Four Phases (Periods) of the French Revolution

Bourgeoisie Phase

Radical Phase(Reign of Terror)

Convening the Estates General Convening the Estates General May, 1789May, 1789

Last time it was called into session was Last time it was called into session was 1614!1614!

Commoners3rd Estate

1.Bourgoisie (middle class)2.Proletariat (urban working class poor)

3.Peasants (poor farmers)

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Upper Clergy1st Estate

Representatives in the Estates Representatives in the Estates GeneralGeneral

300

300

648

Injustice:

Each Estate gets one vote, so the

representatives of 500,000 people (1st/2nd Estate) have more of a vote than the

other 25 million (3rd Estate)

Injustice:

Each Estate gets one vote, so the

representatives of 500,000 people (1st/2nd Estate) have more of a vote than the

other 25 million (3rd Estate)

Emmanuel Joseph SieyesEmmanuel Joseph Sieyes

11 What is the Third What is the Third Estate?Estate? Everything!Everything!

22 What has it beenWhat has it beenuntil now in the until now in the political order? political order? Nothing! Nothing!

33 What does it What does it demand?demand?To become something!To become something!

Abbé SieyèsAbbé Sieyès1748-18361748-1836

““The Third Estate The Third Estate Awakens”Awakens”Y The commoners finally presented their The commoners finally presented their

credentials not as delegates of the Third credentials not as delegates of the Third Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”

Y They proclaimed themselves the They proclaimed themselves the “National “National Assembly”Assembly” of France. of France.

Tennis Court Oath (June 20, 1789)

Tennis Court Oath by Jacques Louis David

The Tennis Court Oath

“The National Assembly, considering that it has been summoned to establish the constitution of the kingdom, to effect the regeneration of the public order, and to maintain the true principles of monarchy…Decrees that all members of this Assembly shall immediately take a solemn oath not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established and consolidated upon firm foundations…”

““The Tennis Court The Tennis Court Oath”Oath”

by Jacques Louis Davidby Jacques Louis David

June 20, 1789June 20, 1789

Storming the BastilleStorming the BastilleJuly 14, 1789July 14, 1789

Louis XVI did not want a constitution. Rumors spread Louis XVI did not want a constitution. Rumors spread that the king was planning a military coup against that the king was planning a military coup against the National Assembly. A mob of Parisian workers the National Assembly. A mob of Parisian workers attacked this castle, mostly to get weapons.attacked this castle, mostly to get weapons.

18 died18 died..

73 wounded73 wounded..

7 guards killed 7 guards killed ((their their heads were put on heads were put on spikes and paraded spikes and paraded around the city)around the city)

It held 7 prisoners It held 7 prisoners ((5 ordinary 5 ordinary criminals & 2 criminals & 2 madmenmadmen))

Uprising in Paris

The Great Fear: The Great Fear: Peasant RevoltPeasant Revolt

(July 20, 1789)(July 20, 1789)

Rumors that the feudal aristocracy were sending hired Rumors that the feudal aristocracy were sending hired gangs to attack peasants and take their land. So gangs to attack peasants and take their land. So peasants began attacking the aristocracy.peasants began attacking the aristocracy.

The The PathPath

of theof the“Great“GreatFear”Fear”

National Assembly Responds:National Assembly Responds: Night Session of August 4, 1789Night Session of August 4, 1789

Before the night was over:Before the night was over: The feudal regime in France had The feudal regime in France had

been abolished.been abolished.

All Frenchmen were, at least in All Frenchmen were, at least in principle, subject to the same principle, subject to the same laws and the same taxes and laws and the same taxes and eligible for the same political eligible for the same political positions.positions.

Equality & Meritocracy!Equality & Meritocracy! Equality & Meritocracy!Equality & Meritocracy!

National AssemblyNational Assembly1789 – 17911789 – 1791

SLOGAN:SLOGAN:

Liberté!Liberté!

Egalité!Egalité!

Fraternité!Fraternité!

The New Tricolor The New Tricolor Flag Flag (1789)(1789)

The WHITE of the The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED Bourbons + the RED

& BLUE of Paris.& BLUE of Paris.

Citizen!Citizen!

How to Finance the New How to Finance the New Govt.?Govt.?

1.1. Confiscate Church Lands Confiscate Church Lands (1790)(1790)

One of the most controversial decisions of the One of the most controversial decisions of the entire revolutionary period.entire revolutionary period.

2.2. Print Print AssignatsAssignats2.2. Print Print

AssignatsAssignats

- New form of money issued by the National New form of money issued by the National Assembly.Assembly.

- Interest-bearing notes which had the church lands as Interest-bearing notes which had the church lands as security security (inflation quickly became a problem with these)(inflation quickly became a problem with these)..

New Relations Between New Relations Between Church & StateChurch & StateGovernment paid the salaries of the French clergy Government paid the salaries of the French clergy

and maintained the churches.and maintained the churches.

