The French Revolution
Application of the Fever Model
Fever Model of Revolution
Crisis
Stage
Symptomatic
Stage
Convalescence
Incubation
Stage
Much like an illness, revolutions can also be studied in stages
Causes - Incubation
• Social Inequality - three
estates
– Three estates
– First Estate (upper clergy) 1% of population, taxed
peasants
– Second Estate (nobles) - 23% of population, paid no
taxes, taxed peasants
– Third Estate (Bourgeoisie,
peasants, workers) - paid up
to 1/2 of income in taxes
Causes - Incubation
• Enlightenment Ideas/American Rev.
–
–
–
–
Belief all men should have liberal freedoms
Right and just to remove unjust government
Equality for all
United States Declaration of Independence and
Constitution
Causes - Incubation
• King Louis XVI
– Weak leader
– Preferred personal interests, delegated
authority
– Incapable of decisive action
Causes - Incubation
• Economic Crisis
– French economy bankrupt
– Wars, Louis XVI lifestyle
– Nobles not taxed
– Crop failures
– Debt - 1/2 budget goes to interest
– Bourgeoisie begin questioning King
Moderate Stage-Symptoms
• Estates General called, Third Estate demands
reform - resisted by others
Moderate Stage-Symptoms
• National Assembly declared (June 20, 1789)
Moderate Stage-Symptoms
• Bastille
stormed (July
in
response to king
mobilizing Swiss
troops
14, 1789)
• Peasants rioting
and burning
feudal records “The Great Fear”
Moderate Stage-Symptoms
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
(Aug., 1789)
– Influenced by America
– Equality of all men, sovereignty resided in the
people, and individual rights to libery, prosperity,
and security
• March of the Women (Oct., 1789)
– Food protests turn into march to Versailles
– King forced to move to Paris
Moderate Stage-Symptoms
• Reforms on National Assembly
– “Liberty, equality, fraternity” - motto
– Dismantled feudal system
– Seized Church lands
– Abolished estates
– Creates Constitution of 1791 - limits power
of king (constitutional monarchy)
– Men of property could vote
Radical Stage - Crisis
• King Attempts to Flee (June,
1791)
• Brunswick Manifesto
• September Massacres
• French Republic established King dethroned, the Convention
set up
• Large scale draft
• King tried and executed (Jan.
1792)
Radical Stage - Crisis
• Robespierre / Jacobians
take control of the
Convention
• Committee of Public Safety
oversees the Reign of
Terror (40,000 people
executed, 300,000
arrested)
• Tried to eliminate influence
of the church
Moderate - Convalescence
• Convention arrests Robespierre - executes
him
• The Directory takes over
–
–
–
–
Committee of five conservative men
Tries to find middle ground
Military successes outside of France
Domestically, still many problems
• Napoleon stages coup, imposes new
constitution - declares himself first consul
• What do you think is the reaction of the
French?