Section 1: The Experiment in Constitutional Monarchy 1789-1792 Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

Developments in Versailles
What happened at the first session of the Estates General?
• It began on the 5 of May when all the deputies gathered at Versailles
• It was opened by a speech from Louis who explained the circumstances leading up to the meeting and what he
expected from the Estates General. He explained that he was the ‘first friend of the people’
• Necker and Barentin then spoke about the economic situation and the need for new taxes
• The 3rd Estate listened patiently and each cheered the king but they were given no clear indication of how the
meeting would proceed of how the voting would take place as Louis’ ministers failed to set an agenda
• Louis himself lacked confidence in Necker because his wife and brothers were very critical of him

Why did the representatives of the 3rd Estate insist on voting by head?
• As they had been allowed double representation, they needed voting by head for this to be effective
• The 3rd Estate refused to carry out the verification of the deputies’ credentials until there was a definite statement
that there would be voting by head

How and why did the 3rd Estate become the National Assembly on 17 June 1789?
• Abbé Sieyès argued that the 3rd Estate was the nation and had every right to act alone if others refused to
cooperate with it
• Some clerics were persuaded and joined the 3rd Estate deputies during the week of the 10 June
• On the 17 June, the 3rd Estate voted, by 491 votes to 90, to call itself the ‘National Assembly’

How significant was the creation of the National Assembly?

• The creation of the National Assembly was effectively the 3rd Estate asserting its with to represent the nation
and its intention to make its own decisions about the future of the French state
• The other estates were invited to join and the clergy did so on the 19 June. Over the next week, more liberal
nobles did as well
• They were trying to claim sovereign power overthrown the absolute monarchy

Outline the events leading up to the Tennis Court Oath of the 20 June 1789
• Louis’ eldest son and heir, Louis-Joseph, died of tuberculosis on 4 June 1789. It had been suggested that this
prevented him paying popper attention to the political development of the Estates General
• Necker persuaded the King he needed to present to clear reform program to the deputies in a royal session. This
was arranged for 23 June
• Before the royal session could take place, there needed to be some alterations to the room where the National
Assembly had been meetings
• The deputies arrived on the 20 June 1789, not having been informed, to find royal soldiers guarded the locked
door. They feared the King was trying to forcibly dissolve the Assembly
• There were determined to meet anyway, a proposal to march to Paris was quelled by the heavy rain, so led by
Bailly (the president of the Assembly) they made their way to the nearest available indoor place – the royal
tennis court
• Here the Assembly swore the ‘Tennis Court Oath’ by which they promised never to disband until France had a
new constitution

How sincere was Louis in his acceptance of the National Assembly and voting by head on 27 June 1789?
• On the 23 June, there was a difficult royal session. Louis accepted the principle of consent to new taxation and
a fairer land tax based on the value of land rather than social status. He also agrees that the lettres de cachet
would be abolished, freedom of the press would be introduced and internal customs barriers would be abolished
• The deputies were frustrated by his continued use of the term Estates General rather than National Assembly
• Over the following days, constant meetings were held at the Palais-Royal by people such as Desmoulins
• 26 June- the King brought an extra 4800 troops to Paris
Section 1: The Experiment in Constitutional Monarchy 1789-1792 Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

• 27 June- Louis recognised the National Assembly and permitted voting by head. He ordered the nobles and
remaining clergy to join the National Assembly. He gave in as there were rumours the Versailles would be
invaded by the people of Paris
• Few deputies still trusted the king and the increased number of troops in Paris heightened their suspicions. There
were rumours that the King was plotting: to arrest the deputies and destroy the Assembly, or to cut off the grain
supplies and starve Paris into submission
• 4 July- there were just under 30 000 troops in and around the capital, it had gone from 4000 to over 20 000 in
little more than a week, many were foreign mercenaries since the king could not rely on the French troops, and
artillery batteries were placed on high ground over the city – tensions were high

