Austin Metzgerperiod 4

AP Euro- Mr. QuinnPrompt: To what extent and in what ways was the French Revolution during the period 1789 through the Reign of Terror (1794) an attempt to create a government based on Enlightened ideals?

Social Structure of France

population- 25 million people

1st estate- clergy (100, 000)

2nd estate-nobility (400, 000)

3rd estate-Bourgeoisie(2.3 million) wager earners and peasantry(rest of pop.)

Causes of the Revolution

Intellectual: Enlightenment ideas-popular sovereignty (the rule is in the hand of the people)

Social: Social structure is organized based on feudal concepts.

Political: Bourgeoisie wants a say in government but the nobles want to keep the power.

Economic: Largest cause of the revolution because government is unable to pay a national debt.

Beginnings of the Revolution

The assembly of notables- Louis’s idea to introduce new taxes is refused by nobles

Estates General is summoned(1789)

Bourgeoisie and nobility want liberal changes

problem-3rd estate wants voting by individuals

Abbe Sieyes: What is the Third Estate?

Louis XVI closes the hall of the third estate

Third estate becomes furious and declares themselves the National Assembly

Beginnings of Revolution (Cont.)

Louis sides with nobility against the Assembly and summons an army

Initiates the formation of an “angry mob”

The angry mob goes to Invalides to gather weapons; there is no gunpowder

Bastille Day-July 14, 1789

The angry mob goes to Bastille for gunpowder

symbolic of an attack on the king’s authority

Louis forces 1st and 2nd estate to merge

THE REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Issued by The National Assembly-August 27, 1789

It was formed because the ignorance, neglect, and contempt of human rights were the sole causes of public misfortunes and the corruptions of Government

heavily influenced by the political philosophy of the enlightenment and enlightenment principles: individualism, the Social Contract, and the separation of powers

It was a declaration of the sacred rights of men and citizens

“Maintained that mankind’s natural rights are “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”

“Every Man is presumed innocent until proven guilty”

“Every citizen may therefore speak, write, and publish freely”

Declaration of The Rights of Man

Women Actions Women worked within the putting-out system; after Bastille Day, nobles left for Versailles and those women lost their jobs there and the international market declined

7, 000 women marched from Paris to Versailles in outrage

they invaded royal apartments, slaughtered royal body guards, and went on the search for the queen.

To calm the disorder, the royal family packed up and headed out to live in Paris

they surrounded the carriage on their travel back to Paris, women victoriously becoming a major element of the revolutionary crowd

As a result, new laws broadened women's’ rights to seek divorce and obtain financial support from fathers as well as the consolidation of the liberal revolution

Efforts of The National Assembly

Pushed forward the creation of a constitutional monarchy-king remained head of state, National assembly held all the lawmaking power

They did not let women vote because they believed women used their charm to manipulate weak rulers leading to the corruption of the political life in France

They replaced old provinces with eighty-three departments. This led to the formation of the metric system

promoted economic freedom: monopolies, guilds, and workers combinations were prohibited and trade barriers were abolished

New Government and Laws The French Revolution weakened the political influence

and leadership of the aristocracy

The National Assembly replaced the dynastic government as a natural, liberal, secular and rational government; the state now belonged to the people

The individual was now a citizen, with specific rights and duties

equality before the law

trials by jury

the freedom of speech and press

The state was becoming a Republic