The French Revolution 1789-1815

1. The French Revolution1789-1815

2. Background • The French Revolution was not so much anti-government as it was about social classes • Certain French classes had special privileges. • The French Revolution saw attempts at several types of governments and finally failed as a democracy.

3. The Estates • Since medieval times French society was divided into three classes or “estates”. • The First Estate—the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. • The Second Estate—the nobility and aristocrats • The Third Estate—everybody else.

4. The First Estate--Clergy • About 130,000 • Owned about ten-percent of the land. • Often from noble families. • Cardinals, bishops, or heads of monasteries. • Paid no taxes.

5. The Second Estate--Nobles • About 350,000 • Owned about 25 to 30 percent of the land. • Leaders of government, military, law, and church. • Controlled most of the wealth. • Paid no taxes.

6. Third Estate—Everybody else • Not a common group of people. • Many occupations • Different levels of wealth. • About 26 million • Owned 35-40 percent of the land

7. Duties of the Third Estate • From medieval times the Third Estate was bound to: • Pay to grind wheat and press grapes because only nobles could own mills and presses • Had a certain number of days it was their duty to work for the noble (usually during harvest times)

8. Bourgeoisie • Members of the Third Estate • 8 percent of population 20 percent of land • Middle class • Lawyers, doctors, public officials, journalists.

9. Nobles and Bourgeoisie • Did not want to abolish the nobility • New nobles being created • Shared Enlightenment ideas • Disliked rigid social structure • Finally opposed absolute monarchy

10. Financial Crisis • Bad harvests • Wars • American Revolution • Slow down in manufacturing • Unemployment • Crisis forces Louis XVI to call Estates-General to raise taxes

11. Voting • Traditionally each Estate had one vote. • First and Second Estate voted as a block • Kept their privileges • 1789 Third Estate and some nobles and clergy wanted a “head” vote (one person-one vote) • King said he liked the old way.

12. National Assembly • The Third Estate reacted by calling itself the “National Assembly” • They would draft a constitution • June 20th found the doors to their meeting place locked

13. Tennis Court Oath • The National Assembly moved to an indoor tennis court to meet. • They swore an oath they would not leave until they had a constitution. • Louis XVI threatened force.

14. Storming the Bastille • Parisians reacted to the threat of violence by attacking the Bastille (a fort and prison) and tearing it down. • Royal troops refused to fire on the rioters • The revolt began to spread all over France • Some of the nobility’s homes were looted and records destroyed.

15. Destruction of the “Old Regime” • The National Assembly votes to abolish legal privileges of the nobles and clergy. • Aug. 26, 1789 the National Assembly adopts the Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen

16. Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen • Inspired by English Bill of Rights and American Declaration of Independence. • Basic liberties were • “the natural and imprescriptible rights of man to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.” • All men free and equal before the law • Appointment to public office based on talent • No group exempt from taxation.

17. continued • All groups had right to make laws • Freedom of speech and press • DID THIS APPLY TO WOMEN? • Yes, as long as they did not get into politics • Olympe de Gouges, a woman writer disagreed and wrote Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen • She was ignored by the National Assembly

18. The King Concedes • Women of Paris march on Versailles • The king and queen forced to go to Paris. • They are virtual prisoners in Paris

19. Church Reform • National Assembly decreed: • Bishops and priests elected by people • Church land confiscated and sold (not all) • State would pay salaries • Alienated many Catholics towards the revolution

20. New Constitution of 1791 • Limited monarchy with king • Legislative Assembly to make laws • 25 years old who paid taxes could vote • Mostly wealthy would serve • 745 members • The new assembly frightened the king who tried unsuccessfully to escape

21. National Convention • Called by legislative assembly to form new constitution • Abolished the monarchy • Set up French Republic

22. National Convention Splits • Jacobins—a network of political clubs splits • Girondins represent those outside Paris • Mountain represents radicals in Paris • Mountains gain power and have Louis XVI executed

23. Committee of Public Safety • Crisis from threat of Austria • Maximillian Robespierre takes control of the Committee of Public Safety • Starts the “Reign of Terror”

24. Reign of Terror • All of those deemed enemies of the revolution were killed • Revolutionary courts sentenced 40,000 to death

25. The Republic of Virtue • Government pushed de-christianization • Churches closed • The word “saint” removed from street signs • A new calendar introduced • Weeks were 10 days long—this helped people forget what day Sunday was.

26. End of the Terror • Robespierre was killing so many that government officials were afraid • They voted to execute Robespierre

27. The Directory • Restricted the Committee of Public Safety • Allowed churches to reopen • Created a new constitution • Directory lasted from 1795-1799 • Was corrupt • 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte stages a coup d’etat and takes power.

28. PERSIA • POLITICAL • ECONOMIC • RELIGIOUS • SOCIAL • List the changes in France from the beginning of the revolution to Napoleon’s takeover for these PERSIA concepts. • TPS-notes-discuss-list