Developments in Paris
Why were Parisian becoming increasing politicised during the summer of 1789?
• The king dismissed Necker on 11 July which made the people of Paris think that the king was seeking ways to
prevent reform and go back on his promises
• Economic conditions were still suffering, a poor harvest sent bread prices rocketing;14 July there was the highest
price since 1715. In normal times a worker spent 50% of their income on bread, but it was now 88%. This created
a dangerously unstable situation and contributed to the emergence of a popular movement of disheartened
citizens
• The Palais-Royal attracted thousands of ordinary Parisians every night to listen to revolutionary speeches
• Rumours spread easily; rioting was fairly common
• There was a thriving printing industry and a high literacy rate among Parisians (50% men 25% women) so
revolutionary pamphlets spread and were widely available in cafes
• All food supplies were subject to entry taxes at customs posts around the city
• Many skilled artisans lived in Saint-Antoine around the Bastille prison
• 1789 saw an influx of migrants to Paris in search of work but the Parisians were reliant on regular employment
for survival. There were fears of wage reductions and growing unemployment
• The troops surrounding Paris bred fear
• The compilation of the cahiers in the early months of 1789 aroused political passions
• There were rumours that corn dealers and speculators were hoarding grain in order to push the price up

Describe how Paris became violent between 12-14 July 1789?

• 12-13 July saw the breakdown of order in Paris as rumours spread and mobs started raiding sword-smiths and
gun-shops to arm themselves in case of royal assault
• Crowded flooded the hated custom posts destroying 40 out of 54 of them. Royal troops failed to take action, or,
occasionally joined the riots
• Prisons, factories and the monastery of Saint-Lazare were all subject to attack
• Desmoulins claimed that a massacre of supporters of reform was planned and called on the people to take up
arms
• Barricades were erected to prevent more troops entering Paris
• 15 July some of the Parisian electors met at the Hôtel de Ville and set up the Paris Commune to take control of
the city. They organised the establishment of the National Guard of volunteers to police the city, restore order,
protect property from attack and (if necessary) protect the Parisians form any actions by the King

Why is 14 July 1789 (The Storming of the Bastille) seen as so significant?

• On 14 July a crowd of around 8000 descended on les Invalids in search of weapons to defend itself. They found
32 000 muskets and some artillery. These were useful without gunpowder
• Word soon got around that there were stores of powder at the Bastille, the swelling crowd, accompanied by
members of the National Guard and Commune made their way to the fortress (about 250 000 people)
• The details of what happened are unclear because there are many conflicting accounts. Hover, it would seem
that the governor Launay spoke with some of the Commune representatives, he was determined not to surrender
the fortress and failed to act quickly enough. Some forced their way into the courtyard, where fire was exchanged.
Launay was captured and decapitated and his head displayed on a pole. It is thought that 93 of the attackers were
killed
Section 1: The Experiment in Constitutional Monarchy 1789-1792 Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

• The king was persuaded to go to Paris on 17 July along with members of the Assembly and to address the
Parisians from the steps of the Hôtel de Ville. He appeared alongside the mayor of Paris and announced the
reinstatement of Necker, his acceptance of the National Assembly, the Paris Commune and the National Guard.
He even wore the revolutionary cockade in his hat
• It was the first and most famous of the journées of the revolution. The Parisian mob had shown their power and
neither the Assembly nor the king could control them. Louis had lost control of the armed forces in Paris
• Many nobles emigrated in the next days, believing the royal cause was lost
• It was the first violence that resulted in people being intentionally killed, and the first exchange of fire between
the people and the king’s men
• The Bastille was seen as a symbol of repression, despotism and the hated lettres de cachet. This was a physical
attack on royal authority and the Ancien Régime, it was more symbolic than practical as it demonstrated the
king’s total loss of authority

Developments Across France and the Great Fear

How were developments in Paris mirrored across France?
• In towns across France, angry mobs attacked the houses of magistrate and royal officials forcing them to flee
• The old municipal town councils were reformed or replace and National Guards units were set up to maintain a
citizen’s authority
• The countryside was also full of disorder
• Peasant believed that the changes represented from the capital would mean the end of their burden and bring
imminent new wealth and status
• They refused to pay taxes
• They armed themselves, burnt down hedges, fences and barns and attacked landlord’s châteaux
• They sought and destroyed their master's terriers (the deeds that listed the landlord’s feudal rights) and the titres
de ventes et devoirs (records of sales and obligations). They thought that if the documents were destroyed their
feudal obligations would also disappear
• The peasants were mainly acting out of self-interest rather than for a cause
• Demonstrations and riots were held against the tithe, taxes and feudal dues
• Law and order had collapsed everywhere

What happened in the ‘Great Fear’?

