It was the best of times, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of it was the age of foolishness, foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of it was the epoch of incredulity…incredulity…

-- Charles Dickens-- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities A Tale of Two Cities

The French Monarchy:The French Monarchy:1775 - 17931775 - 1793

Marie Antoinette & Louis Marie Antoinette & Louis XVIXVI

Marie Marie AntoineAntoine

tte tte and the and the Royal Royal

ChildrenChildren

Marie Antoinette’sMarie Antoinette’s“Peasant Cottage”“Peasant Cottage”

Marie Antoinette’sMarie Antoinette’s“Peasant Cottage”“Peasant Cottage”

Let Them Eat Cake! Let Them Eat Cake!

Y Marie Antoinette NEVER said that!Marie Antoinette NEVER said that!Y ““Madame Deficit”Madame Deficit”Y ““The Austrian Whore”The Austrian Whore”

Crane Brinton: Conditions Crane Brinton: Conditions Present Before a Revolution Present Before a Revolution

OccursOccurs1.1. People from all social classes are People from all social classes are discontented.discontented.

2.2. People feel restless and held down by People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the govt.the economy or the govt.

3.3. People are hopeful about the future, but they People are hopeful about the future, but they are being forced to accept less than they had are being forced to accept less than they had hoped for.hoped for.

4.4. People are beginning to think of themselves People are beginning to think of themselves as belonging to a social class, and there is a as belonging to a social class, and there is a growing bitterness between social classes.growing bitterness between social classes.

5.5. The social classes closest to one another are The social classes closest to one another are the most hostile.the most hostile.

Crane Brinton: Conditions Crane Brinton: Conditions Present Before a Revolution Present Before a Revolution

OccursOccurs6.6. The scholars and thinkers give up on the way The scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates.their society operates.

7.7. The government does not respond to the The government does not respond to the needs of its society.needs of its society.

8.8. The leaders of the government and the ruling The leaders of the government and the ruling class begin to doubt themselves. Some join class begin to doubt themselves. Some join with the opposition groups.with the opposition groups.

9.9. The government is unable to get enough The government is unable to get enough support from any group to save itself.support from any group to save itself.

10.10. The government cannot organize its finances The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt or trying correctly and is either going bankrupt or trying to tax heavily and unjustly.to tax heavily and unjustly.

Socio-Economic Data, Socio-Economic Data, 17891789

The French Urban The French Urban PoorPoor

01020304050607080

% of Income Spent on Bread

17871788

Where is the tax Where is the tax money?money?

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Number of The Number of RepresentativesRepresentatives

in the Estates General: Vote in the Estates General: Vote by Head!by Head!300

300

648

Emmanuel Joseph Emmanuel Joseph SieyesSieyes

11stst What is the Third What is the Third Estate? Estate? Everything!Everything!22ndnd What has it been What has it been heretofore in the heretofore in the political order? political order? Nothing! Nothing!33rdrd What does it What does it demand?demand? To become To become somethingsomething therein! therein!

Abbé SieyèsAbbé Sieyès1748-18361748-1836

Convening the Estates General Convening the Estates General May, 1789May, 1789

Last time it was called into session was Last time it was called into session was 1614!1614!

““The Third Estate The Third Estate Awakens”Awakens”Y The commoners finally presented their The commoners finally presented their

credentials not as delegates of the Third credentials not as delegates of the Third Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”

Y They proclaimed themselves the They proclaimed themselves the “National “National Assembly”Assembly” of France. of France.

Storming the Bastille, Storming the Bastille, July July 14, 178914, 1789

Y A rumor that the king was planning a military A rumor that the king was planning a military coup against the National Assembly.coup against the National Assembly.

Y 18 died.18 died.Y 73 wounded.73 wounded.Y 7 guards 7 guards

killed.killed.Y It held 7 It held 7

prisoners prisoners [5 ordinary [5 ordinary criminals & 2 criminals & 2 madmen].madmen].

