Characteristics and CausesCharacteristics and Causes

Each group is given lyrics to a song that

relates to revolutions. Your job is to read the song lyrics and summarize the main ideas of the song. You should answer these three questions in your notebook before we discuss:1. What do these songs have to say about the

causes of revolutions?2. Who are those involved in revolutions?3. What are some emotions that go along with

revolutionary ideas?

Revolution Songs

A term used to describe an aggressive

overthrow of a government structure or social construct or a massive sudden societal values.

Usually represents a complete turnaround from one way of doing things to another way, which is drastically opposite.

What is a Revolution?

A political idea: A dramatic shift in

power where a society rejects and overthrows its government and institutions, along with ideas that have been used to justify them.

Change in a revolution is total. Most revolutions are motivated by

the masses, using their advantage to overwhelm their own leadership.

Major Characteristics of a Revolution

Violence is a common feature, usually

seen through the execution of the rulers.

Prosperity and employment are reorganized.

For thousands of years, society was remarkably static-agricultural society where political change seemed impossibly… What changed this?

Major Characteristics…

Material conditions- taxation, drought,

famine, economic downturns Oppression or dire poverty Defeat in war Foreign rule- often seen in wars of

Independence Domino effect- French soldiers who had

fought on the American side of Independence often returned to France imbedded with new ideas of liberty.

Driving forces of Revolutions

Revolutionary Ideas- new ideas that

were coming out of the Enlightenment. Social Causes- the division of the three

estates and the unfair taxation laws. Economic Depression- the 1770’s-

1780’s brought economic depressions, with a downturn of economics and trade. This led to a lack of work and a deep hunger.

Major causes of the French Revolution

What are some

characteristics of revolutions we discussed yesterday?

Focus Question

Poor Economy Poverty Massive Spending by the royals Hatred of Marie Antoinette Enlightenment Ideas The American Revolution

Causes of the French Revolution

Political Power Social Equality Food Respect Ability to provide for their families Royalty to step down

Needs of the French People

Clergy (Church)- privileged estate. Less than 1% of the population but

owned 10% of the land. Not only were they minimally

taxed, but they collected 10% tithe from the people ( tax-like payment).

First Estate

Nobility- holding the highest

positions in the Church, the army, and the Government.

2% of the population and controlled the majority of the wealth.

Exempt from paying taxes of any kind, and collected rent and customary dues from the peasantry.

Second Estate

Consisted of everyone not in the other

two estates- Bourgeoisie, peasantry, and urban artisans. (made up 98% of the population)

Bourgeoisie- Merchants, manufacturers, bankers,

doctors, lawyers, and intellects. All had wealth, but wealth did not mean

status or privilege.

Third Estate

The Peasantry-

Consisted of approx. 21 million people and lived in utmost poverty.

Collectively owned 30-40% of the available land, which was usually small plots. Most land was rented from peasants who were able to afford it or the nobility.

Paid taxes to the king, taxes to the church, and taxes and dues to the lord of the manor, as well as numerous dues on wine, salt, and bread.

Third Estate

1789:

Taxes and rent increased Methods of farming were inadequate, and there

was a poor harvest. Prices of bread and other goods rose at a

quicker rate than wages. Wages increased by 22%, while the cost of

living increase by 62%.

Third Estate

Focus Question

What were some of your reactions to this exercise?

How do these reactions relate to the reactions of the 3rd estate to their unequal treatment?

Poor people were starving and when the price of bread increased, angry mobs formed.

Economic Conditions in France

French Congress consisting of three

estates- first meeting in nearly 200 years.

King Louis VI assembled the estates to pass a tax increase, however the Third estate objects and develops their own plan. Why would the Third estate object?

Meeting of the Estates General

Locked out of the estates

meeting, the Third estate meets at a local tennis court.

Vowed to create a new French constitution.

Tennis Court Oath

On June 17, 1789, the Third estate

renames itself the National Assembly and vows to change France by ending absolute monarchy and establishing a representative government.

King Louis XVI held a general meeting where the government attempted to intimidate the Third estate into submission.

National Assembly

Inspired by the National Assembly,

commoners began to riot in protest of the rising prices.

Revolutionaries first raided the Paris town hall in pursuit of arms, but then realized the Bastille contained a large armory.

On July 14, 1789, angry citizens in support of the National Assembly stormed the prison in Paris.

Storming of the Bastille

Storming of the Bastille

Most of the uprisings that began,

occurred in the struggling countryside of France.

Peasants and farmers who suffered under high prices and unfair feudal contracts, began to wreak havoc on rural France.

