Age of RevolutionAge of Revolution

The French Revolution

EARLY HISTORY OF FRANCE

• CHARLEMAGNE- 800 A.D.- First to UNIFY France after Roman Control: divided up after his death-brought back education

• Followed by the MIDDLE AGES and FEUDALISM-strong nobles/weak king

• HUNDRED Years War- JOAN of ARC became a national heroin helped to unify FRANCE into a nation (development of Nationalism)

EARLY HISTORY OF FRANCE• Bourbon Dynasty (Kings regained

power)– Louis XIV

• Considered the perfect example of an ABSOLUTE monarch by DIVINE right

• Built Palace of VERSAILLES at the expense of the French people

• Never called the Estates• “L’etat c’est moi” mean I

AM THE STATE• France reached the height of

their power during his REIGN

CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

•

ABUSES OF THE OLD REGIMEREGIME• King had ABSOLUTE

POWER and ruled by DIVINE right

• King CENSORED speech and press

• King selected GOVERNMENT officials on the basis of NOBLE birth

• Lettres de Cachet- King IMPRISONED his enemies without a CHARGE, BAIL, or trial.

POLITICAL

ABUSES OF THE OLD REGIMEREGIME

• Rigid CLASS System-population divided into 3 estates

– First-CLERGY

– Second-NOBILITY

– Third-EVERYONE ELSE

SOCIAL

ABUSES OF THE OLD REGIMEREGIME

• THIRD Estate paid all of the taxes

• BOURGEOISIE (middle class) was hampered with many government restrictions on trade

ECONOMIC

The French The French Monarchy:Monarchy:1775 - 17931775 - 1793

FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT

• Montesquieu

• Voltaire

• Rousseau

• SEPARATION OF POWERS

• FREE SPEECH & RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

• DIRECT DEMOCRACY

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH AND AMERICAN REVOLUTIONSREVOLUTIONS

• How did the American Revolution cause the French Revolution??

FRENCH BOUGEOISIE• Sought a role in

shaping the GOVERNMENT; wanted a policy of laissez-faire

• WHAT DOES LAISSEZ-FAIRE MEAN???

LOUIS XVI’S $$ DIFFICULTIES• Inherited a severe debt from

his PREDECESSORS

– Continues to spend heavily while refusing to TAX the FIRST and SECOND Estates.

• Call the French LEGISLATURE and the Estates-General into session in 1789

– Signified the King could not handle the problem alone

UNDEMOCRATIC FEATURES OF UNDEMOCRATIC FEATURES OF THE ESTATES-GENERALTHE ESTATES-GENERAL

• Each Estate had ONE vote.

• The two privileged estates could out vote the unprivileged estate.

• WHAT does this mean?

VOTING

UNDEMOCRATIC FEATURES OF UNDEMOCRATIC FEATURES OF THE ESTATES-GENERALTHE ESTATES-GENERAL

• First Estate-------->

• Second Estate----->

• Third Estate------->

300 REPRESENTATIVES

300 REPRESENTATIVES

600 REPRESENTATIVES

REPRESENTATION

ESTATES-GENERAL BECOMES ESTATES-GENERAL BECOMES THE THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLYNATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• THIRD Estate demanded that each member, not each ESTATE have one vote in a new national assesmbly– King rejects the proposal

WHY???????

ESTATES-GENERAL BECOMES ESTATES-GENERAL BECOMES THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLYTHE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Third Estate REBELLED

– Declared themselves to the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

– Issued the TENNIS COURT OATH

• Pledge to write a CONSTITUTION for France

ESTATES-GENERAL BECOMES ESTATES-GENERAL BECOMES THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLYTHE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• MOB RIOTS helped to change the King’s mind and he CONSENTED to the National Assembly

BASTILLE IS DESTROYED

• Rumors were spreading through PARIS that the King had ordered troops to break up the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Mobs stormed the hated prison– Showed SUPPORT for the

National Assembly

– Warn the King not to RESIST REFORM

July 14, 1789

Bastille (copy)

• French prison – stormed by French citizens

• This event began the French Revolution (July 14th, 1789 – Bastille Day!)

