REVOLUTIONARY WORLD II
UNIT VIII
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
In the Spring of 1789, conditions in France were ripe for revolution as the long-lasting conflict between the French king,
Louis XVI, and the rising bourgeoisie (French middle-class) exploded into a new political crisis that forever changed
France and Europe as both experienced one of the worst revolutions of modern time: the French Revolution.
FRENCH SOCIETY
The French society in the late 18th century was divided up into three social-status groups known as estates. These estates
were not equality divided and would be one of the sources of conflict in France.
1st estate – the clergy (church officials) that made up less than 1% of the populations who share close ties and
privileges with Frances aristocrats (nobility)
- through the church, the clergy owned 20% of the land while paying 0% of French taxes
nd
2 estate – the nobility that made up roughly 4% of the French population
- the wealthy and influential part of French society, they owned 25% of the land and paid 0% of the taxes
3rd estate – the peasants and bourgeoisie who made up 95% of the French population
- this group owned 55% of the land while paying 100% of the taxes but had very little say in government
Louis XVI (1774 – 1791) – king of France who married the Austrian princess, Marie Antoinette (14), at the age of 15
before taking the throne at age 20
- he attempts to be an absolute monarch spending millions of dollars of taxpayer money on lavish parties and
feasts while the people of France starve
RIPE FOR REVOLUTION: PROBLEMS IN FRANCE
Problems facing France in the late 1700’s
1.) France accumulated a substantial debt from the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolution leaving
France nearly bankrupt (half of the government’s revenue went to pay debt)
2.) heavy taxation of the 3rd estate had left it nearly bankrupt
3.) poor weather and harvest in 1787 and 1789 led to a severe famine as the price of food increased while the
peasants and bourgeoisie barely have enough money left after heavy taxation
4.) the Enlightened bourgeoisie seeks to gain more power, say and equality in government
5.) the aristocrats seek to share power with the king and hope to end the absolute monarchy
CALLS FOR REFORM
In an attempt to fix the financial problems of France and knowing the 3rd estate was nearly taxed to death, Louis XVI
suggested taxing the other estates, which force him to call an assembly of the three estates known as the Estates General.
Estates General (May 5th, 1789) – the Estates General (which hadn’t been called into session for 175 year) is called to
discuss and find a solution to the financial problem facing France as the 3rd estate demands reform
- the 3rd estates equaled the 1st and 2nd estates combined in number of delegates present (600), but lacked an
advantage as voting was set up by estate (each estate = one vote) allowing the other estates to out-vote it
National Assembly (June 17th, 1789) – after the 3rd Estates demand that each person get a vote is denied, the 3rd Estate
meets and votes to declare itself the National Assembly that was an assembly of "the People" not of the Estates
- the other estates soon join them establishing a new legislative body
Tennis Court Oath (June 20th, 1789) – locked out of their meeting room, the National Assembly move to a nearby
tennis court and swear an oath that they would continue to meet until a new constitution was drafted
Revolutionary World II 1
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION BEGINS
With strong support of the National Assembly among the public, the king appeared to be ready to disband it by military
force by placing extra troops in Paris. Louis XVI also fired his financial minister, Jacques Necker, who was a supporter
of the people leaving many to fear that king was unwilling to reform and planned to use force to achieve his will.
Storming of the Bastille (July 14th, 1789) – fearing this showing of military force, a militia (military force of civilians)
began to arm themselves and storm the local armory/prison known as the Bastille in search of gunpowder
- this act became the start of the French Revolution marking the moment the people began to take action
- after a few hours the mob takes the prison, kills nearly all inside and began to demolish it
The next day the militia, now called the National Guard, offered their command to the Marquis de Lafayette (American
Revolution hero) who gives them a new insignia/flag: the tricolore
- after visiting the city, the king recognized the National Guard and the legislative assembly in Paris as the
legitimate government of the city  Paris was lost to the king
Events like the Storming of the Bastille sparked rebellions in both cities and countryside across France as many peasants
began refusing to pay feudal dues and were determined to gain control of land and food they felt were rightly theirs.
- these revolts led to the “Great Fear” as unsupported rumors spread that royal troops or foreign armies were
being sent into the rural areas of France to force peasants back into servitude.
- many peaseants break into noble homes and destroy records of servitude
By August 4, the National Assembly issued a series of laws abolishing all feudal laws in France establishing that all
French citizens were to be treated equally as they take on the slogan of “liberty, equality, and fraternity” as their goal.
liberty – freedom to all men in all things (press, religion, speech)
equality – all men are to be treated equally under the law (no arbitrary (random) arrests)
fraternity – all men in mutual partnership with one another expressing a since of brotherhood
LIBERTY, EQUALITY AND FRATERNITY
Inspired by events of the American Revolution where the colonist had issued a proclamation of rights and values they
held dear, the National Assembly proclaimed its ideals and values as well and attempted to put them into practice.
Declaration of the Rights of Man (Aug 26th, 1789) – the National Assembly creates a document restating
Enlightenment ideas stressing individual rights of liberty, property and security
- all men are created equal
- power comes from the will of the people
Parisian Women’s March on Versailles (Oct 5th, 1789) – hungry peasant women marched on Versailles to demand that
their concerns over bread shortages and poverty be addressed by the king and queen
- the mob forces the royal family move back to Paris to bring the king closer to the people and their problems
and away from the isolated protection of Versailles and aristocratic influence
- the National Assembly was now able to keep a close watch on the king as the royal family were “prisoners”
within Paris leaving the revolution safe for now
By 1791, the National Assembly completed a constitution for France transforming it into a constitutional monarchy
leaving the king as the head executive, but stripped him of all legislative powers. Legislative power was held by the new
Legislative Assembly elected by property owners (half of the adult males) embracing Enlightened principles.
- the Legislative Assembly (former National Assembly) also abolished the 1st Estate taking confiscating church
lands making the clergy loyal civilians of the state, not the church
In August, the King and the royal family attempted to flee to Austria to avoid accepting the new constitution but are
discovered and taken back to Paris as the new constitutional monarchy is in danger if king won’t agree.
Declaration of Pillnitz (1792) – fearing revolutions like those in France, both Prussia and Austria declare they would go
to war with France to protect the royal family and the monarchy if the other European powers agreed
- this sparked mass protest in France leading to the militarization of the government in preparation for war
As the first stage of the French Revolution was ending, the next stage became more radical and violent as new political
leadership took control of the revolution calling for a suspension of the monarchy and more republican type of
government at any and all costs.
Revolutionary World II 2