Fear Sweeps France

On August 26, 1789, the National

Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. A document that guaranteed due process

in judicial matters and establish sovereignty.

Every person was a Frenchman and equal. French people embraced the document,

while the king and nobles did not.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

The National Assembly

joined by nobles acting out of fear make sweeping reforms, which eliminate the privileges of the church and the nobles.

National Assembly Reforms France

The National Assembly became

the Legislative Assembly which limited the king’s power.

Radicals, Moderates, and Conservatives disagreed on governmental ideas.

Legislative Assembly

King Louis XVI had contact with the rulers of Austria, Prussia, and Sweeden, asking for their help in restoring his family to power.

In June 1791, the royal family attempted to escape to the Austrian border, but was caught by revolutionaries and brought back to Paris.

In August 1791, Prussia and Austria demanded the king be unarmed and restored to power, or military force would be used to restore the monarchy.

On April 20, 1972, the Legislative Assembly declared war against Austria.

War with Austria

Autumn of 1972, a National Convention was

elected to oversee the country under the new Constitution created by the Legislative Assembly.

First action was to abolish the monarchy- the Republic of France was created.

Next action was to execute the king- on January 21, 1793, King Louis XVI was found guilty of treason and was executed at the guillotine.

Execution of the King

Execution of the King

New device created in 1792 to

make executions efficient, human, and democratic.

In October of 1793, Marie Antoinette was also executed.

Symbolic of the declaration of sovereignty.

Guillotine

Maximilien Robespierre

A Committee on Public Safety was created to

maintain order within France. Robespierre rose to power- he was leader of

the Jacobins and banished the Girondins. He promised a “republic of virtue” Ruled with terror and his rule became known as

the Reign of Terror. Dictator from July 1793-1794 Executed on July 28, 1794 .

Maximilien Robespierre

Moderates come to power and

establish a government with a 2 house legislative body and executive body of five, known as the directory.

The Directory would have no legislative power, but would have authority to appoint people to fill positions with the government.

Moderates Regain Power

Brainstorm what you know about

Napoleon Bonaparte.

Hint: Use your completed homework from last night!

Warm-up 11/18

Napoleon Bonaparte

Protected the National Convention Led the French army to victory against

Austrian troops. Put in charge of the military, Directory

was dissolved in November 1799. A vote of the people in 1800 gave all

real power to Napoleon as the first consul.

Rise of Napoleon

Reorganized the economy Fired corrupt government officials Establish public school Set up the Napoleonic Codes On December 2, 1802, crowned himself

emperor Began a military campaign to control Europe

Napoleon as Leader

Napoleon Crowns Himself

British blockade Invaded Spain and Portugal Invasion of Russia All of Europe’s main powers

declared war on France Surrendered his crown in April of

1814

Napoleon’s Mistakes

Napoleon, after a brief exile,

returns to lead French into battle against the British.

British defeat Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815 and he is exiled to St. Helena until his death in 1821.

Fall of Napoleon

In winter 1814-1815 European

leaders gather to develop a plan to restore stability in France.

Austrian Prime Minister Klemens von Metternich helps develop a plan to allow for a balance of power in Europe and reestablish monarchies across Europe.

Congress of Vienna

The representatives of the French people,

organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruptions of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man… Therefore the National Assembly recognizes and proclaims, in the presence and under the auspices of the Supreme Being, the following rights of man and of the citizen:

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the

Citizen

1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good.

2. The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.

3. The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation…

4. Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights.

Articles:

1. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society...

2. Law is the expression of the general will. Every citizen has a right to participate personally, or through his representative, in its foundation.

3. No person shall be accused, arrested, or imprisoned except in the cases and according to the forms prescribed by law.

4. The law shall provide for such punishments only as are strictly and obviously necessary, and no one shall suffer punishment except it be legally inflicted.

Articles:

1. As all persons are held innocent until they shall have been declared guilty…

2. No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law.

3. The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law.

4. The security of the rights of man and of the citizen requires public military forces.

Articles:

1. A common contribution is essential for the maintenance of the public forces and for the cost of administration.

2. All the citizens have a right to decide, either personally or by their representatives, as to necessity of the public contribution; to grant this freely; to know what uses it is put; and to fix the proportion, the mode of assessment and of collection and the duration of the taxes.

3. Society has the right to require of every public agent as an account of his administration.

4. A society in which the observation of the law is not assured, nor the separation of powers defined, has no constitution at all.

5. Since property is inviolable and sacred right, no one shall be deprived thereof except where public necessity, legally determined, shall clearly demand it..

Articles: