FRENCH REVOLUTION

SOCIAL SYSTEM

• 1789

• OUTDATED SOCIAL SYSTEM– EMERGED IN MIDDLE AGES

• THREE CLASSES

– FIRST ESTATE

– SECOND ESTATE

– THIRD ESTATE

FIRST ESTATE

• CLERGY

• CHURCH OWNED 10% LAND

• COLLECTED TITHES

• BISHOPS & ABBOTS LIVED WELL

• PARISH PRIESTS – POOR

• PROVIDED SOME SOCIAL SERVICES

• CONDEMNED THE ENLIGHTENMENT

SECOND ESTATE• “NOBILITY OF FRENCH SOCIETY”• TOP JOBS:

– GOVERNMENT– ARMY– COURTS– CHURCH

• FINANCIAL PINCH (PRICES RISING)

• HATED ABSOLUTISM

• FEARED:– LOSING JOBS– FREEDOM OF NOT HAVING TO PAY

TAXES

THIRD ESTATE• 1797 – 27 MILLION PEOPLE

(98%)• DIVERSE GROUP

– 1) BOURGEOISIE (MIDDLE CLASS)• LAWYERS• DOCTORS• PROFESSORS

– 2) PEASANTS (9 OUT 10)– 3) URBAN WORKERS

• PRINTING• CLOTH MAKING• UNEMPLOYED (BEGGING & CRIME)

ECONOMIC TROUBLES

• DEFICIT SPENDING• LOUIS XIV

– FRANCE IN DEBT– SEVEN YEARS’ WAR– AMERICAN REVOLUTION– HALF GOV. TAX INCOME WENT TO

THE INTEREST ON THE DEBT

• HOW DID THEY SOLVE THIS?• http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

ECONOMIC TROUBLES

• FAILURE TO REFORM

• HEIRS OF LOUIS XIV NOT FIT TO SOLVE ECONOMIC CRISIS

• LOUIS XV– PLEASURE BEFORE BUSINESS

• LOUIS XVI– WEAK & INDECISIVE– CRISIS DEEPENED– PRESSURE FOR REFORM MOUNTED

ESTATES GENERAL

• 1788

• FRANCE – EDGE OF BANKRUPTCY

• LOUIS XVI

– SUMMONED ESTATES GENERAL TO MEET @ VERSAILLES (175 YEARS)

THE CAHIERS• ALL ESTATES PREPARE CAHIERS• LIST OF GRIEVANCES• FAIRER TAXES• FREEDOM OF PRESS• REGULAR ESTATE MEETINGS

• CHAOS “BLOODSUCKERS OF THE NATION WHO DRINK THE TEARS OF THE UNFORTUNATE FROM GOBLETS OF GOLD” “20 MILLION MUST LIVE ON HALF OF THE WEALTH OF FRANCE WHILE THE CLERGY….. DEVOUR THE OTHER HALF”

ESTATES GENERAL

• DELEGATES TO THIRD ESTATE WERE ELECTED

• ONLY PROPERTIED MEN COULD VOTE (MIDDLE CLASS)

• VERSAILLES– SOLVE FINANCIAL CRISIS– INSIST ON REFORM (ENLIGHTENMENT)

ESTATES GENERAL

• MAY 1789• ISSUE OF VOTING• OLD WAY:

– EACH ESTATE HAD ONE VOTE

– 1ST & 2ND = ALWAYS OUTVOTED THE 3RD

• 3RD ESTATE:– ALL 3 TO MEET AND

VOTES COUNTED BY HEADS

ESTATES GENERAL

• WEEKS OF STALEMATE• DECLARED THEMSELVES

“NATIONAL ASSEMBLY”• INVITED DELEGATES

FROM 1 & 2– CONSTITUTION– BASIC LAWS & RULES OF

GOV.• MEETING HALL LOCKED• INDOOR TENNIS COURT

– OATH: NEVER TO SEPARATE AND MEET WHENEVER NECESSARY

– “TENNIS COURT OATH”

UNREST

• LOUIS XVI GRUDGINGLY ACCEPTED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• RUMORS – TROOPS OCCUPY PARIS

• JULY 14, 1789– 800 PARISIANS – STORMED BASTILLE (MEDIEVAL

FORTRESS)– FIRED ON CROWD

• IS IT A REVOLT?

• “NO IT’S A REVOLUTION”

NEW FRANCE

• REVOLUTIONARY ERA

• 1) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (1789-1791)

• 2) REIGN OF TERROR (1792-1794)

• 3) Directory (1795-1799)

• 4) AGE OF NAPOLEON (1799-1815)

GREAT FEAR

• FAMINE• UNEMPLOYMENT• 80% INCOME – BREAD• RUMORS OF GOV. SEIZING

CROPS• PEASANTS

– ATTACKED NOBLE HOMES– STOLE

• ANGER WITH UNJUST REGIME

REFORMS

• AUGUST 4, 1789• NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VOTED TO END THEIR

PRIVILEGES• ALL EQUAL CITIZENS• 1ST STEP OF CONSTITUTION

– MODELED AFTER THE DEC. OF IND.– PROTECT NATURAL RIGHTS

• LOUIS XVI SLOW TO ACCEPT REFORMS• STARVATION

PARIS IN ARMS

• REVOLUTIONARY CENTER• FACTIONS COMPETED TO GAIN

POWER• MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE

– MODERATES– HERO– HEAD OF MIDDLE CLASS MILITIA– WORE RED – WHITE – BLUE

BADGE

WOMEN MARCH

• ANGER – QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE– EXTRAVAGANT – SOURCE OF SCANDAL– REFUSED TO LEAVE – IMPORTANT DEMAND – RETURN TO PARIS– CROWDS SANG & CHEERED– TRICOLOR– LOUIS & MARIE PRISONERS

CONSTITUTION

• 1791• LIMITED MONARCHY• LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

– MAKE LAWS– COLLECT TAXES– WAR & PEACE

• ASSEMBLY ELECTED– 50,000 OUT OF 27 MILLION QUALIFIED AS

CANDIDATES

THE GETAWAY

• JUNE 1791• LOUIS – MARIE – ROYAL

CHILDREN• DISGUISED • FAILED

– MONEY SHOWED HIS FACE

• TAKEN TO PARIS• “TRAITOR TO THE

REVOLUTION”

REACTION OUTSIDE FRANCE

• SUPPORTERS OF ENLIGHTENMENT– APPLAUDED

• EUROPEAN RULERS & NOBLES– DENOUNCED THE REV.– BORDER PATROLS– HORROR STORIES

• PRUSSIA & AUSTRIA – DEC. OF PILNITZ– THREATENED TO PROTECT FRENCH MONARCHY

RADICAL ACTION

• OCTOBER 1791• NEWLY ELECTED LEGISLATIVE

ASSEMBLY TOOK OFFICE– LESS THAN ONE YEAR– ECONOMIC PROBLEMS RENEWED– INFLATION– FAMINE

• SANS-CULOTTES (WORKING CLASS)– DEMANDED A REPUBLIC

• BATTLE FOR POWER WITHIN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY– SANS-CULOTTES– JACOBINS (MIDDLE CLASS)

WAR

• APRIL 1792• FRENCH REVOLUTIONARIES V. EUROPEAN

MONARCHS

• SPREAD REV.• WAR DECLARED

– AUSTRIA– PRUSSIA– BRITAIN

• EASY VICTORY?• 1792-1815