Liberty, Equality , Fraternity

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

What is a revolution:
A revolution is a fundamental change in
power or organizational structures that
takes place in a relatively short period of
time.
The forcible overthrow of a government or
social order
Any fundamental change or reversal of
condition


The French Royalty

The royal family
lived in luxury at
the Palace of
Versailles.

Hall of
Mirrors
Causes of French Revolution
Ideas of liberty and equality from the
American Revolution (note:
Constitution was signed 2 yrs before in
1787)
Enlightenment ideas of John Locke
Vast majority of people were broke
and hungry.
Vast majority were in the lowest estate


Ruled from 1643
1715
Reduced the power of
the nobility
Fought four wars
Greatly increased
Frances national debt
Louis XIV
Louis XV
War fought in Europe,
India, North America
France ends up losing
some of its colonial
possessions.
Increases French national
debt.

Louis XV
Louis XV
France in 1774
Louis XVI became the king of France at
the age of 20. He belonged to the Bourbon
family of kings.




Louis XVI was an awkward,
clumsy man who had a
good heart but was unable
to relate to people on a
personal level.
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette, in her
early years as Queen,
was flighty and
irresponsible.
She spent huge
amounts on clothes,
buying a new dress
nearly every other day.
Being Austrian, she was
terribly unpopular in
France and had few
friends.

Conditions of France in 1774
France was an absolute monarchy
The king was young and did not know much
about state affairs
The treasury was empty
Taxes were paid by the third estate only but
the first and second estates enjoyed all
privileges
There was an emerging rich and strong middle
class in the third estate called bourgeoisie
The Palace of Versailles
The King and
Queen of
France lived in
luxury and
splendor at the
magnificent
Palace of
Versailles
outside of Paris.

Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille as a medieval fortress
Bastille
Why was the treasury empty?
Wars fought by previous monarchs
especially the seven years war.
Court expenses
American war of Independence (1775-
1783)
Economic Conditions under the
Old Regime
Frances economy was based primarily on
agriculture
Peasant farmers of France bore the burden of
taxation
Poor harvests meant that peasants had trouble
paying their regular taxes
Certainly could not afford to have their taxes raised
Bourgeoisie often managed to gather wealth
But were upset that they paid taxes while nobles did
not
Three Estates
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Land
Ownership
Taxation Population
Clergy
Nobility
Commoners
Varied widely in what they contributed in terms of work and
taxes
Roman Catholic clergy
One percent of the
population
Exempt from taxes
Owned 10 percent of the
land
Collected rents and
fees
Bishops and other
clergy grew wealthy

First Estate
Nobility
There were two types of
nobles:-
Nobles of sword
Nobles of robe
Less than 2 percent of the
population
Paid few taxes
Controlled much wealth
Held key positions
Government
Military
Second Estate
Largest group97% of
the population
Bourgeoisiecity-
dwelling merchants,
factory owners, and
professionals
Sans culottesartisans
and workers
Peasantspoor with
little hope, paid rents and
fees
Third Estate
The Three Estates
Bourgeoisie
Part of the third estate,
they were the middle
class of France.
They were bankers,
merchants, factory
owners (educated people)
Led the revolution
The sans culottes
The bourgeoisie
Severe economic problems
affected much of the country
France in debt, spending
lavishly, borrowing money,
and facing bankruptcy
Hailstorm and drought ruined
harvest; harsh winter limited
flour production
People hungry and angry;
clergy and nobility no help
A Financial Crisis
Inspiring new ideas from
Enlightenment philosophers
Great Britains government
limiting the kings power
American colonists rebelled
successfully against British
king
New ideas changed
government and society in
other countries
Enlightenment I deas
Further Causes
New ideas
about
society
and
governme
nt
The social
contract
The Enlightenment
John Locke
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
John Locke


John Locke: believed that the government should be selected by
and follow the will of the people
Locke argued that the state resulted from a voluntary agreement
between individuals who established a sovereign power to
protect them from the insecure conditions that accompanied the
state of nature that existed without prior to a government and
laws.
Locke insists that there must be limits to political authority.
Locke contended that the aim of a supreme power is to preserve
the state and improve the quality of life for individuals in that
society, and the authority of the government must be limited by
the will of the people




