SUMMER 1789France Erupts

Before the Estates General

Each Estate met separately One vote per Estate

Thus 3rd could always be outvoted Disliked by bourgeoisie and some liberal nobles Argued for voting by head – double vote for 3rd Estate

Issue dominated Paris Parlement 1788 Essentially upper class body Supported traditional voting method

3rd Estate outraged

Voting By Estate

Each Estate had one vote 1st Estate = 300 clergy and 1 vote

Represented approx 115,000 people*

2nd Estate = 300 nobles and 1 vote Represented approx 350,000 people*

3rd Estate = 600 commoners and 1 vote Represented approx 24,500,000*

* Source: Rees, Dylan France In Revolution

Voting By Head

3rd Estate had 600 representatives

1st and 2nd had 300 each Thus the 600 from 3rd Estate + a few clergy (or nobles)

could out-vote everyone else

Estates General: Build-Up 1

3rd Estate: now against Paris Parlement Pamphlets attacking Paris parlement Debate no longer focused on King and ministers:

Now broader question of traditional society and leadership

What is the Third Estate? Pamphlet by Abbé de Sieyès, January 1789 Answer to question posed: everything

Worked and paid taxes for France Yet counted for nothing A CONSTITUTION was necessary

It is not royal despotism that

needs to be destroyed: it is the

first two estates

What did Louis XVI do?

Necker encouraged him support demands of 3rd Estate Revive popularity of monarchy Show king understood his people, wanted

exercise his powers in their interests King agreed double 3rd Estates’

representatives No change to voting procedure – so

meaningless gesture

Not all gloomy though...

The Estates General will give their advice on everything we shall ask them to discuss, and also tell us of their grievances ... Every kind of abuse will be

reformed

The Women’s Petition

One of the Cahiers de Doléances

We ask to be able to give our

children a reasonable education so

as to make them subjects worthy of

serving you. We will transmit to

them the love we have for your

majesty. We defy French men to

love you better than we. When we,

sire, see you at Versailles, with

pounding hearts, and are able to

gaze for an instant upon your

august person, tears flow from our

eyes. We see in you only a tender

father, for whom we would sacrifice

our lives a thousand times.Petition from the women of Paris, addressed directly to the king

Overview of Cahiers

1st & 2nd Estate All Estates 3rd Estate

•Surprisingly liberal

•Condemned Ancien Regime for despotism and inefficiency

•89% nobles accepted end of some privileges

•39% supported voting per head on matters of general interest

•Accepted importance of merit rather than birth for some posts

•Overall about 90 nobles in favour of change

•Overall about 200 clergy in favour of change

•No taxation without consent

•Against absolute royal power – wanted it limited by elected assembly

•Elected assembly to have right to vote taxes and pass laws

•Regular meetings of Estates General

•Freedom for the press

•Abolition of lettres de cachet

•Most major demands for reform from 3rd Estate

•Voting per head on all issues

•Abolition of feudal rights

•Abolish inequality in taxation

Estates General: Build Up 2

Bread riots in France 1789

Lay-offs in textile industries: production cut 50%

Réveillon riots – 1 week before Estates General

Réveillon – respected wallpaper manufacturer

Commented high wages = problem 1st great popular riot of revolution Lasted several days Troops fired – many killed Shouts of “Vive le roi” and “Vive Monsieur

Necker” from crowd

Cahiers led peasants to think king would help them

The Estates General

Convened 4th May 1789 1st + 2nd Estates = 561 deputies 3rd Estate = 578 deputies

400 lawyers; 100 + haute bourgeoisie; some intellectuals including clergy, nobles Abbé de Sieyès; Mirabeau

Expectations high when met But first 7 weeks spent arguing Key disputes:

meeting arrangements voting procedure

King aloof, distracted Eldest son had just died

King’s ministers discussed ideas for reform but did nothing

The National Assembly

After 7 weeks, patience of 3rd Estate ran out... 17th June 1789 Declared itself the National Assembly There can only be one single body of

representatives; and no deputy, from whatever order or class, has any right to work apart from the Assembly.

The National Assembly would: Assume control of its own affairs Decide taxation

19th June clergy voted to join them

The National Assembly now posed direct challenge to the King

Video Clips

As you watch these clips, identify all the factors that led to the 3rd Estate to finally rebel From Estates General National Assembly

From 03.58 end Next clip Tennis Court Oath

The Tennis Court Oath

Necker advised King: Hold royal session of all 3 Estates, offer reforms But events moved too fast

20th June: 3rd Estate’s meeting hall locked, guarded Preparations for royal session 3rd Estate alarmed by troops present

Was king going to use force against them?

Angry, 3rd Estate met in a tennis court Took oath never to abandon the National Assembly

until a constitution had been established Became known as The Tennis Court Oath

The Royal Session

23rd June 1789: attitudes hardening Louis XVI saw 3rd Estate’s action as personal attack on

his authority

Accepted some reforms: No taxation without consent Abolition of lettres de cachet Freedom of the press Abolition of gabelle, corvée, internal customs barriers

But also stood firm Any resolutions by 3rd Estate acting on its own = void Estates General continue meet separately Then ordered their dispersal 1st and 2nd Estate left 3rd remained; refused to leave hall

Louis XVI Backs Down

3rd Estate gained support 24th June: 151 clergy join 3rd Estate 25th June: 47 nobles join 3rd Estate

Including Duc d’Orléans – king’s cousin Popular demonstrations: Paris and beyond

Rumours spread Grain to be withheld; National Assembly to be destroyed; Paris to be

starved into submission

27th June 1789: King backed down 1st + 2nd Estate to join 3rd

Voting to be by head But was it too late...?

Tension Escalates 1

Since June troops in, around Paris More and more troops including foreign By 4th July: c.30,000 troops

Crowds ready to take to streets; militant; wanting justice Rumours: National Assembly to be dispersed

by force Increasingly distrusted king Whipped up by popular orators (Desmoulins) Palais Royale = hotbed of rebellion

11th July Necker dismissed

Tension Escalates 2

12th – 13th July poor of Paris raided stores Including gun sellers, sword smiths, food stores Attack on Parisian customs posts

40/54 destroyed Gardes-français (French troops): loyalty no longer guaranteed St Lazare monastery taken over

Wealthier citizens of Paris alarmed Emergency meeting at Hôtel de Ville

Established committee – The Commune – to run city Set up own National Guard (citizens’ militia)

To protect property from attacks by poor Protecting city from attack by the King Lafayette = first commander

Storming the Bastille

14th July 1789: 8,000 Hôtel des Invalides Weapon store – seized 28,000 muskets, 20 cannon

No gun powder, cartridges Rumour Bastille stored them

Crowds and some National Guard Bastille 2 members Commune met governor Crowds waited – frustration grew full scale assault

Governor captured, decapitated, head on a pole

Bastille storming = very significant Hated symbol of Ancien regime Royal troops had done nothing

Some joined crowds Royal troops withdrawn from Paris Parisians had saved the National Assembly

Now known as Constituent Assembly