• Spring 1788 had a drought followed by a poor harvest and a bad winter
• The drawing up of the cahiers and the subsequent elections contributed to the general expectation of reform
• ‘The Great Fear’ which affected the country between 17 July and 3 August 1789 was first driven by rumours:
that brigades (often deemed to be in league with nobles) were stealing grain from the fields and preparing to
attack farming families, this became more credible given the increased number of wandering labourers and
beggars in the countryside at the time; that nobles who had fled were returning with foreign armies and were set
to seek vengeance on the peasants and that grain merchants and landlords were making huge profits from the
scare grain
• The peasants took up arms to await the brigades but when they never appeared they vented their anger on their
landlords. Hundreds of Châteaux were ransacked and many were set alight, but there was little bloodshed, people
were only killed if they resisted. Hated symbols of feudal power e.g. the bread ovens and wine presses were also
destroyed

How did the National Assembly respond to the Great Fear on 4 August 1789?
• On 4 August 1789, the National Assembly abolished feudal rights in an attempt to prevent further rural disorder
• This was largely driven by the need for the peasant to pay their state taxes rather than a patriotic desire to further
enlightenment values and improve peasants lives
• Plans had been drawn up before 4 August by the Vicomte de Noailles and the duc d’Aguillon (some of the richest
landowners in France)
• The Assembly session was emotional because the privilege of the nobility and many of the church were stripped
away
Section 1: The Experiment in Constitutional Monarchy 1789-1792 Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

Summaries the provisions of the August Decrees

• All feudal dues relating to service were abolished without compensation to landlords
• All other dues were redeemable by payment of compensation to landlords
• Exclusive right of hunting and owning pigeons were abolished
• All seigneurial courts were abolished
• All tithes and fees were abolished
• All loans or harvest sheds could be bought back
• There would be no more venality; justice was to be free
• There would be no payments to priests
• All citizens would pay the same taxes on everything
• All special privileged from provinces to communities were abolished
• All citizens were to be eligible for all ecclesiastical, civilian and military positions

Explain the significance of the August Decrees

• By the time the session ended, the old order of feudal duties and privileges had been swept away
• These decrees formally dismantled the Ancien Régime
• It marked the end of noble power and the privilege of birth by establishing a society based on civil equality. All
Frenchmen had the same rights, duties, opportunities and paid the same taxes. Of course, job opportunities still
favoured the educated bourgeois rather than the peasants
• The peasants became committed to the revolution as it brought about the end of feudal system and they feared
that if they did not support it, it would be restored
• It cleared the way for a national, uniform system of administration

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

What was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
• It was a summary of the revolutionaries’ ideals and it provided a framework for the details of a new constitution
• It was drawn up and passed on 26 August
• It derived from enlightenment principles (particularly the ideas of Montesquieu and Rousseau) and was
influenced by the cahiers
• It was full of absolute statements concerning political society and the importance of the nation
• The King refused to give his assent, being told to stand firm by his wife, brothers and court. To concede would
go strongly against his own sense of duty and his belief in divine right

What were the key points of the Declaration?

• All men were born free and equal in their rights
• The main rights of man are liberty, prosperity, security and resistance to oppression
• Power rests with the people
• There was to be freedom of worship, expression, speech and publication
• Taxation was to be borne by all in proportion to their means
• There would be freedom to own property
• Law should be the expression of the general will
• No man can be accused, arrested or detained but in the cases determined by law – the presumption that an accused
person was innocent until proven guilty removed the justification for torcher

What were the limits to the Declaration?

