Chapter 6: The French Chapter 6: The French RevolutionRevolution

• In 1789, France still In 1789, France still had a Medieval had a Medieval social systemsocial system– The The ancienancien

regimeregime, or old , or old order, divided order, divided people into 3 people into 3 estatesestates, or classes, or classes

1.1.ClergyClergy2.2.NobilityNobility3.3.Vast majority of Vast majority of

the populationthe population

• Clergy enjoyed large amounts of wealthClergy enjoyed large amounts of wealth– Owned 10% of landOwned 10% of land– Collected tithesCollected tithes– Paid no taxes to the statePaid no taxes to the state

• High officials were well off, priests were High officials were well off, priests were poorpoor

• Churches ran schools, orphanages, and Churches ran schools, orphanages, and hospitalshospitals

• Church fought against Enlightenment Church fought against Enlightenment ideas of reformideas of reform

• Nobles held top jobs in government, Nobles held top jobs in government, the army, courts, and churchthe army, courts, and church– Some nobles enjoyed city life, others Some nobles enjoyed city life, others

struggled to get bystruggled to get by

• Nobles resented middle-class Nobles resented middle-class appointments but liked not paying appointments but liked not paying taxestaxes

• Third Estate was the most diverseThird Estate was the most diverse– The middle-class The middle-class bourgeoisiebourgeoisie included included

bankers, doctors, lawyersbankers, doctors, lawyers– The bulk of the estate were royal The bulk of the estate were royal

peasantspeasants– Urban workers were the poorest membersUrban workers were the poorest members

• All members of the Third Estate All members of the Third Estate resented noble privilegesresented noble privileges– First and Second Estates pay on taxesFirst and Second Estates pay on taxes– Fees may be put on peasants by noblesFees may be put on peasants by nobles

• Enlightenment ideas led Third Estate Enlightenment ideas led Third Estate to demand privilegesto demand privileges

• Comparison & Contrast the French anComparison & Contrast the French and American Revolutionsd American Revolutions (1:38)(1:38)

Financial TroublesFinancial Troubles• Deficit spendingDeficit spending caused a large caused a large

financial crisisfinancial crisis• Wars caused France to go into debt Wars caused France to go into debt

leading to more money being borrowedleading to more money being borrowed– By 1789 half of the governments money By 1789 half of the governments money

went toward paying interestwent toward paying interest

• Bad harvests led to increased food Bad harvests led to increased food prices and lowing classes going hungryprices and lowing classes going hungry

• Taxes would help solve problems buy Taxes would help solve problems buy nobles and clergy resistednobles and clergy resisted

• As problems rose, the king was asked to As problems rose, the king was asked to summon the summon the Estates-GeneralEstates-General, a , a legislative body of all three Estateslegislative body of all three Estates– King feared of losing power, nobles hoped to King feared of losing power, nobles hoped to

gain powergain power

• Before meeting each Estate listed their Before meeting each Estate listed their grievances in grievances in cahierscahiers, or notebooks, or notebooks– Most wanted fairer taxes, free press, and Most wanted fairer taxes, free press, and

regular meetings of Estates-Generalregular meetings of Estates-General

• Representatives of the 3Representatives of the 3rdrd Estate were Estate were well read and expected reformwell read and expected reform

• Voting became an issue as the 1Voting became an issue as the 1stst and and 22ndnd Estates usually outvoted the 3 Estates usually outvoted the 3rdrd EstateEstate

• After weeks of stalemate the 3After weeks of stalemate the 3rdrd Estate became the national Assembly Estate became the national Assembly representing the people of Francerepresenting the people of France

• When their meeting place was When their meeting place was blocked the NA went to a tennis court blocked the NA went to a tennis court and took the and took the Tennis Court OathTennis Court Oath pledging to write a constitutionpledging to write a constitution

Parisians Storm the BastilleParisians Storm the Bastille

• Rumor was royal troops were headed Rumor was royal troops were headed to occupy Paristo occupy Paris

• Parisians wanted to defend Parisians wanted to defend themselves so they demanded themselves so they demanded weapons from the Bastille, a prisonweapons from the Bastille, a prison

• After the commander refused, the After the commander refused, the crowd stormed the gates and took crowd stormed the gates and took over the fortressover the fortress

• Storming of the BastilleStorming of the Bastille (1:59) (1:59)

Section 2: The French Section 2: The French Revolution UnfoldsRevolution Unfolds• 4 Phases of the French Revolution4 Phases of the French Revolution

– Moderate phase of the National AssemblyModerate phase of the National Assembly• turned France into a Constitutional Monarchyturned France into a Constitutional Monarchy

