The French
Revolution
Old Regime Social System
The French government was an absolute
monarchy.
France was divided into three classes, called
the Estates
The First Estate
The Clergy (religious leaders).
1% of the population owned 10% of the land.
Wealthy, owned land, and had special
privileges.
Paid no taxes.
The Second Estate
The Nobility
Held the highest positions in the church, army,
and the government.
2-5% of the population and owned 20% of the
land.
Had great wealth.
Paid no taxes
Third Estate
Lawyers, craftsmen, merchants, and peasants
97% of the population
Owned 65% of the land
Paid all of the taxes to support the
government and the church
Had no voice in the government
Political Causes
French government had been an absolute monarchy for
several hundred years. The king shared power with no
one.
The French parliament had not met in over 175 years!
Majority of the people had few legal rights. There was no
freedom of speech or press, and very little freedom of
religion.
People who were accused were considered guilty until
they could prove their innocence.
Economic Causes
Gap between rich and poor widened.
-Common people struggled to feed their families.
By 1789, the French treasury was bankrupt due to
1. Foreign Wars
2. Previous national debt
3. Extravagant living at Versailles.
Famine of 1788-89.
-Bread was scarce and very expensive and the people
of France were starving.
Versailles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X235vpOTo
VU#t=108
Size= ¼ of a mile!
Cost is disputed by historians. Anywhere from
2 billion to 300 billion dollars.
King Louis XVI (16)
King of France during the revolution
A person of mediocre intelligence
Very indecisive and had trouble making big
decisions.
He and his wife Marie Antoinette lived a lavish
lifestyle while the economy was in ruins.
Marie Antoinette
Married King Louis XVI when she was 15
years old.
Daughter of the emperor of Austria
Enjoyed spending money and living lavishly.
Represented everything that was wrong with
the monarchy.
Nicknamed Madame Deficit
Meeting of the Estate General
Facing financial bankruptcy, King Louis XVI called a
meeting of the Estates General to propose new taxes.
All Estates agreed change was needed
-Political reform
-Address corruption
Each Estate had one vote
-3rd estate= 97% of population...1 vote
-2nd estate= 2% of population..1 vote
-1st estate= 1% of population.. 1 vote
Third Estate
The 3rd estate was always outvoted by the other two
They demanded that voting now be conducted by the
assembly as a whole, where each member would have
one vote.
The king rejected this proposal and the third estate
walked out of the assembly in protest and formed the
National Assembly
The Tennis Court Oath
On June 20, 1789 the delegates of the Third Estate were
locked out of their meeting room by the King Louis XVI.
The Third Estate delegates (National Assembly) then
broke down a door to an indoor tennis court in the
Palace of Versailles and took an oath to continue to
meet there until they had drawn up a new constitution.
Storming of the Bastille
King Louis XVI began to fear an uprising of
the people given the events at the meeting
of the Estates General
When he gave into the demands of the
National Assembly he knew that he was
weakening and feared a revolution.
Bastille- July 14, 1789
The King no longer trusted his own troops (almost all of them were from the
Third Estate) so he called in the Swiss troops to keep the peace in Paris.
When the citizens saw the Swiss troops they panicked. They thought they
were under attack and rushed to the French prison known as the Bastille to
get gun powder for their weapons in order to defend Paris.
While storming the Bastille, both the mayor of Paris and the governor of the
Bastille were beheaded and killed.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
August 4, 1789 the National Assembly met for a late night meeting
They adopted a statement of revolutionary ideas.
Intended as part of a transition from absolute monarchical rule to form a
constitutional or representative government.
Like the American Declaration, the French Declaration also appealed to
Enlightenment principles like popular sovereignty, equal rights, and equal
opportunity.
Developed the slogan of their revolution- Life, Liberty and Fraternity
The March on Versailles
Neither the king nor the National Assembly had been able
to deal with the problems of poverty and hunger.
In October 1789, a Paris crowd led by thousands of
women marched in the rain to Versailles. The women
were angry about high food prices.
The March on Versailles
They also suspected that the king and queen, were
plotting against the National Assembly.
They stormed the palace, trapping the royal family.
They demanded that Louis XVI and his family return with
them to Paris, where they could be watched. To prevent
violence, the king agreed.
A limited Monarchy 1791-1792
The National Assembly created a limited Constitutional
Monarchy.
The Constitution of 1791: The new Constitution stripped
the king of his power to a new assembly.
The Legislative Assembly was created by the National
Assembly to create new laws.
This Legislative Assembly divided themselves into three
groups. The extremes within the Legislative Assembly
broke away.