The Financial Crisis
The crisis resulted from:
An inefficient and unfair tax
structure, which placed the
burden of taxation on those least
able to pay, the third estate
A drained treasury which was the
result of:
Aiding the Americans during the
American Revolution
Long wars with England
Overspending
The government of
France, however,
was bankrupt and
was facing a serious
financial crisis.
Tax on property
Calling of the Estates
General

Financial Crisis
Finance Minister Jacques Necker
What the King Did
Appointed the
Intendants, the petty
tyrants who governed
Frances 30 districts
Appointed the people
who would collect his
taxes and carry out his
laws
Controlled justice by
appointing judges
Controlled the military
Could imprison anyone
at any time for any
reason (blank warrants
of arrest were called
lettres de cachet)
Levied all taxes and
decided how to spend
the money
Made all laws
Made decisions
regarding war and
peace
Burning
chateaux as
the peasants
riot in the
countryside

Four Phases (Periods) of the French
Revolution
National Assembly (1789-1791)
Legislative Assembly (1791-1792)
Convention (1792-1795)
Directory (1795-1799)
National Assembly
(1789-1791)
Louis XVI did not
actually want a
written constitution
When news of his
plan to use military
force against the
National Assembly
reached Paris on
July 14, 1789,
people stormed the
Bastille
Declaration of the Rights of
Woman
Journalist Olympe de
Gouges argued in her
Declaration of the
Rights of Woman that
women are equal
citizens and should
benefit from
governmental reforms
just as men did.
Madame Jeanne
Roland also served as a
leader in the womens
rights movement, and
was able to heavily
influence her husband
(a government official).
Women did gain some
rights during the French
Revolution, but these
were designed for
purposes other than
liberating women.
Women could inherit
property, but only because
doing so weakened
feudalism and reduced
wealth among the upper
classes.
Divorce became easier, but
only to weaken the Churchs
control over marriage.
Legislative Assembly (1791-1792)
Royal family sought help from Austria
In June, 1791, they were caught trying to escape to
Austria
Nobles who fled the revolution lived abroad as
migrs
They hoped that, with foreign help, the Old Regime
could be restored in France
Church officials wanted Church lands, rights, and
privileges restored
Some devout Catholic peasants also supported the
Church
Political parties, representing different interests,
emerged
Girondists
Jacobins
Convention (1792-1795)
On September 22, 1792, the Convention met for
the first time
Established the First French Republic
Faced domestic opposition and strife
Girondists were moderates who represented the rich
middle class of the provinces
Jacobins (led by Marat, Danton, and Robespierre)
represented workers
Faced opposition from abroad
Austria, England, Holland, Prussia, Sardinia, and
Spain formed a Coalition invading France

Directory (1795-1799)
The Directory suffered from corruption and poor
administration.
The people of France grew poorer and more frustrated
with their government.
Despite, or perhaps because of, these struggles, the French developed a
strong feeling of nationalism they were proud of their country and
devoted to it.
National pride was fueled by military successes.
It would be a military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, coming to power
through a coup dtat who would end the ten-year period (1789-
1799) known as the French Revolution.
Lower classes
still unsatisfied
Thousands of
starving women
and peasants
march on
Versailles
Louis forced to
return to Paris
The March of Women
Revolution - beginnings
Although people
were starving
and the country
was broke, the
royal family
flaunted their
wealth and
uncaring.
Effects of the French Revolution
Both the King and
Queen were beheaded
French monarchy no
more
In addition to the Royal
family, 17,000 people
were executed with the
guillotine.

The Guillotine
Dr. Joseph Guillotin
Intended as a more
humane method of
execution
Thousands guillotined
during the French
Revolution
Lawyer
Radical Jacobin
Most controversial
figure of the French
Revolution
"Terror is nothing
other than justice,
prompt, severe,
inflexible"

Maximilien Robespierre
The American Revolution
Inspired the ideas
of freedom in man
Inspired people to
rise against tyranny
France supported
the colonists
against Great
Britain
Revolutionary
ideals


Effects continued. . .
Napoleon Bonaparte was
elected leader, then appoints
himself emperor of France.
Sold Louisiana to TJ
Popularity rises after victories
over the Austrians
Conflict with Britain
1799 Coup d'tat
The Consulate


1804: Napoleon crowns
himself emperor