By:
Joseph Goley
Max Platin
Daniel Wren
Women March to Versailles
The Women’s March on Versailles was an act of angry protest from the people of the Third Estate. They were frustrated
with the lack of aid they were receiving from the king during the moderate phase. Famine, as well little money to spend
escalated the issue driving them to storm the kings caste. They wanted to bring him back to Paris so they would have more
“One of the conspirators aimed his piece at her, but, shocked at the enormity
of the crime he had planned, he did not dare to consummate it…
Several persons insisted that the King should come and live in Paris and the
mob repeated loudly "We want the King in Paris." La Fayette remarked that
the only way to calm the disorder was for the King to agree to the wish of the
people to see him residing in the Capital. The King accordingly promised to go
to Paris on the same day on condition of being accompanied by the Queen
and his family. He begged the people to spare the lives of his Bodyguard. La
Fayette added his entreaty to that of the King.”

This piece of writing from the October Days (1789) demonstrates the frustration and
anger the urban poor of France were experiencing during the moderate phase. They
were angered with the way the Royal family lived in Versailles while they were barely
surviving in Paris. As a result, they stormed the kings castle in Versailles with the
intention of assassinating him, but agreed to allow the King to return to his old castle in
Paris instead. Here, the urban poor could keep a close eye on him and he would have a
better perspective on the world outside of Versailles . This document helps convey the
emotions of the protesters and how they were willing to go to great lengths to get
what they wanted. They wanted drastic change and felt the king was doing nothing to
help and as a result finally acted.
The Women’s Petition
After the March to Versailles, the women brought back a petition demanding equality
between men and women. The petition was well enforced after the Women’s March to
Versailles proved that women indeed have the potential to defeat men.
"Vanguard of Women going to
Versailles"
Publicity about political
machinations, coupled with the
continued high price of bread,
mobilized market women and
encouraged many men to support
them. They hoped to fetch the King
and his family to end attempts
against the Revolution and stabilize
prices. This action was so
threatening to the middle class elite
that Lafayette, head of the Parisian
The picture above demonstrates the women's evolvement in the National Guard, tried first to
moderate phase. In the picture itself women in the group can be dissuade the marchers and then
seen with weapons and signs showing that they want fair
belatedly followed them to try to
treatment. This picture is important to the moderate phase
control the situation.
because it showed to the leaders of France that the women of
France would not sit back and take unfair treatment.
The French Captured King Louis XVI and demanded a constitution. The French eventually got their republic. To
get all enemies out of the way the king and his wife were both sentenced to death. Maximilien Robespierre, his Jacobin
allies and the Committee of Public Safety began fighting for France to return to being a monarchy. In the fight over 40,000
died. The people of France eventually did win and everyone who apposed the new republic was sentenced to death. This
event had huge impact on France in similar ways that 9/11 did on America, it brought the nation on its knees and eventually
brought it together to stand for its values.
All citizens, whoever they are( still, however, excluding women), have the
right to aspire to all levels of office-holding. Nothing is more in line with
your declaration of rights, according to which all privileges, all
distinctions, all exceptions must disappear. The Constitution
establishes that sovereignty resides in the people, in all the individuals
of the people. Each individual therefore has the right to participate in
making the law which governs him and in the administration of the
public good which is his own. If not, it is not true that all men are equal
in rights, that every man is a citizen.

This document is important in understanding Robespierre’s political
policies and how they effected France and its citizens. Of the groups,
however, I believe this document affects the women of France the
most. They had just won their first rights for themselves in the recent
constitutional reform, but, lost them due to Robespierre’s sexist
views. According to Robespierre, the women of France belonged in
the home and not in politics. The women were mortified but
unfortunately, could do nothing to reverse his actions once he
created The Declaration of the Rights of Man.
French Constitution
of 1791
The Constitution written in 1791
made by the National Assembly
created a new voice for people in
France. The main point of this
document was to end the ways
government decided things. Instead
of voting with a three chamber one
vote process, the National
Assembly created the idea of a one
chamber one vote process. This
means that everyone had a say in
changes made in government.
Declaration of the
Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man
is a document stating the natural
rights all/individual men possess.
These theories come from that of the
period of Enlightenment. The most
influential philosopher was John
Locke as the main ideal of the
declaration is the people know best.
These rights include that all men are
created equal. Every man has the
natural right to life, liberty and
property. The document states that
the government’s job is to protect and
secure these rights for all of their
land’s men to be able to follow.
The return to normalcy in France was initiated by Napoleon, which turned around France’s poor economy.
Napoleon made many changes and reforms as Emperor such as changing the governments thoughts on
how to function from more liberty than order to more order than liberty. This along with many other
radical changes turned France around and returned them to normalcy.
“Napoleon steadily gained support for the new regime by promising a
regime of law and order and by making peace with the Catholic Church
and its head, the pope. Although probably not motivated by personal
religious conviction, he did believe that good relations with the Catholic
Church were essential to maintaining order and guaranteeing his own
legitimacy. Some conflicts over religion continued, but the pope had
granted Napoleon more or less everything he wanted in exchange for
bringing France back into the Catholic fold.”

This document emphasizes the importance of the relation between
Napoleon and the Catholic Church. Napoleon knew the Church could
still have significant positive influence over his rise in power if he were
to include them in his domestic policies. Thus, he took advantage of
the Church’s lack of power and promised in return for its support the
bringing of France back into the Catholic fold. This document is
crucial for understanding the importance of the Church to Napoleon,
even after it had been put under state control.
"A Grateful France Proclaims
Napoleon the First Emperor of the
French"
In this engraving, Roman and
contemporary themes are combined
to glorify the new emperor. The
absence of any clear representation
of revolutionary liberty shows
Napoleon moving away from the
events of the preceding decade.
This picture captures an image of the Return to Normalcy in France. The image showing
Napoleon becoming Emperor of France represents the start of change. When Napoleon was
officially Emperor a new hope emerged in the People of France and this picture displays it. As
Napoleon is trying to navigate the streets of Paris on his chariot through mobs of people, two
women approach the chariot to give him a gift. Everyone in the picture is celebrating and
happy because they knew change was coming. Most of France felt this way at the time and
with this amount of support Napoleon was able to start turning around the French economy.
10 November, 1799 (19 Brumaire, Year VIII)
On my return to Paris, I found division among all the authorities, and agreement upon only one
point: that the Constitution was half destroyed and could not save liberty.
All parties came to me, confided to me their plans, disclosed their secrets, and asked for my
support. I refused to be one party's man. The Council of Elders summoned me, and I went. An
outline for general restoration had been planned by the men who the nation has become
accustomed to regarding as the defenders of liberty, equality, and property. This plan needed to
be looked at calmly, freely and away from any influences or fears. Consequently, the Council of
Elders decided to transfer the Legislative Body to Saint-Cloud, and gave me control over the
forces necessary to ensure its independence. I believed it my duty to accept the command, for my
fellow citizens, for the soldiers being killed in our armies, and for the national glory acquired at
the cost of their blood.
This article demonstrates how important Napoleon was to the Return of Normalcy. Napoleon
states in the article that is open to all ideas by stating that he is not “One parties man.” He also
talked about how he was summoned by The Council of Elders to help them change the way
French government worked. By being open to all ideas Napoleon demonstrated how willing he
was to listen to his people and how important his countries change was to him. And by being
summoned by The Council of Elders it is demonstrated that his opinion was highly regarded and
thought of.
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