Slide 1

1789-1799

Slide 2

CAUSES The origins of the revolution focus on the social tensions between the nobility and the bourgeoisie ( upper middle class). The main reason was the economic crisis that France faced due to the debt from the wars that they participated in, including the Seven Years War and the American Revolution. Also the unfair tax system was an immense cause. This system highly taxed the bourgeoisie and the peasants, while the aristocracy and clergy paid little or no taxes.

Slide 3

Causes (cont) Also, the ideas of the Enlightenment fueled the French people. They desired a new liberal government. The people of France displayed animosity towards Louis XVIs wife, Marie Antoinette. She was infamous as a spendthrift and also accused of being an Austrian spy.

Slide 4

Slide 5

Louis XVI Louis XVI lavished money on himself and residences of Versailles. Deficit spending a government spending more money than it takes in from tax revenues Privileged classes would not submit to being taxed. Marie Antoinette was a wasteful spender

Slide 6

Philosophy of the French Revolution: The Enlightenment (Age of Reason) Intellectuals philosophes began to ask if natural laws might also apply to human beings Particularly to human institutions such as governments Philosophes were secular in thinking they used reason and logic, rather than faith, religion, and superstition, to answer important questions. Philosophes included Jean-Jacques Rousseau ( social contract theory), Voltaire ( writer), and Immanuel Kant (sapere aude- dare to knowhave the courage to think for yourself). Questioned divine right of kings.

Slide 7

Voltaire Rousseau

Slide 8

Wars After the Seven Years War, between France and England, France experienced a massive economic decline. This war occurred during the reign of Louis XV. During Louis XVIs reign he led France into the American Revolution, in order to get revenge on the British. France ended up with an even larger debt than before. During the wars the Parlement of Paris financed everything through borrowed money.

Slide 9

Other leading causes Hunger and malnutrition of the most destitute segments of the population was a major crisis in France. This happened mainly because of the horrible grain harvests, which caused the price of bread to sky- rocket. This eventually led to a bread crisis, which Louis XVI had to deal with. Also the firing of finance minister Jacques Necker, who was seen as a representative for the lower class, created a hostile relationship between the King and the people of France.

Slide 10

Summoning of the Estates General Louis XVI called the Assembly of Notables (noblemen), who insisted that if Louis wanted to implement any drastic changes to the tax system, it required the approval of the Estates General. The Estates General is the representative body of all three estates. They had not met since 1614. On July 1788, Louis XVI bowed to public opinion and called for the Estates General.

Slide 11

Slide 12

Estates General The First Estate consists of clergy, who held most of the power, but were the least amount of people in France. The Second Estate consisted of the nobility and the same concept applied for them as it did for the First Estate. The Third Estate consisted of the rest of France and were the majority of the population, but had very little influence. First and Second Estates could operate as a bloc to stop the Third Estate from having its way.

Slide 13

Conflict between the King and the Estates General Each individual Estate developed a list of grievances against the King. There was a general agreement that royal absolutism should give way to a constitutional monarchy, in which laws and taxes would require the consent of the Estates General. Representatives from the Third Estate demanded that voting be by population. This would give the Third Estate a great advantage. Deadlock resulted. What is the third Estate? is published by Sieyes. This pamphlet argues that the nobility was a tiny over privileged minority and that the third estate was neglected. It stated that the third estate is the true strength of France. The third estate wanted the clergy and nobility to sit with them in a single body, only then will they meet with the King.

Slide 14

National Assembly After weeks of tension, the third estate voted to call itself the National Assembly. Louis XVI had ordered the closure of Salle des tats, the place where the National Assembly met. The National Assembly met at an indoor tennis court and declared that they would not separate until France had a constitution. This declaration was called the Tennis Court Oath. In response to this, Louis XVI called an army of 18,000 troops toward the capital. It appeared that the monarchy was prepared to use violence against any revolution.

Slide 15

Slide 16

Storming of the Bastille A poor grain harvest caused the price of bread to soar, unleashing a depression. Bread riots broke out throughout Paris. The government was doing nothing to halt the depressed state of the people. On July 14, 1789, people marched to the Bastille in order to search for weapons and gunpowder. The Bastille was a medieval fortress utilized as a prison. During the invasion of the Bastille, the guards panicked and open fired, killing 98 people.

Slide 17

Slide 18

Uprising in Paris People of Paris seized weapons from the Bastille July 14, 1789 Parisians organized their own government which they called the Commune Small groups factions competed to control the city of Paris Uprising spread throughout France Nobles were attacked Records of feudal dues and owed taxes were destroyed Many nobles fled the country became known as migrs Louis XVI was forced to fly the new tricolor flag of France

Slide 19

The Road towards a Constitution On August 4, 1789, the National Constituent Assembly abolished feudalism, in what is known as the August Decrees. On August 26, 1789, the Assembly published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which comprised a statement of principles rather than a constitution with legal effect. The National Constituent Assembly functioned not only as a legislature, but also as a body to draft a new constitution.

