Old Order/Old Regime 3 Estates –1 st -Roman Catholic Clergy-1% of population –2 nd -Nobility-2%...
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Transcript of Old Order/Old Regime 3 Estates –1 st -Roman Catholic Clergy-1% of population –2 nd -Nobility-2%...
Old Order/Old Regime
• 3 Estates– 1st-Roman Catholic Clergy-1% of population– 2nd-Nobility-2% of population– 3rd-1. Bourgeoisie
2. City Workers
3. Peasants
97% of the population-had burden of half their income in dues to nobles, tithes to the Church, and taxes to the King’s agent.
Forces of Change
• New ideas about govt.
• Serious economic problems
• Indecisive leadership
• Upset feelings among lower classes.
• Inspired by success of American Revolution.
Economic Trouble
• 1780’sFrance’s economy is declining• Trade and production is expanding but
due to high taxes almost impossible to conduct business profitably.
• Cost of living rises• Widespread crop failure1789 price of
bread doubles.• France is in debt due to involvement in
American Revolution.
Louis XVI
• Weak and IndecisivePaid little attention to his advisers
• Took poor advice from Queen- “Madame Deficit”• Due to France’s debt-Louis wanted to tax the
nobility. • 2nd Estate forced him to call a meeting of the
Estates-General-an assembly of reps from all three estates-to approve new tax. Meeting-1st in 175 yrs. (May 5, 1789 Versailles)
Dawn of the Revolution
• Medieval Rules-1 vote per estate.
• 3rd estate wanted one vote per representative.
• King Louis XVI makes Estates-General vote per medieval rules.
3rd Estate
• ClergymanEmmanuel-Joseph Sieyes suggested 3rd Estate name themselves the National Assembly and pass laws and reforms in the name of French people.
• June 17, 1789-they voted to establish the National Assemblyshift from absolute monarch to representative govt.
• 3 days later 3rd estate locked out of meeting roombroke down door to indoor tennis court and pledged to stay until they had a new constitution. Tennis Court Oath.
• Soon after-nobles and members of the clergy who favored reform joined the 3rd Estates delegates.
• Louis then stationed his mercenary army of Swiss guards around Versailles. (Big Mistake)
Great Fear
• Some thought military was to dismiss National Assembly other thought they were there to massacre citizens.
• ResponsePpl began to gather weapons to defend city.
• July 14mob searching for gunpowder stormed the Bastille, a Paris prison. Attackers hacked prison commanders and guards to death and paraded around the streets with their heads on pikes.
• Bastille Day-French national holiday.
Great Fear
• Rebellion spread to countryside. • Peasants broke into noble’s houses and
destroyed legal documents bounding them to pay feudal dues. Some burned houses down.
• Oct. 1789-thousands of Parisian women rioted over the rising price of bread.
• Women turned on King and Queen and forced them to return to Paris. (Signals change of Power)
Rights of Man
• 3 wks later National Assembly adopted statement of revolutionary idealsDeclaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen reflecting ideas of Dec. of Ind.
• Adopted“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” as their slogan. Did not apply to everyone.
• Olympe de Gouges published a declaration of the rights of women-her ideas were rejected. 1793-declared an enemy and executed.
State Controlled Church
• NA took over Church lands and declared church officials to be elected and paid as state officials.
• Cath. Church lost its land and political independence.
• Largely economic reasonhelped pay off France’s war debt.
• Many believed Pope should rule over a church ind. Of the state.
• NAFrom this time on many peasants opposed the assembly’s reforms.
National Assembly
• National Assembly restructured the relationship between Church and State.
• Louis XVI family was in danger-June 1791-royal family tried to escape to Austria Netherlandsat the border he was apprehended and returned to Paris under guard.
• Sealed his fate.
• National Assembly Sept. 1791-completed new constitution that Louis reluctantly approved.
• Created limited constitutional monarch.
• Stripped King of power.
• Created a Legislative Assemblyhad to power to create laws and approve/reject declarations of War.
Factions Split France
• Old problems like food shortages still remained.
• LA split into three groups- Radicals (left), Moderates, Conservatives (right).
• Emigres-nobles and others hoped to undo Rev. and restore Old Regime.
• San-culottes-those without knee breeches”. –exerted power on the street
France at War
• Other European countries afraid of similar revoltsAustria and Prussia urged the French to restore Louis to absolute monarch.
• Legislative Assemblydeclared war in April 1792 • War began bad for France but continued until 1815.• Aug 10 1792- 20,000 men/women invaded the Tuileries
and imprisoned Louis, Marie and their family. • French troops defending Paris were sent to reinforce the
French army in the field.
• Prisoners wanted to break out and seize control of cityPeople of France raided prisons and killed over 1000. –Sept Massacres
• Constitution of 1791-declared king deposed, dissolved assembly, called for election of new legislature.
• National Convention took office on Sept. 21• Declared France a republic-Adult Male citizens
granted right to vote and hold office
Jacobins take Charge
• Jacobins-radical political organization.• Imp. Member-Jean Paul Marat-edited paper
called L’Ami du Peuple (Friend of the People).– During French Revolution-is stabbed to death in his
soaking tub • Called for death of those who continued to
support the King. • National Convention-reduced Louis XVI-role
from a King to a common citizen and prisoner. • Convention-now guided by Jacobins had Louis
XVI tried for treason- by close vote-beheaded Jan. 21, 1793.
War Continues
National Convention-had to deal with war with Austria and Prussia.
1793-Great Britain, Holland, Spain joined Prussia and Austria against France.
French suffered string of defeats. Jacobin leaders had the Convention order a
draft of 300,000 French citizens between the ages of 18 and 40. 1794-army had grown to 800,000 and inc. women
Robespierre Assumes Control
Jacobins- had thousands of enemies in France-peasants were upset by Louis execution, priests hated govt. control.
• Jacobin leader-Maximillen Robespierre-wanted to build a “republic of virtue”.
• Closed all churches in Paris-cities/towns in France soon did too.
• July 1793-became leader of the Committee of Public Safety
• For next year ruled like dictator-Reign of Terror• Committee of Public Safety’s-protect Revolution
from its enemies. • Had enemies put to death-1,000s sent to death
on flimsy charges. • About 40,000 were executed during the Terror-
85% were peasants or members of the urban poor or middle class-for whose benefit the Rev. had been launched.
End of Terror
• July 1794 fearing their safety, some members of the National Convention turned on Robespierre.
• Demanded his arrest and execution. • Guillotined July 1794• 1795-moderate leaders in NC drafted new plan-
3rd since 1789.• Placed power firmly in hands of upper middle
class and called for two house legislature and executive body of five men known as Directory.
• Five were moderates-some were corrupt and made themselves rich at countries expense.