Warm Up: In a small paragraphWhat were the causes of the French
Revolution?
3 Phases of the French Revolution
Pre-Revolutionary Events (mid 1789)
May 5, 1789 – Louis XVI calls a meeting of the Estates
General (to raise taxes)
June 17, 1789 – The 3rd Estate declares itself the
National Assembly
June 20, 1789 – Locked out of the meeting hall
by the King, the National
Assembly goes to an indoor
tennis court and swears the
“Tennis Court Oath”
(an agreement to never separate until France
has a new constitution)
July 14, 1789 – Storming of the Bastille (symbolic start of
the French Revolution)
Phase 1 –
National Assembly takes over – 1789 – 1792
Type of Government: Constitutional Monarchy
(King and Legislative
Assembly)
Leaders: 3rd Estate – Followers of Enlightenment
principles
August 27, 1789 – The Declaration of the Rights of Man
is adopted. A statement of natural
rights based on U.S. Declaration of
Independence.
A constitution is written
(although not completed
and accepted for some
time)
Fear of revolution spreading to other countries
brings a war with Austria
National emergencies –
food shortages, war
losses, invasion
Disagreements between political parties – radical
Paris Jacobins and moderate Girondins from the
countryside.
Jacobins
Girondins
King Louis XVI tries to flee to Austria with his
family, but they are recognized and captured.
Phase 2 –
Creation of the National Convention (1792 – 1794)
Type of Gov’t –
Republic (but it
became a dictatorship
under Robespierre
Leaders: Radical Jacobin political party, led
by Danton, Marat, and Robespierre
Radicals rally mobs in Paris , say the Revolution hasn’t
come far enough - run out the Girondins (moderates)
September MassacresMobs storm Paris prisons and
violently murder many who
were innocent of any
wrongdoing.
King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and many others
are executed, resulting in world-wide condemnation
of the revolution.
Robespierre suspends liberties – takes dictatorial
control and begins the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror: persecution of all opposition,
sending anyone who complains to the guillotine
NEW GOALS: To win the war, remodel society,
erase any symbols of the monarchy
Violent rule and thousands of deaths leads to
fear of Robespierre by everyone.
Despite this fear, many join together
to end Robespierre’s rule –
he
is beheaded.
Robespierre tried and failed to
take his own life before he could
be executed by the guillotine
Phase 3 –
Creation of the Directory (1795 – 1799)
Type of Gov’t:
Republic
Leaders: 5 moderate
bourgeoisie “directors”
War begins to go well for
the French, but life is still
not fully stabilized
Military force is used to maintain order and
some rights are restored
Government leadership is moderate, but
weak
Weakness, corruption, and a coup d’ etat by
Napoleon ends the Directory