• For all its well-meaning sentiments, the Declaration mainly represented the interests of the property-owning
bourgeoisie
• It was a statement of vision rather than a reality
• Active citizenship was granted to men who were French, at least 25, paid taxes equal to 3 days work and could
not be defined as servants – women, slaves, children and foreigners were all omitted
• Right of petition and assembly, education and poor relief weren’t mentioned
Section 1: The Experiment in Constitutional Monarchy 1789-1792 Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

What was its significance?

• It sounded the death knell of the Ancien Régime
• It prepared the public for the constructive legislation that was to follow
• It was an important inspiration to liberals throughout Europe

The October Days

What happened at the banquet arranged to celebrate the return of the Flanders Regiment?
• The king reminded hesitant and uncooperative and in October he was again summoning troops to Paris
• There was a banquet held to celebrate the return of the Flanders regiment in late September. They had a reputation
for being well disciplined and reliable
• The soldiers toasted and swore oaths of loyalty to the king, this coupled with reports that they had desecrated
the revolutionary tricolore produced intense public outrage
• Their presence in Paris gave the king courage to accept some of the August Decrees and, on 4 October, the
Declaration of the Rights of Man

Why did this anger people so much?

• The radical papers, such as Marat’s L’Ami du Peuple told horror stories about the banquet
• Its sumptuousness at the time of severe austerity was provocative
• The deputies felt betrayed by the king’s actions and people all over the city believed this was counter-
revolutionary attempt to starve the city
• The reports of the oath of allegiance and the desecration of the tricolore fuelled the anger

Why did the women march to Versailles in October 1789?

• People were struggling to find bread despite the relatively good harvest of 1789
• Women particularly wanted to confront the hated Marie Antoinette

What happened on 5 October 1789?

• Around 6000-7000 people (mainly women) marched to Versailles after seizing several hundreds of muskets and
two cannons from the Hôtel de Ville
• Lafayette followed behind with 20 000 National Guard to ensure no harm befell the king and order was
maintained
• The crowd gained admittance and pressed Louis for action
• He was forced to accept the August Decrees and the Declaration of the Rights of Man
• Under intense pressure, after some of his bodyguards were killed he agreed that his family would move to Paris,
which they did on 6 October, escorted by a mob of women
• They were taken to the Tuileries Palace but they were treated more like prisoners that royalty, being ‘protected’
by the National Guard
• Two weeks later the Assembly moved to Paris because the needed the king, first to the palace of the Archbishop
of Paris and then to the royal riding school, the Manège

How significant were the events of October 1789?

• Direct action of the Parisian crowds had overcome the frustration and hesitancies of the king and the deputies
• Now the king and the Assembly was in Paris, the future of France was no longer up to the discretion of the
deputies- it was now subject to the scrutiny of the Parisian mob. Most of the deputies had wanted to work out a
compromise with Louis but this was much more difficult in Paris
Section 1: The Experiment in Constitutional Monarchy 1789-1792 Chapter 5: The Revolution May-October 1789

Timeline May – October 1789

• 5 May – Estates General
• 4 June – Death of the Dauphin
• 17 June – The 3rd Estate becomes the National Assembly
• 19 June – Clergy and some nobility join the Assembly
• 20 June – Tennis Court Oath
• 23 June – Important Royal Session
• 26 June – 4800 troops to Paris
• 27 June – King recognises the National Assembly
• 4 July – Just under 30 000 troop in Paris
• 11 July – Necker is dismissed
• 12-13 July – Breakdown of order in Paris
• 14 July – Storming of the Bastille
• 15 July – Paris Commune and the National Guard set up
• 16 July – King reappoints Necker
• 17 July – King addresses Parisians
• 17 July-3 August – Great Fear
• 4 August – August Decrees passed, the abolition of privileges
• 26 August – Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
• 1 October – Flanders regiment banquet
• 5 October – March to Versailles
• 6 October – King moves to Pairs
• 19 October – National Assembly moves to Paris