The French Revolution1789-1799

What were the causes of the French Revolution?

What were the causes?1. Three estates

– Unfair tax system – Social inequality

1st 2nd

Estate Estate

3rd Estate

1% of Pop.Owned 5-10% of LandReceived 10% TithePaid no taxes

2% of PopOwned 25% of landHeld all govt. and military positionsPaid no taxesReceived Feudal Dues

97% of PopulationPaid all of the taxesNo Voice in GovernmentInspired by Enlightenment Ideas

BourgeoisieArtisansPeasants

The Three Estates

What were the causes?

2. Enlightenment Ideas/American Rev.– Belief all men should have

natural rights– Right to overthrow an unjust

gov’t– Equality for all– American Revolution

• Dec. of Independence • Constitution

What were the causes?

3. King Louis XVI’s Weak Leadership – 19 years old– Indecisive

What were the Causes ?

4. Economic ProblemsWars: 7 Years War/French & Indian,

American RevolutionLouis XVI lifestyle

Economic DepressionCrop failuresUnemployment

Which of the following is not a cause of the French Revolution

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1. Unfair class system

2. Unfair taxes

3. Ignoring the Magna Carta

4. Expenses from the American Revolution

5. Excessive spending by the King

France’s Situation

• France’s Government is in extreme debt. Half of France’s debt is contributed to war, especially money owed for helping the US gain independence. The Government is near bankruptcy and the banks are refusing to lend money to the troubled country.

• Recent crop failures have caused a shortage in food, making famine a real possibility. Yet the newspapers publish stories about King Louis’ lash parties and his wife’s extreme spending habits. Assuming the role you were assigned on Friday, what would you do to solve the problems in France?

King Called the Estates General to “convince” the 1st and 2nd

Estate to pay taxes

What is the Estates General?

– Legislative body, similar to parliament– Had not met since 1614 ( 179 years!)– Made up of members from all 3 Estates– Each Estate has one Vote

Estates General Voting

1 Vote First Estate

Clergy

1 Vote Second Estate Nobles

1 Vote Third Estate

Commoners

Situation

• . The Estates General has members from each Estate but each only has one vote regardless of the population. The Nobles and the clergy plan to force the third estate to pay even more taxes so they don’t have to. 2 votes against 1

• Is there another alternative?

Is There Another Alternative?

1 Vote per Representative

300 Members 1st Estate

300 Members 2nd Estate

648 Members 3rd Estate

Third Estate outvoted - what should they do?

• Established the National Assembly – a new legislative body– One vote per representative

– Members of the 3rd Estate, later joined by other estates

• Pledged the Tennis

Court Oath

• Marks the beginning

of the Moderate Phase

of the Revolution

What is the Tennis Court Oath?

• National Assembly’s pledge to write a new constitution making France a ____________________

What are the stages of the French Revolution?

• Moderate – people want change to constitutional monarchy

• Radical – people want an end to any form of monarchy; want a republic

• Reactionary – people want to return to Absolute Monarchy

What was the Spark?

• King Mobilized Troops • 3rd Estate feared King would dissolve the

National Assembly• The Spark:

The Bastille

is stormed

What is the Storming of The Bastille?

• Bastille – a prison where weapons and prisoners were held

• A mob charged the prison to steal weapons and free 7 prisoners

• 97 rioters killed• Symbol of French Independence

– July 14, 1789

What is the Great Fear?

• Rumors spread of nobles killing peasants and stealing property

• In Fear, the peasants armed themselves

• Peasants broke into Manors, robbed and destroyed

property

What Early Reforms did the National Assembly Make?

Dismantled feudal systemNo more Feudal dues

Nobles give up exemption from taxation

Abolished estatesCreated a new social contract for

France

What was the first social contract of France?

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (Aug., 1789)– Focus on Individual Rights

and equality – Influenced by the Declaration

of Independence

US Constitution and

English Bill of Rights

• King Louise did not accept

What was the March on Versailles?

• Protest by French Women• Food prices in France were soaring• Wanted King to move to Paris and accept the

National Assembly and Declaration of Rights

What was the Constitution of 1791?

