The French Revolution1789-1799
What were the causes of the French Revolution?
What were the causes?1. Three estates
– Unfair tax system – Social inequality
1st 2nd
Estate Estate
3rd Estate
1% of Pop.Owned 5-10% of LandReceived 10% TithePaid no taxes
2% of PopOwned 25% of landHeld all govt. and military positionsPaid no taxesReceived Feudal Dues
97% of PopulationPaid all of the taxesNo Voice in GovernmentInspired by Enlightenment Ideas
BourgeoisieArtisansPeasants
The Three Estates
What were the causes?
2. Enlightenment Ideas/American Rev.– Belief all men should have
natural rights– Right to overthrow an unjust
gov’t– Equality for all– American Revolution
• Dec. of Independence • Constitution
What were the causes?
3. King Louis XVI’s Weak Leadership – 19 years old– Indecisive
What were the Causes ?
4. Economic ProblemsWars: 7 Years War/French & Indian,
American RevolutionLouis XVI lifestyle
Economic DepressionCrop failuresUnemployment
Which of the following is not a cause of the French Revolution
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1. Unfair class system
2. Unfair taxes
3. Ignoring the Magna Carta
4. Expenses from the American Revolution
5. Excessive spending by the King
France’s Situation
• France’s Government is in extreme debt. Half of France’s debt is contributed to war, especially money owed for helping the US gain independence. The Government is near bankruptcy and the banks are refusing to lend money to the troubled country.
• Recent crop failures have caused a shortage in food, making famine a real possibility. Yet the newspapers publish stories about King Louis’ lash parties and his wife’s extreme spending habits. Assuming the role you were assigned on Friday, what would you do to solve the problems in France?
King Called the Estates General to “convince” the 1st and 2nd
Estate to pay taxes
What is the Estates General?
– Legislative body, similar to parliament– Had not met since 1614 ( 179 years!)– Made up of members from all 3 Estates– Each Estate has one Vote
Estates General Voting
1 Vote First Estate
Clergy
1 Vote Second Estate Nobles
1 Vote Third Estate
Commoners
Situation
• . The Estates General has members from each Estate but each only has one vote regardless of the population. The Nobles and the clergy plan to force the third estate to pay even more taxes so they don’t have to. 2 votes against 1
• Is there another alternative?
Is There Another Alternative?
1 Vote per Representative
300 Members 1st Estate
300 Members 2nd Estate
648 Members 3rd Estate
Third Estate outvoted - what should they do?
• Established the National Assembly – a new legislative body– One vote per representative
– Members of the 3rd Estate, later joined by other estates
• Pledged the Tennis
Court Oath
• Marks the beginning
of the Moderate Phase
of the Revolution
What is the Tennis Court Oath?
• National Assembly’s pledge to write a new constitution making France a ____________________
What are the stages of the French Revolution?
• Moderate – people want change to constitutional monarchy
• Radical – people want an end to any form of monarchy; want a republic
• Reactionary – people want to return to Absolute Monarchy
What was the Spark?
• King Mobilized Troops • 3rd Estate feared King would dissolve the
National Assembly• The Spark:
The Bastille
is stormed
What is the Storming of The Bastille?
• Bastille – a prison where weapons and prisoners were held
• A mob charged the prison to steal weapons and free 7 prisoners
• 97 rioters killed• Symbol of French Independence
– July 14, 1789
What is the Great Fear?
• Rumors spread of nobles killing peasants and stealing property
• In Fear, the peasants armed themselves
• Peasants broke into Manors, robbed and destroyed
property
What Early Reforms did the National Assembly Make?
Dismantled feudal systemNo more Feudal dues
Nobles give up exemption from taxation
Abolished estatesCreated a new social contract for
France
What was the first social contract of France?
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (Aug., 1789)– Focus on Individual Rights
and equality – Influenced by the Declaration
of Independence
US Constitution and
English Bill of Rights
• King Louise did not accept
What was the March on Versailles?
• Protest by French Women• Food prices in France were soaring• Wanted King to move to Paris and accept the
National Assembly and Declaration of Rights
What was the Constitution of 1791?
