergy and nobility recoil

in fear, thereby emphasizing the conflict between the estates

B. Tennis Court OathB. Tennis Court Oath

1. Members of the 3rd Estate met on nearby 1. Members of the 3rd Estate met on nearby tennis court and declared themselves the tennis court and declared themselves the National AssemblyNational Assembly

2. Swore not to separate until they had written 2. Swore not to separate until they had written a constitution for Francea constitution for France

3. Act of Revolution- since sought to change 3. Act of Revolution- since sought to change government against the standing lawgovernment against the standing law

"The Tennis Court Oath at Versailles” by Jacques–Louis DavidThis amazingly rich sketch by Jacques–Louis David is one of the most

famous works from the French revolutionary era. The thrust of the bodies together and toward the center stand for unity. Even the

clergy, so vilified later, join in the scene. David is commemorating a great moment of the Revolution on 20 June 1789, in which the

deputies, mainly those of the Third Estate, now proclaiming that they represent the nation, stand together against a threatened dispersal.

C. Storming of the BastilleC. Storming of the Bastille1. Background1. Background

a. July 1789a. July 1789b. Food scarce, unemployment high, prices highb. Food scarce, unemployment high, prices highc. Peasants and workers sufferedc. Peasants and workers suffered

2. Louis XVI sent 20,000 troops into Paris to break up 2. Louis XVI sent 20,000 troops into Paris to break up National AssemblyNational Assembly

3. Peasants and workers defended Assembly and raided the 3. Peasants and workers defended Assembly and raided the Bastille killing the guards and administrators and Bastille killing the guards and administrators and stealing the munitionsstealing the munitions

4. Bastille4. Bastillea. French fort guarding Paris used as a political prison a. French fort guarding Paris used as a political prison b. Symbol of oppressionb. Symbol of oppression

5. Mob then stormed city hall and killed mayor 5. Mob then stormed city hall and killed mayor a. Set-up new city governmenta. Set-up new city government

6. Louis XVI, did not want to agitate further so he withdrew 6. Louis XVI, did not want to agitate further so he withdrew troops and nominally recognized new governmenttroops and nominally recognized new government

7. Great Fear- rumor spread that nobles hired bandits to 7. Great Fear- rumor spread that nobles hired bandits to harass peasantsharass peasantsa. Wave of violence across country sidea. Wave of violence across country sideb. Peasants destroyed tax-related documents and burnt b. Peasants destroyed tax-related documents and burnt

nobles’ estatesnobles’ estates

Taking of the Bastille

“It’ll be okay”Oh. It'll be okay, be okay, be okay,Hang the aristocrats from on high!Oh. It'll be okay, be okay, be okay,The aristocrats, we'll hang 'em all.

Despotism will breathe its last,Liberty will take the day,

Oh. It'll be okay, be okay, be okay,We don't have any more nobles or priests,

Oh. It'll be okay, be okay, be okay,Equality will reign everywhere,

The Austrian slave will follow him,To the Devil will they fly.

Oh. It'll be okay, be okay, be okay,To the Devil will they fly.

IV. New GovernmentIV. New GovernmentA. August 4- Nobles and clergy joined N.A. A. August 4- Nobles and clergy joined N.A.

1. Gave up Feudal dues, political privileges, and tax exemptions1. Gave up Feudal dues, political privileges, and tax exemptions2. Ended centuries old feudal system2. Ended centuries old feudal system

B. August 26, 1789B. August 26, 17891. “Declaration of the Right of Man and of the Citizen”1. “Declaration of the Right of Man and of the Citizen”a. Based on ideas of Enlightenmenta. Based on ideas of Enlightenment

1)Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights combined1)Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights combinedb. Inalienable rights - Life, liberty, and property, security, resistance to b. Inalienable rights - Life, liberty, and property, security, resistance to

oppressionoppressionc. Equality before the lawc. Equality before the lawd. Freedom of Speech, Religion, Pressd. Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press

C. Women’s riotsC. Women’s riots 2. Two causes2. Two causes

a. Skyrocketing cost of breada. Skyrocketing cost of breadb. Louis XVI called troops to Versaillesb. Louis XVI called troops to Versailles

1) Result – royal family captured and brought to Paris1) Result – royal family captured and brought to ParisD. New Constitution - 1791D. New Constitution - 1791

1. Abolished Estates system1. Abolished Estates system2. Created Legislative Assembly2. Created Legislative Assembly

a. Poorest 1/3 couldn’t votea. Poorest 1/3 couldn’t voteb. Only wealthy could be electedb. Only wealthy could be elected

3. Kept king but reduced powers3. Kept king but reduced powers4. Government controlled clergy and took church land4. Government controlled clergy and took church land5. Louis XVI accepted because he had to 5. Louis XVI accepted because he had to

a. Constitutional monarchya. Constitutional monarchy

"Vanguard of Women going to Versailles” -->

Publicity about political machinations, coupled with the continued high price of bread, mobilized market women and encouraged many men to support them. They hoped to fetch the King and his family to end attempts against the Revolution and stabilize prices.

E. Foreign Wars1. European monarchy afraid of revolution spreading

a. Encouraged by nobles who fled France- émigrés

2. 1791 – Louis XVI caught trying to escape Paris3. 1792 - France declared war on Austria and Prussia4. Army was not winning war

F. Radical Revolution1. August 1792 angry radicals forced assembly to arrest kings’ family

and disband and suspend constitution2. Sept 1792- Ordered 2,000 royalists to be executed

3. Sept 1792- France ruled by National Constitutional Convention which was elected by a vote of all males

G. The Republic1. Convention declared France a republic2. Put the royal family on trial January 1793

a. Louis XVI sentenced to death by guillotine3. Must liberate human race from tyrants and overthrow all thrones4. Invaded Belgium and Germany

a. War did not go well5. Food shortages throughout France6. Peasants revolted against Revolution because of attack on Church7.Afraid - the convention voted to arrest its most moderate members

H. Reign of Terror 1. Convention created Committee of Public Safety to run government2. Maximilien de Robespierre headed committee and really

became violent dictator- “Terror is the order of the day” in order to subdue

enemies at home and abroad- save the revolution 3. August 1793- July 1794 (1year)

4. 2,500 people executed including Marie Antoinette I. War Machine1. Committee began national draft2. Organized production of food, uniforms, and other supplies3. Very successful Spring 1794, Largest army in Europe and patriotic too

a. Young qualified officers led army4. With things organized now and going better people saw no need for Committee of Public Safety5.Robespierre would not give up power

a. He and 20 followers were sent to guillotine

“Nine Emigrants go to the Guillotine”

"An Ordinary Guillotine "The guillotine was first introduced as a humane, efficient, and above all modern form of execution in April 1792; during the radical phase

of the Republic, it would become the symbol of the Terror.

J. The Directory1. Moderate leaders came to power as all others were killed2. October 1795 wrote new constitution that established

Directorya. 5 directors elected by a

2 house legislator b. Only property owners

vote (men who pay taxes)3. Directory made of upper middle class and former nobles

4. Excluded radicals and royalists5. Often had to bend constitution to remove extremists 6. Became corrupt and inefficient