– Radical PhaseRadical Phase• Escalating violence ended the Monarchy and began Escalating violence ended the Monarchy and began

the Reign of Terror.the Reign of Terror.– The DirectoryThe Directory

• Period of reaction against extremism.Period of reaction against extremism.– Age of NapoleonAge of Napoleon

• Consolidated many revolutionary changesConsolidated many revolutionary changes

““The Great Fear”The Great Fear”

• A terrible famine caused much of A terrible famine caused much of France to search for foodFrance to search for food

• Rumors of attacks on villages and Rumors of attacks on villages and soldiers taking peasant crops spreadsoldiers taking peasant crops spread

• Peasants fought back by burning Peasants fought back by burning manor records and stealing grainmanor records and stealing grain

• Different Different factionsfactions, or groups, formed in Paris, or groups, formed in Paris

• Moderates followed Moderates followed Marquis de LafayetteMarquis de Lafayette who who fought in the American Revolutionfought in the American Revolution

– Led the National Guard Militia against royal Led the National Guard Militia against royal troops.troops.

– This was the 1This was the 1stst French group to fly the colors French group to fly the colors red, white, and blue.red, white, and blue.

Paris CommuneParis Commune

• Replaced the government that was Replaced the government that was loyal to the Crownloyal to the Crown

• Mobilized neighborhoods to violent Mobilized neighborhoods to violent action against the governmentaction against the government

• Led to more rumors about the royal Led to more rumors about the royal family and members of the royal family and members of the royal court.court.

• A cartoon on the Paris A cartoon on the Paris Commune of 1871. "I Commune of 1871. "I wish to be free. It is my wish to be free. It is my right and I will defend right and I will defend it." One motive that lay it." One motive that lay behind establishment behind establishment of the Commune was of the Commune was the demand that Paris the demand that Paris be allowed to govern be allowed to govern itself. Paris also wanted itself. Paris also wanted to continue the war to continue the war against Prussia in against Prussia in 1871. 1871.

• Théophile Ferré, a Théophile Ferré, a member of the Paris member of the Paris Commune. He served Commune. He served for a time as the for a time as the Commune?s public Commune?s public prosecutor, and won a prosecutor, and won a reputation for militancy reputation for militancy and ruthlessness. The and ruthlessness. The Thiers government Thiers government sentenced him to sentenced him to death by firing squad. death by firing squad.

National Assembly Makes National Assembly Makes ChangesChanges (2:04) (2:04)

• The National Assembly voted to end all The National Assembly voted to end all privileges of the noble classprivileges of the noble class– This gave all male citizens equality before the lawThis gave all male citizens equality before the law

• The The Declaration of the Rights of ManDeclaration of the Rights of Man was was written in the form of the Declaration of written in the form of the Declaration of IndependenceIndependence– Spoke of natural rights and governments job to Spoke of natural rights and governments job to

protect rightsprotect rights– Liberty, property, security, and resistance to Liberty, property, security, and resistance to

oppositionopposition– All Male citizens were equal before the law..and had All Male citizens were equal before the law..and had

the right to hold office.the right to hold office.

• Olympe de GeorgesOlympe de Georges wrote wrote the Declaration of the Rights the Declaration of the Rights of Women and Female of Women and Female CitizensCitizens

• ““Woman is born free and her Woman is born free and her rights are the same as man”rights are the same as man”

• Believed men and WOMEN Believed men and WOMEN should be eligible for public should be eligible for public officeoffice

• Louis XVI did not accept the Louis XVI did not accept the reforms..nobles continued reforms..nobles continued their comfortable lives while their comfortable lives while the peasants suffered.the peasants suffered.

• Six thousand women marched from Six thousand women marched from Paris to Versailles demanding bread Paris to Versailles demanding bread and to see the king!!!and to see the king!!!

• Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette – Was the – Was the Austrian born Queen who there Austrian born Queen who there anger was aimed foranger was aimed for

• Lived an extravagant life..which led Lived an extravagant life..which led to further unrest.to further unrest.

Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette

• Was against the Was against the reforms of the reforms of the movementmovement

• Her lifestyle made Her lifestyle made other women resent other women resent herher

• Often lived in a little Often lived in a little cheateau in cheateau in Versailles to live her Versailles to live her own life on her own life on her terms.terms.

• Women refused to leave until the King met Women refused to leave until the King met their most important demand = Return to their most important demand = Return to Paris.Paris.

• King, unhappily, loaded up his family and went King, unhappily, loaded up his family and went to Paristo Paris

• Crowds along the way cheered the King as he Crowds along the way cheered the King as he was now wearing the tri-color of the revolutionwas now wearing the tri-color of the revolution

• Louis XVI and his family would stay in the Louis XVI and his family would stay in the Tuileries Palace..as a virtual prisoner for the Tuileries Palace..as a virtual prisoner for the next three years.next three years.