The French Revolution Liberty, Equality and Fraternity!!!! Chapter 22
What was going on in Europe? Remember absolutism The Enlightenment Scientific Revolution Colonialism England in America, which starts a revolution Seven Years /French Indian Wars 4/14/2016 2
French Revolution Turning point for all of Europe Out with the old & in with the new Since the Middle Ages, France was divided into three social groups called estates 4/14/2016 3
The Three Estates 1 st = Clergy 130,000 owning 10% of the land Two parts Higher Clergy (cardinals, bishops & heads of monasteries) from noble families Parish Priests (poor & commoners) 4/14/2016 4
2 nd = Nobility 350,000 owning 25-30% of the land Held leading government, military, courts & Catholic Church positions Controlled most of the wealth Nobility & clergy did not have to pay taille (taxes) 4/14/2016 5
3 rd = Everyone Else Divided by occupation, level of education & wealth 75-80% peasants, owned 35-40% of the land Middle class owned the rest Peasants owed certain duties to nobles (from Medieval times) 4/14/2016 6
The Old Regime This cartoon from the era of the French Revolution depicts the third estate as a person in chains, who supports the clergy and nobility on his back. The Third Estate
The French Royalty The royal family lived in luxury at the Palace of Versailles. Hall of Mirrors
Louis XVI Louis XVI was an awkward, clumsy man who had a good heart but was unable to relate to people on a personal level. He often appeared unfeeling and gruff. He was insecure and seems to have disliked being King of France. When one of his ministers resigned, he was heard to remark, "Why can't I resign too?"
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.
Remember France is broke because of royal spending & helping fund American Rev. People are having new ideas about government (monarchies) 4/14/2016 11
The National Assembly Louis XVI calls a meeting of Estates- General May 5, 1789 Traditionally each estate has one vote (1 st & 2 nd would get together to out vote the 3 rd ) 3 rd estate tries to get them to vote by population 4/14/2016 12
First Estate = 1 Vote or 130,000 Votes
Tennis Court Oath The Third Estate declared itself to be the National Assembly. Louis XVI responded by locking the Third Estate out of the meeting. The Third Estate relocated to a nearby tennis court where its members vowed to stay together and create a written constitution for France. On June 23, 1789, Louis XVI relented. He ordered the three estates to meet together as the National Assembly and vote, by population, on a constitution for France.
Tennis Court Oath by Jacques Louis David
King Asks Third Estate to Disperse Hearing of the oath, the King called a meeting of all three orders. At the end of the meeting he ordered the third estate to leave They refused One of the delegates declared that "We are here at the will of the people,... and... shall not stir from our seats unless forced to do so by bayonets."
Third Estate Triumphs The King was unwilling to use force & eventually ordered the first & second estates to join the new National Assembly The third estate had won
Declaration of the Rights of Man Adopted August 26, 1789 Inspired by the English Bill of Rights Includes: the natural and imprescriptible rights of man liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression Excludes women s rights 4/14/2016 18
What Happens Next? Louis XVI refused to accept it and stayed at Versailles People storm Versailles and forced him and his family back to Paris State seized and sold off Church lands & the Church went under the control of the State New constitution set up a limited monarchy 4/14/2016 19
.Next Cont. Still had king, but Legislative Assembly would make laws Royal family tried to escape and flee to Austria, but were caught & brought back Austrian & Prussian monarchs try to have Louis power restored with no luck 4/14/2016 20
.Next Cont. Spring 1792 citizens demonstrated to protest food shortages & war losses Radicals declared themselves a commune The Revolution becomes more violent & radical Took the King hostage & forced the Legislative Assembly to suspend the monarchy 4/14/2016 21
.Next Cont. They demanded a National Convention with representation for all men Called themselves sans-culottes without breeches referring to wearing ordinary trousers, not knee-length breeches the nobility wore Identified themselves as ordinary patriots 4/14/2016 22
Radicalism Sept. 1792-National Convention Draft constitution & ruling body of France Majority were average people who distrusted the King Voted to abolish the monarchy Created political clubs to represent different areas January 21, 1793 Louis XVI was beheaded on the guillotine. 4/14/2016 23
Reign of Terror!!!!! Radicals, Robspierre and Guillotines.oh my!!!!!! Tens of thousands of people, including Marie Antoinette, die at the hands of the guillotine 4/14/2016 24