French Revolution

Story TimePlease write these words down on your own piece of paper and leave space (at least 3 lines) to write information about each one as I read the story.

1. Old Regime2. First Estate3. Second Estate4. Third Estate5. Bourgeoisie6. American Revolution7. Economic Failure8. Louis XVI

9. Estates General10. National Assembly11. Tennis Court Oath12. Bastille13. Great Fear14.Change of Power

Story TimeOnce upon a time in a far away land called France, there was a city that was the center for Enlightenment ideas. This city was called Paris. From the outside the city looked as though it was flourishing, but when you got into the city and really found what was going on, it was just a front. This is what Paris was like, nice looking from the outside but it was deceiving.

Story TimeIn France, certain parts of Feudalism were left over from the Middle Ages called the Old Regime. There were three estates in the old regime. The First Estate was made up of the clergy from the Roman Catholic Church. The Second Estate was made up of rich nobles. The Third Estate was made up of 98% of the rest of the population in France. So the first and second estate made up only2% of the population the other 98% all belonged to the third estate. The third estate, being the largest, had three classes of its own. The first was the Bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie were mostly merchants and artisans. The second was cooks, servants and some other people who had less money than the bourgeoisie. The third group in the third estate were the peasants and they were the largest group.

Story Time

As you might be thinking, there is trouble that lies ahead for France due to the fact that the third estate does not have much power.

DiscussionWhat trouble lies ahead for France and why?

Story TimeIn another far away land called America, there was a revolution and it was successful. France saw this success and believed that they could do the same. The 98% of people in the third estate believed that they deserved a say and began to start to question some long standing political policies. To add to this unrest the economy was starting to fail. There were many problems such as population expanding, the rise in the cost of living and the extravagant spending by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, his wife. The government was now in debt.

Story TimeLouis XVI was very indecisive. One might even say that he was a rather weak leader. He knew that there were problems with the economy but he decided to look the other way until France went completely bankrupt. Louis XVI tried to force the nobles to pay taxes but the second estate decided to call the Estates General, an assembly of representatives from all three estates to get approval for the tax reform. They had this meeting at a very extravagant place, Versailles.

Story TimeRemember the discussion about the Middle Ages? The set up of the Estates General was the same as it was during the Middle Ages. The set up was that every estate had one vote. This would mean that there was one person from each estate that would meet and vote. The third estate, consisting of 98% of the population, could be outvoted by the first and second estate, 2% of the population. This was the dominate way things were done during the Middle Ages and people assumed this would continue. This was not the case, the third estate has finally had enough and decided that due to the fact that their estate had a HUGE bulk of the population they deserved to have more of a say when it came to government.

Story TimeThe third estate decided to call themselves the National Assembly, they believed that they should be able to pass laws and reforms in the nature of French people. With the creation of the National Assembly absolute monarchies were abolished. This vote to create a National Assembly was the first real act of Revolution in France. After the vote the Assembly was supposed to meet three days later. They were locked out of their meeting room so they went to a nearby indoor tennis court and would not leave until they had drawn up a constitution. This pledge was called the Tennis Court Oath.

Story TimeLouis XVI was trying to make peace with the third estate but was still scared and stationed mercenary army of Swiss guards in Paris because he did not trust the French soldiers.There were many rumors flying around and therefore people decided that they were going to take up arms and be prepared if they had to fight. On July 14, 1789 a mob tried to get gun powder from the Bastille, a prison, and they succeeded and took control of the Bastille. July 14 is a French holiday like the U.S. and the 4th of July.

Story TimeThere was a Great Fear that was sweeping France. There was a senseless panic in people; they believed that the nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize the peasants. When the peasants never saw any outlaws they were the ones who became outlaws. They had taken arms and been ready to fight and when there was not anyone to fight, they became the outlaws. Some burned houses had pitchforks to terrorize others. There were riots over things such as the price of bread rising. People were unhappy and marched to Versailles to force the King and Queen to go to Paris. They left and would never return to Versailles because they were executed by the guillotine.

Story TimeThe King and Queen, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, leaving signaled a change of power and radical reforms that took over France.

French Revolution

NotesDeclaration of the Rights of Man

Guaranteed basic individual freedoms

Constitution of 1791Limited Royal PowerElected lawmaking body

NotesDelegates Seated & Political Spectrum

Right- Reactionary (Conservatives)Wanted few or no changes

Center- ModeratesWanted some change

Left- RadicalsWanted much change at any cost

March on Versailles

1000s of women marched to Versailles

Demand bread

Insisting the King more to Paris

King went to Paris surrounded by women

Radicals

Took over National Assembly

Called for a National Convention

New constitution was the 1st democratic constitution with Universal male suffrage

Notes

Louis XVITried to escape to Austria

Sans-CulottesWithout knee breechedParis workersRejected elaborate clothes that nobles wore

Slogan“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”

Notes

JacobinsExtreme radicals in National Convention

Robespierre, Danton, Marat

Wanted extreme changeGained control of the National Convention

Notes

Reign of TerrorMaximillien Robespierre- Slowly gathered power an control of the revolutionary government.

He and his supporters set out to build a republic or virtue.Tried to wipe out Frances nobility

Committee of Public Safety- Robespierre was the leader; they decided who enemies of the republic were. Robespierre rules France practically as a dictator.

Notes

Reign of Terror cont.Robespierre thought if he was a dictator, it would enable citizens to remain true to ideals of the Revolution.

Killed nobility first, then people who helped set up the republic, about 18,000 people killed

People of the National Convention were afraid for their lives

Turned in Robespierre, he was put to death by the guillotine

Notes

1795 the moderate leaders of the National Convention drafted a new plan of government

This new constitution placed power in the hands of the upper middle class. There were two house legislatures and a directory consisting of five men.

The directors were moderateFrance went though a period of orderPicked a general to lead the army

Napoleon Bonaparte

Notes

French Revolution Billboard• Pick 3 goals of the revolution that are most

significant to you and make them into an advertisement

• Use symbols & pictures to promote French pride• Include

• Title • Short reason it is important (Slogan)• 3 goals• 3-4 colors

Example

VVV VVV

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

6. Laws should be the will

of all citizens, all citizens

are equal in the eyes of

government.

“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”