Factions within Legislative Assembly
On the right side of the Legislative hall, sat the
super-conservatives. These were members of
the nobility/ clergy who wanted to see a return
to a more powerful monarchy.
Center of Legislative Hall
In the center of the Legislative hall sat the
moderates. They generally supported the
constitutional monarchy, but were not
necessarily allied with either side.
Left side of the Legislative hall
To the left of the center sat the liberal
Girondists who believed the revolution had not
gone far enough. They were working for a
republic and an end to the monarchy.
Far Left
To the very far left sat the Jacobins. They were
radical revolutionaries who embraced violence
to achieve their goals of a republic.
End of Special Privileges
After the constitution was created, Church
lands were seized, divided, and sold to
peasants
⅔ of Church officials fled the country rather
than swear allegiance to this.
All tithes were eradicated.
All special privileges of the First and Second
Estates were abolished.
War with Austria and Prussia
Although King Louis had signed the
Constitution, he entered into secret
negotiations with the King of Prussia and
Austria. Rulers of other neighbouring countries
were worried about the revolution in France
and feared their people would attack the king in
the same way.
The King Attempts to Escape France
As the revolution continued to escalate, King Louis XVI
began to fear for his life.
On June 20, 1791 the King and his family dressed as
peasants and attempted to flee France. They almost made
it to the border when a common citizen recognized the
king’s face.
Both the King and Queen were thrown in jail for treason.
Raise of the Jacobins
A radical political group who wanted to abolish the monarchy and
establish a republic.
Jacobins seized power from the disorganized Legislative
Assembly.
They executed King Louis XVI for treason
Named themselves the National Convention and established a
republic.
RECAP!
3rd Estate→National Assembly→Legislative Assembly→ National Convention
Leader of the Jacobins
Maximilien Robespierre
Popular Lawyer
Member of the National Assembly
Ruthless in his efforts to bring about an “ideal”
society.
Lead France from 1793-1794. “Reign of
Terror.
Reign of Terror
Robespierre’s rule in which thousands of
people were killed becomes known as the
Reign of Terror.
85% of those killed during the Terror were
middle or lower class
Many who were killed were former
revolutionaries and allies of Robespierre
Reign of Terror
Revolutionary committees conduct hasty trials and issue
thousands of death sentences to “traitors to the revolution.”
Ordinary people were fearful because anyone and everyone
can be denounced as a traitor to the Revolution and
Beheaded.
People start denouncing neighbors and others who they have
a grudge against.
End of the Terror
Another change in government. Moderate leaders from
“The Directory”.
In July of 1794, Robespierre is arrested and executed via
The Guillotine.
Terror results in public opinion shifting away from
radicals.
The Directory
Moderate leaders write new constitution.
Two house legislature and 5 man directory restore order.
Middle class and professional people are now the
dominant force in government.
Held power from 1795-1799
Napoleon Bonaparte
Young, respected military general who was successful in
many battles.
Strong leader
Believed that everyone was equal
The people believed that Napoleon could bring stability to
France after all the terror and chaos during the French
Revolution.
Believed in religious tolerance and equality.
Crowned himself Emperor of France.
Code Napoleon
The Code dealt with law of persons, property
and acquisition of property.
This code forever swept away privilege and
title of the wealthy French nobility and
legalized freedom of religion.
Achievements of Napoleon
Created a National Bank. This allowed the government
greater control of the economy and inflation.
Established a system of public education. Schools were
based on ability, not based on wealth or family
connections.
Tax Code- fairly distributed taxation and closed tax
loopholes.
Implemented a series of public works, including
construction of new roads and a sewer system.
Domination of Europe
As a military man, Napoleon had a thirst for battlefield
glory.
Soundly defeated Austrian forces which gave Napoleon
some Austrian territory and dissolving the Holy Roman
Empire.
Began the Peninsular War against Spain and Portugal in
1808 he captured the Spanish government.
Napoleon Defeated
Failed to defeat the British. Could not stop their navy.
Placed an embargo on British goods but British
Merchants engaged in smuggling and their products
were well received in most nations controlled by
Napoleon.
Despite advice against it, Napoleon invaded Russia in
June 1812.
.
Failure
Russia used “scorched earth” tactics. Burned any
supplies, food or livestock that might be used by the
French.
The French were forced to retreat out of Russia.
The loss was devastating and was the beginning of the
end for Napoleon.
Began with 450,000 men and left with 40,000 men.
After his defeat, Napoleon was exiled from Europe
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