Constitution of 1791•Constitutional Monarchy•Guaranteed basic rights•Property owning males could vote
What actions can citizens take against their government?
• Protest – a public demonstration of disapproval (ex. )
• Political action - Actions organized by citizens to bring about changes in law, or govt. conduct/policy
(Ex. )• Revolution - A radical change in political
organization, especially the overthrow of a government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed ( )
Which of the following was not a citizen action against the govt. during the French Revolution?
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25% 25%25%25%1. Formation of the National Assembly
2. March on Versailles
3. Great Fear4. Storming of the
Bastille
Which of the following events is the symbolic beginning of the French
Revolution?
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1. Creation of the National Assembly
2. Tennis Court Oath3. Storming of the
Bastille4. March on
Versailles
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Which of the following events is the best example of a protest against the government’s
actions?
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1. National Assembly
2. March on Versailles
3. Storming of the Bastille
4. Constitution of 1791?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
In which of the following events did citizens vow to write a new constitution?
0% 0%0%0%
1. Constitution of 1791
2. Formation of the National Assembly
3. Declaration of the Rights of Man
4. Tennis Court Oath
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Did everyone like the new Constitution?
• Political Parties formed in the newly elected Legislative Assembly
• The assembly was seated by their political views• Political division led to unrest and violence
Left Center RightRadical Moderate Reactionary
•Support Republic •want major change •Known as Jacobins
•Support Constitutional Monarchy•Want some change
•Support Absolute Monarchy•Want to return to the old way
What is the flight of the nobles?
• Louis and Marie try to flee France, but are caught and returned to Paris.
• Émigrés (nobles, clergy an others) flee France and tell horror stories of the events there
• In fear that revolution will spread, European Monarchs condemn the revolution and begin to mass armies against a possible French threat.
Why did France become a Republic?
• Strong Distrust of the King and Queen
• Austria, Prussia and Sardinia declare war on France – fearful that Revolutions will spread to their own country
• Radicals voted for the King’s imprisonment
What was the French Republic?
• A government without a King
• Constitution limits the power of the leaders elected by the people.
• Every man could vote
What happened to King Louis XV1?
• He was tried and executed
What was the Reign of Terror?
• Beginning of the Radical Period of the Revolution
• Left Wing Radicals called Jacobins took control of the new Republic’s National Convention (legislature)
• Leader – Maximilien
Robespierre
What was the Committee for Public Safety?
• Neighborhood watch committees that hunted down suspected traitors and turned them in
• 40,000 people executed
What Happened to Marie Antoinette?
• She is executed during the Reign of Terror
How does the Reign of Terror End?
• Robespierre is executed
• The Directory takes over– Committee of five conservative men– Still has many problems
• Napoleon Bonaparte stages coup d'état – quick seizure of power
imposes new constitution - declares himself first emperor
What do you think is the Reaction Of the French?
• Marks the beginning of the Reactionary Period
I am EmperorOoh la laFinally, we can
have peace andstability again
Roman Empire
French Empire
Napoleon Bonaparte
What are the top 5 facts to know about Napoleon Bonaparte?
• Became Dictator of France – people were tired of the Revolution & respected his leadership
• Conquered most of Europe– 3 major losses contributed to his downfall
• Battle of Trafalgar against English Navy• Invasion of Russia • Battle of Waterloo against Prussia, Britain, Netherlands
• Created the Napoleonic Code – – New law code– Enlightenment ideas – equality, religious freedom
• Continental System – protected France’s industries at the expense of Great Britain (similar to Navigation Acts it was considered “protectionism”
• Exiled to Elba after defeat by foreign armies , but escaped to rule for 100 more days until his defeat at Waterloo
The purpose of the Continental System was to
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25% 25%25%25%1. Create a united Europe under the Leadership of France
2. Consolidate Europe under Napoleon’s leadership
3. Unify France4. Defeat England
through an Economic war
A major problem for Napoleon in his conquest of Europe was
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Both
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1. The British Navy
2. The Russian Winter
3. The American colonists
4. All of the above
5. Both 1 and 2