The church was reorganized:The church was reorganized: Parish priests Parish priests elected by the district elected by the district

assemblies.assemblies. Bishops Bishops named by the named by the

department assemblies.department assemblies. The pope had NO The pope had NO

voice in the voice in the appointment of appointment of the French clergy.the French clergy.

It transformed France’sIt transformed France’s Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church into a branch of the state!!into a branch of the state!!

Pope Pius VIPope Pius VI[1775-1799][1775-1799]

Adieu, Versailles!• The Parisian Commune feared that Louis XVI

would have foreign troops invade France to put down the rebellion– Marie Antoinette, was the sister of the Austrian emperor

• A group of women attacked Versailles onOctober 5, 1789 and forced the royal family to relocate to Paris.

Tuileries Palace (Paris, France)

Royal family spent next several years in Royal family spent next several years in the Tuileries Palace as virtual prisonersthe Tuileries Palace as virtual prisonersRoyal family spent next several years in Royal family spent next several years in the Tuileries Palace as virtual prisonersthe Tuileries Palace as virtual prisoners

Changes under the National Assembly (1789-1791)

The Declaration of the The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Rights of Man and of the

CitizenCitizen August 26, August 26, 17891789

V Liberty!Liberty!

V Property!Property!

V Resistance to Resistance to oppression!oppression!

V Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was in Paris at was in Paris at this time.this time.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Aug 26th Aug 26th 17891789

Olympe de Gouges Olympe de Gouges (1745-(1745-1793)1793)

Wrote Declaration Wrote Declaration of the Rights of of the Rights of

WomanWomanand of the Citizen and of the Citizen

(1791)(1791)

Wrote Declaration Wrote Declaration of the Rights of of the Rights of

WomanWomanand of the Citizen and of the Citizen

(1791)(1791)

V Women played a Women played a vital role in the vital role in the Revolution.Revolution.

V But, But, The Declaration The Declaration of the Rights of Manof the Rights of Man did NOT extend the did NOT extend the rights and rights and protections of protections of citizenship to citizenship to women.women.

End of Special Privileges

• Church lands were seized, divided, and sold to peasants

• Civil Constitution of the Clergy required that Church officials be elected by the people, with salaries paid by the government– 2/3 of Church officials fled the country rather than

swear allegiance to this.– Extremely divisive issue during the revolution

• All feudal dues and tithes were ended• All special privileges of the First and Second

Estates were abolished

Reforms in Local Government

• The 30 provinces and their “petty tyrants” (Intendants) were replaced with 83 new departments– Ruled by elected governors

• New courts, with judges elected by the people, were established

The French Constitution of The French Constitution of 1791:1791:

A Bourgeois GovernmentA Bourgeois GovernmentFrance is now a France is now a Constitutional MonarchyConstitutional Monarchy““Active” CitizensActive” Citizens could vote [who pays taxes could vote [who pays taxes

amounting to 3 days labor] amounting to 3 days labor] (so called (so called Passive” Citizens Passive” Citizens couldn’t)couldn’t) 1/3 of adult males were denied the franchise.1/3 of adult males were denied the franchise. Domestic servants were also excluded.Domestic servants were also excluded.

Newly elected Newly elected LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY now makes all the laws.now makes all the laws.

GOALGOAL Make sure that the country Make sure that the country was not turned over to the “mob”!was not turned over to the “mob”!

GOALGOAL Make sure that the country Make sure that the country was not turned over to the “mob”!was not turned over to the “mob”!

Limits of Bourgeoisie Limits of Bourgeoisie Reform:Reform:Y Feudal dues were not completely Feudal dues were not completely

renounced [this had been too strong a renounced [this had been too strong a threat to the principle of private threat to the principle of private property!]property!]

Y Peasants would compensate their Peasants would compensate their landlords through a series of direct landlords through a series of direct payments for obligations from which payments for obligations from which they had supposedly been freed.they had supposedly been freed.

Therefore, the National Assembly made Therefore, the National Assembly made revolutionary gestures, but remained revolutionary gestures, but remained essentially moderate.essentially moderate.

Their GoalTheir Goal Their GoalTheir Goal Safeguard the right of private Safeguard the right of private property!!property!!Safeguard the right of private Safeguard the right of private property!!property!!

Bibliographic ResourcesBibliographic Resources

« ““Hist210—Europe in the Age of Hist210—Europe in the Age of Revolutions.”Revolutions.”http://www.ucl.ac.uk/history/courses/europe1/chron/rch5.htm

« “ “Liberty, Fraternity, Equality: Liberty, Fraternity, Equality: Exploring the French Revolution.”Exploring the French Revolution.” http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/

« Matthews, Andrew. Matthews, Andrew. Revolution and Revolution and Reaction: Europe, 1789-1849Reaction: Europe, 1789-1849. . CambridgeCambridgeUniversity Press, 2001.University Press, 2001.

« “ “The Napoleonic Guide.” The Napoleonic Guide.” http://www.napoleonguide.com/index.htm