Constitution of 1791•Constitutional Monarchy•Guaranteed basic rights•Property owning males could vote

What actions can citizens take against their government?

• Protest – a public demonstration of disapproval (ex. )

• Political action - Actions organized by citizens to bring about changes in law, or govt. conduct/policy

(Ex. )• Revolution - A radical change in political

organization, especially the overthrow of a government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed ( )

Which of the following was not a citizen action against the govt. during the French Revolution?

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25% 25%25%25%1. Formation of the National Assembly

2. March on Versailles

3. Great Fear4. Storming of the

Bastille

Which of the following events is the symbolic beginning of the French

Revolution?

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1. Creation of the National Assembly

2. Tennis Court Oath3. Storming of the

Bastille4. March on

Versailles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Which of the following events is the best example of a protest against the government’s

actions?

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1. National Assembly

2. March on Versailles

3. Storming of the Bastille

4. Constitution of 1791?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

In which of the following events did citizens vow to write a new constitution?

0% 0%0%0%

1. Constitution of 1791

2. Formation of the National Assembly

3. Declaration of the Rights of Man

4. Tennis Court Oath

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Did everyone like the new Constitution?

• Political Parties formed in the newly elected Legislative Assembly

• The assembly was seated by their political views• Political division led to unrest and violence

Left Center RightRadical Moderate Reactionary

•Support Republic •want major change •Known as Jacobins

•Support Constitutional Monarchy•Want some change

•Support Absolute Monarchy•Want to return to the old way

What is the flight of the nobles?

• Louis and Marie try to flee France, but are caught and returned to Paris.

• Émigrés (nobles, clergy an others) flee France and tell horror stories of the events there

• In fear that revolution will spread, European Monarchs condemn the revolution and begin to mass armies against a possible French threat.

Why did France become a Republic?

• Strong Distrust of the King and Queen

• Austria, Prussia and Sardinia declare war on France – fearful that Revolutions will spread to their own country

• Radicals voted for the King’s imprisonment

What was the French Republic?

• A government without a King

• Constitution limits the power of the leaders elected by the people.

• Every man could vote

What happened to King Louis XV1?

• He was tried and executed

What was the Reign of Terror?

• Beginning of the Radical Period of the Revolution

• Left Wing Radicals called Jacobins took control of the new Republic’s National Convention (legislature)

• Leader – Maximilien

Robespierre

What was the Committee for Public Safety?

• Neighborhood watch committees that hunted down suspected traitors and turned them in

• 40,000 people executed

What Happened to Marie Antoinette?

• She is executed during the Reign of Terror

How does the Reign of Terror End?

• Robespierre is executed

• The Directory takes over– Committee of five conservative men– Still has many problems

• Napoleon Bonaparte stages coup d'état – quick seizure of power

imposes new constitution - declares himself first emperor

What do you think is the Reaction Of the French?

• Marks the beginning of the Reactionary Period

I am EmperorOoh la laFinally, we can

have peace andstability again

Roman Empire

French Empire

Napoleon Bonaparte

What are the top 5 facts to know about Napoleon Bonaparte?

• Became Dictator of France – people were tired of the Revolution & respected his leadership

• Conquered most of Europe– 3 major losses contributed to his downfall

• Battle of Trafalgar against English Navy• Invasion of Russia • Battle of Waterloo against Prussia, Britain, Netherlands

• Created the Napoleonic Code – – New law code– Enlightenment ideas – equality, religious freedom

• Continental System – protected France’s industries at the expense of Great Britain (similar to Navigation Acts it was considered “protectionism”

• Exiled to Elba after defeat by foreign armies , but escaped to rule for 100 more days until his defeat at Waterloo

The purpose of the Continental System was to

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25% 25%25%25%1. Create a united Europe under the Leadership of France

2. Consolidate Europe under Napoleon’s leadership

3. Unify France4. Defeat England

through an Economic war

A major problem for Napoleon in his conquest of Europe was

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1. The British Navy

2. The Russian Winter

3. The American colonists

4. All of the above

5. Both 1 and 2