Slide 20

Freedom of religion Freedom of speech Freedom of the press Guaranteed property rights Liberty, equality, fraternity! Right of the people to create laws Right to a fair trial

Slide 21

Aftermath of uprising Parisian Commune feared that Louis XVI would have foreign troops invade France to put down the rebellion Louis XVIs wife, Marie Antoinette, was the sister of the Austrian emperor. A group of women attacked Versailles on October 5, 1789 Forced royal family to relocate to Paris along with National Assembly Royal family spent next several years in the Tuileries Palace as virtual prisoners

Slide 22

Slide 23

The Catholic Church During the revolution there was a massive shift in the power of the Church. Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire helped fuel the resentment towards the Church and the Crown. The Assembly had taken over the Church land and now controlled all aspects of the Church activities. This included paying the clergy and caring for the sick. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790, turned the remaining clergy into employees of the state. This established an election system for parish priests and bishops and set a pay rate for the clergy. 2/3 of Church officials fled the country rather than swear allegiance to this All special privileges of the First and Second Estates were abolished

Slide 24

New Government The 30 Provinces and their respective Intendants (tyrants) were substituted with 83 new departments, ruled by elected governors.

Slide 25

Constitution of 1791 Features of Democracy - France became a limited monarchy - King became merely the head of state - All laws were created by the National Assembly - Feudalism was abolished. Undemocratic features Voting was limited to taxpayers Offices were reserved for property owners

Slide 26

The Estate General Ratifies the new Constitution

Slide 27

Legislative Assembly (1791-1792) Royal family sought help from Austria In June, 1791, they were caught trying to escape to Austria Nobles who fled the revolution lived abroad as migrs They hoped that, with foreign help, the Old Regime could be restored in France Church officials wanted Church lands, rights, and privileges restored Some devout Catholic peasants also supported the Church Political parties, representing different interests, emerged Girondists Jacobins

Slide 28

Opposition to the New Government European monarchs feared that revolution would spread to their own countries France was invaded by Austrian and Prussian troops In the uproar, the Commune took control of Paris Commune was led by Danton, a member of the Jacobin political party Voters began electing representatives for a new convention which would write a republican constitution for France A republic is a government in which the people elect representatives who will create laws and rule on their behalf Meanwhile, thousands of nobles were executed under the suspicion that they were conspirators in the foreign invasion

Slide 29

Slide 30

Convention (1792-1795) On September 22, 1792, the Convention met for the first time Established the First French Republic Faced domestic opposition and strife Girondists were moderates who represented the rich middle class of the provinces Jacobins (led by Marat, Danton, and Robespierre) represented workers Faced opposition from abroad Austria, England, Holland, Prussia, Sardinia, and Spain formed a Coalition invading France

Slide 31

Slide 32

The Convention abolished the monarchy As long as the royal family lived, the monarchy could be restored Put the royal couple on trial for treason Convictions were a foregone conclusion In the Brunswick Manifesto, the Imperial and Prussian armies threatened retaliation on the French population if it were to resist their advance or the reinstatement of the monarchy. This made Louis appear to be conspiring with the enemies of France. Louis XVI was guillotined on January 21, 1793 Marie Antoinette was guillotined on October 16, 1793 Daughter Marie-Thrse was allowed to go to Vienna in 1795 She could not become queen because of Salic law, which did not allow females to succeed to the throne. Son Louis-Charles, a.k.a. Louis XVII (lived 1785-1795) was beaten and mistreated until he died in prison.

Slide 33

Slide 34

Convention drafted Frenchmen into the army to defeat the foreign Coalition These troops were led by General Carnot The people supported military operations because they did not want the country back under the Old Regime Rouget de Lisle wrote the Marseillaise Became the French national anthem Inspired troops as they were led into battle After two years Coalition was defeated France had gained, rather than lost, territory

Slide 35

Reign of Terror: September 5, 1793-July 27, 1794 Despite military successes, the Convention continued to face problems domestically Danton and his Jacobin political party came to dominate French politics Committee of Public Safety Headed by Danton (and later Robespierre) Those accused of treason were tried by the Committees Revolutionary Tribunal Approximately 15,000 people died on the guillotine Guillotine became known as the National Razor Including innovative thinkers like Olympe de Gouges and Madame Jeanne Roland

Slide 36

Reign of Terror ( cont) Members of the Girondist political party tried to end the Reign of Terror initiated by the Jacobin political party This opposition to the Committee of Public Safety caused many Girondists to be tried and executed for treason Eventually, even Georges Danton wanted to end the executions This resulted in Danton being tried and executed for treason Maximilien Robespierre became leader of the Committee of Public Safety He continued the executions Convention came to blame Robespierre for the Reign of Terror

Slide 37

Slide 38

Thermidorian Reaction July 27, 1794 ended the Reign of Terror Convention sent Robespierre and other members of the Committee of Public Safety to the guillotine Robespierre was guillotined on July 28, 1794. The new government was predominantly made up of Girondists who had survived the Terror, and after taking power, they took revenge as well by persecuting even those Jacobins who had helped to overthrow Robespierre, banning the Jacobin Club, and executing many of its former members in what was known as the White Terror.

Slide 39

The Constitutional Republic: The Directory (1795 1799) With the foreign invaders vanquished and the Reign of Terror at an end, the Convention was finally able to inaugurate its new constitution Constitution of the Year III of the Republic (1795) created the Directory

Slide 40

The Directory Suffered from corruption and poor administration. Despite, or perhaps because of, these struggles, the French developed a strong feeling of nationalism they were proud of their country and devoted to it National pride was fueled by military successes. It would be a military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, coming to power through a coup dtat who would end the ten-year period (1789-1799) known as the French Revolution.

Slide 41

Crippled the power of the aristocracy and drained the wealth of the Church. People of France acquired voting rights, new rights, and new political goals. Constitutional monarchy made. Nationalism grew Unified France and enhanced the power of the national state Led to the rise in power of Napoleon (Code Napolon, metric system, etc)