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

1789-1791

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Abolished SPECIAL PRIVILEGES and unfair TAXES

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Adopted the Declaration of the RIGHTS of MAN– Men are born FREE

and EQUAL– All CITIZENS are

entitled to a VOICE in the law making process

– All persons are GUARANTEED equality before the law

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• FINANCIAL Aid to the Government

– Seized CHURCH lands

• 1/5 of total land

• Sold it cheaply to the PEASANTS

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Catholic CHURCH was put under STATE control– Formerly controlled by

the POPE

– Clergy were ELECTED by the PEOPLE

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Reformed local GOVERNMENT– Laws became

effective NATIONWIDE

– Stimulated loyalty and NATIONALISM

WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Wrote the CONSTITUTION of 1791– Limited MONARCHY

• Had some EXECUTIVE powers

– Legislative ASSEMBLY• Consisted of

PROPERTY OWNERS being elected by TAXPAYERS to make the laws

Declaration of the Rights of Man

•Similar to the American Declaration of Independence

•Stopped the privileges of the 1st and 2nd estates

POLITCAL SPECTRUM IN FRANCEPOLITCAL SPECTRUM IN FRANCE

• Girondists-middle class control favored

• JACOBINS-wanted the poor to control the government

Those who favored a REPUBLIC

POLITCAL SPECTRUM IN FRANCEPOLITCAL SPECTRUM IN FRANCE

• Louis XVI-attempted to FLEE the country but was captured

• DEVOUT Catholics

• French NOBLES

• Foreign MONARCHS– Kings of PRUSSIA and AUSTRIA

• Planned on INVADING France to put down the Revolution

Those who favored the OLD REGIME

END OF THE LIMITED MONARCH• Mobs RIOTED upon the news that Foreign

armies were on their way

• Believe Louis XVI was in on the INVASION

• French legislature DETHRONED the King and called for the ELECTION of a NATIONAL CONVENTION– Would GOVERN France and write a new, more

DEMOCRATIC constitution

NATIONAL CONVENTION NATIONAL CONVENTION PROMOTES THE REVOLUTIONPROMOTES THE REVOLUTION

1792-1795

NATIONAL CONVENTION NATIONAL CONVENTION PROMOTES THE REVOLUTIONPROMOTES THE REVOLUTION

• Established the First French REPUBLIC– Tried Louis XVI on

charges of TREASON• Sentenced to death by

guillotine

NATIONAL CONVENTION NATIONAL CONVENTION PROMOTES THE REVOLUTIONPROMOTES THE REVOLUTION

Jacobins dominate the National Convention-PROTECT the revolution from its foreign and DOMESTIC enemies

– Formed the COMMITTEE of PUBLIC SAFETY• CENTRALIZED all the government into one small,

dictatorial group

• Called for compulsory conscription (DRAFT)– Helped to remove FOREIGN INVADERS

• Instituted the REIGN of TERROR– Get rid of DOMESTIC enemies

– French people turned against the JACOBINS

REIGN OF TERRORREIGN OF TERROR

Reign of Terror (copy)

•Began with the execution of Louis XVI

•Tens of thousands of nobles killed

NATIONAL CONVENTION NATIONAL CONVENTION PROMOTES THE REVOLUTIONPROMOTES THE REVOLUTION

• Abolished imprisonment for DEBT• Abolished SLAVERY in French Colonies• Adopted a national EDUCATION system• Prohibited PRIMOGENITURE

– Property no longer WILLED to ELDEST son

• Drew up a new CONSTITUTION for the republic– Headed by a FIVE man DIRECTORY (1795-1799)

• Very corrupt• Be in power until the rise of NAPOLEAN

MODERATES take control of the National Convention

Directory (copy)

•Was weak and inefficient