Crane Brinton: The Course Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to that Revolutions Seem to

TakeTake1.1. Impossible demands made of government Impossible demands made of government

which, if granted, would mean its end.which, if granted, would mean its end.2.2. Unsuccessful government attempts to Unsuccessful government attempts to

suppress revolutionaries.suppress revolutionaries.3.3. Revolutionaries gain power and seem Revolutionaries gain power and seem

united.united.4.4. Once in power, revolutionaries begin to Once in power, revolutionaries begin to

quarrel among themselves, and unity quarrel among themselves, and unity begins to dissolve.begins to dissolve.

5.5. The moderates gain the leadership but The moderates gain the leadership but fail to satisfy those who insist on further fail to satisfy those who insist on further changes.changes.

Crane Brinton: The Course Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to that Revolutions Seem to

TakeTake6.6. Power is gained by progressively more Power is gained by progressively more

radical groups until finally a lunatic fringe radical groups until finally a lunatic fringe gains almost complete control.gains almost complete control.

7.7. A strong man emerges and assumes great A strong man emerges and assumes great power.power.

8.8. The extremists try to create a “heaven-on-The extremists try to create a “heaven-on-earth” by introducing their whole program earth” by introducing their whole program and by punishing all of their opponents.and by punishing all of their opponents.

9.9. A period of terror [extreme violence] A period of terror [extreme violence] occurs.occurs.

10.10. Moderate groups regain power. THE Moderate groups regain power. THE REVOLUTION IS OVER!REVOLUTION IS OVER!

The Great Fear: The Great Fear: Peasant RevoltPeasant Revolt

(July 20, 1789)(July 20, 1789)

Y Rumors that the feudal aristocracy [the Rumors that the feudal aristocracy [the aristosaristos] ] were sending hired brigands to attack peasants were sending hired brigands to attack peasants and pillage their land.and pillage their land.

National Constituent National Constituent AssemblyAssembly1789 - 17911789 - 1791

August DecreesAugust DecreesAugust 4-11, 1789August 4-11, 1789

(A renunciation of aristocratic (A renunciation of aristocratic privileges!)privileges!)

Liberté!Egalité!

Fraternité!

Revolutionary SymbolsRevolutionary Symbols

CockadeCockade

Revolutionary Revolutionary ClockClock

La RepublicLa RepublicLibertéLiberté

Revolutionary Playing Revolutionary Playing CardsCards

The Declaration of the The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Rights of Man and of

the Citizenthe CitizenAugust 26, August 26, 17891789

V Liberty!Liberty!V Property!Property!V Resistance to Resistance to

oppression!oppression!V Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson

was in Paris at was in Paris at this time.this time.

Planting the Tree of Planting the Tree of LibertyLiberty

17901790

New Relations New Relations Between Church & Between Church &

StateStateV Government paid the salaries of the Government paid the salaries of the French clergy and maintained the French clergy and maintained the churches.churches.

V The church was reorganized:The church was reorganized: Parish priests Parish priests elected by the district elected by the district

assemblies.assemblies. Bishops Bishops named by the named by the

department assemblies.department assemblies. The pope had NO The pope had NO

voice in the voice in the appointment of appointment of the French clergy.the French clergy.

V It transformed France’sIt transformed France’sRoman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Churchinto a branch of the state!!into a branch of the state!!

Pope Pius VIPope Pius VI[1775-1799][1775-1799]

Louis XVI “Accepts” the Louis XVI “Accepts” the Constitution Constitution

& the National Assembly. & the National Assembly. 17911791

83 Revolutionary 83 Revolutionary DepartmentsDepartments

February 26, 1790February 26, 1790

The Royal Family The Royal Family Attempts Attempts

to Fleeto FleeY June, 1791June, 1791Y Helped by the Swedish Count Hans Helped by the Swedish Count Hans

Axel von Fusen [Marie Antoinette’s Axel von Fusen [Marie Antoinette’s lover].lover].

Y Headed toward the Headed toward the LuxembourgLuxembourgborder.border.

Y The King wasThe King wasrecognized atrecognized atVarennes, nearVarennes, nearthe borderthe border

French Expansion: French Expansion: 1791-17991791-1799