The French The French RevolutionRevolution

What happened?What happened?

How did the American and How did the American and French Revolution turn out so French Revolution turn out so

differently?differently?

CausesCauses

Long Range Causes:Long Range Causes:– Inequality of French society (three Inequality of French society (three

estates)estates) Immediate Causes:Immediate Causes:

– Economic collapse due to bad harvests Economic collapse due to bad harvests and declining manufacturing which and declining manufacturing which caused food shortages, rising prices for caused food shortages, rising prices for food, and unemploymentfood, and unemployment

– Overspending on wars and court luxuriesOverspending on wars and court luxuries

Four PhasesFour Phases

National Assembly 1789-1791National Assembly 1789-1791 National Convention 1792-1794National Convention 1792-1794 Directory 1795-1799Directory 1795-1799 Napoleon 1799-1815Napoleon 1799-1815

Estates-General to Estates-General to National AssemblyNational Assembly

Louis XVILouis XVI needed to raise new taxes so needed to raise new taxes so called for meeting of called for meeting of Estates-GeneralEstates-General (French parliament)(French parliament)

First, Second, and Third EstateFirst, Second, and Third Estate each each had one vote but Third Estate wanted to had one vote but Third Estate wanted to change that to counting each member’s change that to counting each member’s vote. This would give the Third Estate vote. This would give the Third Estate more power to make reforms.more power to make reforms.

Louis XVI refused to allow that to Louis XVI refused to allow that to happen.happen.

National AssemblyNational Assembly

The Third Estate calls itself National The Third Estate calls itself National Assembly and makes Assembly and makes Tennis Court Tennis Court OathOath swearing to write a new French swearing to write a new French Constitution.Constitution.

Parisians attacked and destroyed the Parisians attacked and destroyed the BastilleBastille, a hated prison., a hated prison.

Attacked by Austria & Prussia, France Attacked by Austria & Prussia, France declares war.declares war.

National Assembly ReformsNational Assembly Reforms

The feudal system was abolished.The feudal system was abolished. Church lands sold and church brought Church lands sold and church brought

under state control.under state control. Constitution of 1791Constitution of 1791 set up a limited set up a limited

monarchy.monarchy. The The Declaration of the Rights of ManDeclaration of the Rights of Man was was

adopted.adopted.– Inspired by the Enlightenment and American Inspired by the Enlightenment and American

documentsdocuments– Proclaimed freedom and equal rights for all menProclaimed freedom and equal rights for all men

National Assembly to Paris National Assembly to Paris Commune to National Commune to National

ConventionConvention Radical political groups took Louis Radical political groups took Louis

XVI captive and forced National XVI captive and forced National Assembly to suspend monarchy and Assembly to suspend monarchy and call for a National Convention.call for a National Convention.– Many members of this group called Many members of this group called

themselves the themselves the sans-culottessans-culottes. They . They wore long trousers instead of knee-wore long trousers instead of knee-length breeches worn by the upper length breeches worn by the upper classes.classes.

National ConventionNational Convention

Monarchy abolished & Louis XVI and his Monarchy abolished & Louis XVI and his queen, queen, Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette were beheaded for were beheaded for treason.treason.

JacobinsJacobins, radical members of the Convention , radical members of the Convention seized power.seized power.

Committee of Public SafetyCommittee of Public Safety (headed by (headed by Maximilien RobespierreMaximilien Robespierre) established to ) established to defend France from internal and external defend France from internal and external threats.threats.– Initiated Initiated Reign of TerrorReign of Terror, killing 40,000 who were , killing 40,000 who were

thought to oppose the National Convention.thought to oppose the National Convention.

Reign of TerrorReign of Terror

The DirectoryThe Directory

The revolution reacted to the The revolution reacted to the violence of the Reign of Terror by violence of the Reign of Terror by writing the writing the Constitution of 1795Constitution of 1795..– Established a two house legislatureEstablished a two house legislature

Corruption was common.Corruption was common.

NapoleonNapoleon

Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte topples the topples the Directory in a coup Directory in a coup e’tate’tat (sudden (sudden overthrow of the government).overthrow of the government).

Accumulated more power, creating Accumulated more power, creating an empire and declaring himself an empire and declaring himself emperor in 1804. emperor in 1804.

Fought many wars from 1805 to Fought many wars from 1805 to 1815 when he was finally defeated at 1815 when he was finally defeated at the the Battle of Waterloo.Battle of Waterloo.

Napoleon-Dictator & Napoleon-Dictator & EmperorEmperor

Why did the American & Why did the American & French Revolutions turn out so French Revolutions turn out so

differently?differently? The French were trying to create a new The French were trying to create a new

social order as well as a new political social order as well as a new political system.system.

Quality of leadershipQuality of leadership The level of tolerance for dissent and The level of tolerance for dissent and

oppositionopposition Concept of individual rightsConcept of individual rights Readiness of people for self-Readiness of people for self-

governmentgovernment

Tyrant or Hero of the French Tyrant or Hero of the French Revolution?Revolution?