A Review of The French Revolution

Estate System

• Who makes up the 3 estates in France?

• 1st Estate: Clergy• 2nd Estate: Nobles• 3rd Estate: Majority of

the population– Paid all of the taxes

• Bourgeoisie• Peasants• Urban Workers

Primary Causes of the French Revolution

• Inequalities between the Estates– 3rd Estate has the entire tax burden and lacks political

power• Economic Issues

– Deficit Spending – King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were spending outrageously while the French people were starving

– Debt from the Seven Years’ War and U.S. Revolution• Enlightenment Ideals

– For the first time, people question the legitimacy of the Monarch and the Church

– Instead they embrace equality, liberty, and religious tolerance

How did it happen?

• Because of the Crisis, the King called for the Estates General

• Here, the three estates prepared cahiers, or notebooks listing their grievances

• Finally, to avoid being outvoted, the 3rd Estate (and some reform minded clergy/nobles) declared themselves the National Assembly

Tennis Court Oath

• A few days later, when the new National Assembly were attempting to meet, they found that the King had ordered their meeting place locked and guarded

• Instead, they moved to a nearby indoor tennis court and swore “never to separate”

Storming of the Bastille

• After rumors spread of the King wishing to dissolve the National Assembly, Parisians stormed the Bastille

• What was the significance of this?

• The citizens proved that they were empowered by destroying a symbol of the monarchy

What does the National Assembly do? (Moderate Phase)

• Abolish Feudalism, a system of privileges, even for themselves

• Wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which, like the American Declaration of Independence, called for equality. It also called for freedom of religion and a new tax system

• Women’s March on Versailles

• Place Church under State control

• Create a constitutional monarchy

The Radicals gain power (Radical Phase)

• The Legislative Assembly continues to see Radical-minded people get elected

• What changes do they hope to bring?

• A republic, which has popular sovereignty

• International Change– Declared war on

Austria, Prussia, and Britain

First… the King

Then, the Queen

Committee of Public Safety

• Soon, the Radicals, led by Maximilien Robespierre, form the Committee of Public Safety to “defend the republic” from tyranny

• They lead a campaign where tens of thousands lose their head to the guillotine

• This became known as the “Reign of Terror”

• But soon, the people tired of the Committee, and executed its radical members

Directory

• Moderates wrote a new constitution, setting up a five-man Directory in power

• But, when bread prices rose and they failed to stop the wars with Austria and Britain, they turned to Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleonic Era

• Napoleon used Nationalism, which was spreading around France, to push for reform and empire

Napoleon’s Reforms

• Controlled Economy• Made peace with the

Church and promoted religious tolerance

• Napoleonic Code – set of laws that embodied the Enlightenment, which included liberty and equality

• Took away women’s rights

Building an Empire

• He took over the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany

• He also abolished the Holy Roman Empire

Napoleon Fails to take Britain

• He could not match Britain’s naval strength at Trafalgar

• He suffered a massive defeat in Russia, losing most of his troops to the winter

• While he abdicated briefly, he would soon return to power

• However, it lasted for only 100 days before his final loss at Waterloo

• Napoleon left power for good in 1815, and the Congress of Vienna redrew the map of Europe and restored order

• However, nationalism was growing and would soon create more European problems

Study Guide

• The 3 estates

• Causes of the French Revolution

• The beginnings of the revolution

• Characteristics of the 4 phases

• People and vocabulary