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Causes of the French Revolution. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, -- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities. The French Monarchy: 1775 - 1793. Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette.
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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, -- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities
The French Monarchy:1775 - 1793 Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI
Marie Antoinette • “Madame Deficit”- spent $ on gowns, jewels, gambling, and gifts. • Member of Royal Austrian Family • Out of touch with society
Economy • France’s Economy Decreasing due to: • Crop failures • King & Queen’s spending • Heavy taxes make business hard to conduct • War debt • ?How were the poor peasants fairing?
Something had to be done! • The banks refused to loan more money to the King. • Louis XVI didn’t want to cut spending • Decided to impose taxes on the nobility • He needed approval of this by the Estates-General- an assembly of representatives from all 3 estates.
The Number of Representativesin the Estates General: Clergy 1st Estate 300 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 300 648 Commoners 3rd Estate
The Suggested Voting Pattern:Voting by Estates Clergy 1st Estate 1 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 1 1 Commoners 3rd Estate Louis XVI insisted that the voting pattern remain the same
3rd Estate • 97% of people belonged to this estate • Bourgeoisie- Middle Class • Workers • Peasants
Convening the Estates General May, 1789 Last time it was called into session was 1614! Called to order by Louis XVI to impose taxes on the nobility.
??? • What do you think happened at the Meeting of the Estates General?
The French Revolution "Bourgeois" Phase: 1789-1792 By: Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley H. S. Chappaqua, NY
Convening the Estates General May, 1789 Last time it was called into session was 1614! Called to order by Louis XVI to impose taxes on the nobility.
At the Meeting • Different hopes • King wanted tax increase • Nobles and clergy wanted to continue lifestyle • Middle class wants democracy • Peasants want solutions and social equality
“The Third Estate Awakens” • The commoners stated that their vote needed to count! They were now “representatives of the nation!” • They proclaimed themselves the “National Assembly” of France.
National Assembly • Proclaimed the end of absolute monarchy. • Began representative government
“The Tennis Court Oath” June 20, 1789- National Assembly locked out of meeting room. Broke down door to a inside tennis court and vowed not to leave until a new constitution was written.
Storming the Bastille, July 14, 1789 • A rumor that Louis XVI was planning to send the military to dismantle the National Assembly. • Mob attacked the prison to find guns and gunpowder in order to defend city. • 18 died. • 73 wounded. • 7 guards killed. • It held 7 prisoners [5 ordinary criminals & 2 madmen].
March of the Women,October 5-6, 1789 *A spontaneous demonstration of women wanting cheaper bread. *Broke into Versailles, killed some guards. *Women demanded the return of the king and his family.
The Great Fear: Peasant RevoltIn the Country • Fear that nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize the peasants. (Rumor) • Peasants gathered weapons and broke into nobles’ homes- destroying feudal papers.
Start of the French Revolution & The Storming of the Bastille video clip. http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=D17745B5-5E07-4DDB-8215-9320431C045E&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen August 26, 1789 • Liberty! • Property! • Resistance to oppression!
Olympe de Gouges (1745-1793) • Women played a vital role in the Revolution. • But, The Declaration of the Rights of Man did NOT extend the rights and protections of citizenship to women. Declaration of the Rights of Womanand of the Citizen (1791)
Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to Take Impossible demands made of government which, if granted, would mean its end. Unsuccessful government attempts to suppress revolutionaries. Revolutionaries gain power and seem united. Once in power, revolutionaries begin to quarrel among themselves, and unity begins to dissolve. The moderates gain the leadership but fail to satisfy those who insist on further changes.
Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to Take Power is gained by progressively more radical groups until finally a lunatic fringe gains almost complete control. A strong man emerges and assumes great power. The extremists try to create a “heaven-on-earth” by introducing their whole program and by punishing all of their opponents. A period of terror [extreme violence] occurs. Moderate groups regain power. THE REVOLUTION IS OVER!
Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes 1stWhat is the Third Estate?Everything! 2nd What has it been heretofore in the political order? Nothing! 3rd What does it demand? To become something therein! AbbéSieyès1748-1836
Night Session of August 4, 1789 • Before the night was over: • The feudal regime in France had been abolished. • All Frenchmen were, at least in principle, subject to the same laws and the same taxes and eligible for the same offices. Equality & Meritocracy!
National Constituent Assembly1789 - 1791 Liberté! Egalité! Fraternité! August DecreesAugust 4-11, 1789 (A renunciation of aristocratic privileges!)
BUT . . . . . • Feudal dues were not renounced outright [this had been too strong a threat to the principle of private property!] • Peasants would compensate their landlords through a series of direct payments for obligations from which they had supposedly been freed. • Therefore, the National Assembly made revolutionary gestures, but remained essentially moderate. Their Goal Safeguard the right of private property!!
The Tricolor (1789) The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED & BLUE of Paris. Citizen!
Revolutionary Symbols Cockade Liberté La Republic Revolutionary Clock
The “October Days” (1789) The king was thought to be surrounded by evil advisors at Versailles so he was forced to move to Paris and reside at the Tuileries Palace.
Sir Edmund Burke (1790):Reflections on the Revolution in France The conservative response to the French Revolution
How to Finance the New Govt.?1.Confiscate Church Lands (1790) One of the most controversial decisions of the entire revolutionary period.
2. Print Assignats • Issued by the National Constituent Assembly. • Interest-bearing notes which had the church lands as security.
Depreciation of the Assignat • Whoever acquired them were entitled to certain privileges in the purchase of church land. • The state would retire the notes as the land was sold. • They began circulating as paper currency. • Government printed more INFLATION [they lost 99% of their value ultimately]. • Therefore, future governments paid off their creditors with cheap money.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy July 12,1790 Juryingvs.Non-Jurying[refractory]Clergy
New Relations Between Church & State • Government paid the salaries of the French clergy and maintained the churches. • The church was reorganized: • Parish priests elected by the district assemblies. • Bishops named by the department assemblies. • The pope had NO voice in the appointment of the French clergy. • It transformed France’sRoman Catholic Churchinto a branch of the state!! Pope Pius VI[1775-1799]
Louis XVI “Accepts” the Constitution & the National Assembly. 1791