1. The French Revolution 1789-1799

2. What were the causes of the French Revolution?

3. What were the causes? Three estates Unfair tax system
Social inequality
1% of Pop.
Owned 5-10% of Land
Received 10% Tithe
Paid no taxes
2% of Pop
Owned 25% of land
Held all govt. and
military positions
Paid no taxes
Received Feudal Dues
1st 2nd
Estate Estate
3rd Estate
1st estate - about 100,000 Roman Catholic clergy
2nd Estate
Bourgeoisie
Artisans
Peasants
97% of Population
Paid all of the taxes
No Voice in Government
Inspired by Enlightenment Ideas

4. The Three Estates

5. What were the causes? 2. Enlightenment Ideas/American Rev.
Belief all men should have natural rights
Right to overthrow an unjust gov’t
Equality for all
American Revolution
Dec. of Independence
Constitution

6. What were the causes? 3. King Louis XVI’s Weak Leadership 19 years old
Indecisive

7. What were the Causes ? 4. Economic Problems
Wars: 7 Years War/French & Indian, American Revolution
Louis XVI lifestyle
Economic Depression
Crop failures
Unemployment

8. Which of the following is not a cause of the French Revolution
Unfair class system
Unfair taxes
Ignoring the Magna Carta
Expenses from the American Revolution
Excessive spending by the King

9. France’s Situation
France’s Government is in extreme debt. Half of France’s debt is contributed to war, especially money owed for helping the US gain independence. The Government is near bankruptcy and the banks are refusing to lend money to the troubled country.
Recent crop failures have caused a shortage in food, making famine a real possibility. Yet the newspapers publish stories about King Louis’ lash parties and his wife’s extreme spending habits. Assuming the role you were assigned on Friday, what would you do to solve the problems in France?

10. King Called the Estates General to “convince” the 1st and 2nd Estate to pay taxes

11. What is the Estates General?
Legislative body, similar to parliament
Had not met since 1614 ( 179 years!)
Made up of members from all 3 Estates
Each Estate has one Vote

12. Estates General Voting
1 Vote First Estate
Clergy
1 Vote Second Estate Nobles
1 Vote Third Estate
Commoners

13. Situation
. The Estates General has members from each Estate but each only has one vote regardless of the population. The Nobles and the clergy plan to force the third estate to pay even more taxes so they don’t have to. 2 votes against 1
Is there another alternative?

14. Is There Another Alternative?
300 Members 1st Estate
300 Members 2nd Estate
648 Members 3rd Estate
1 Vote per Representative

15. Third Estate outvoted - what should they do?
Established the National Assembly – a new legislative body
One vote per representative
Members of the 3rd Estate, later joined by other estates
Pledged the Tennis
Court Oath
Marks the beginning
of the Moderate Phase
of the Revolution

16. What is the Tennis Court Oath?
National Assembly’s pledge to write a new constitution making France a ____________________

17. What are the stages of the French Revolution?
Moderate – people want change to constitutional monarchy
Radical – people want an end to any form of monarchy; want a republic
Reactionary – people want to return to Absolute Monarchy

18. What was the Spark? King Mobilized Troops
3rd Estate feared King would dissolve the National Assembly
The Spark:
The Bastille
is stormed

19. What is the Storming of The Bastille?
Bastille – a prison where weapons and prisoners were held
A mob charged the prison to steal weapons and free 7 prisoners
97 rioters killed
Symbol of French Independence
July 14, 1789

20. What is the Great Fear?
Rumors spread of nobles killing peasants and stealing property
In Fear, the peasants armed themselves
Peasants broke into Manors, robbed and destroyed
property

21. What Early Reforms did the National Assembly Make?
Dismantled feudal system
No more Feudal dues
Nobles give up exemption from taxation
Abolished estates
Created a new social contract for France

22. What was the first social contract of France?
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (Aug., 1789)
Focus on Individual Rights
and equality
Influenced by the Declaration
of Independence
US Constitution and
English Bill of Rights
King Louise did not accept

23. What was the March on Versailles?
Protest by French Women
Food prices in France were soaring
Wanted King to move to Paris and accept the National Assembly and Declaration of Rights

24. What was the Constitution of 1791?
Constitutional Monarchy
Guaranteed basic rights
Property owning males could vote

25. What actions can citizens take against their government?
Protest – a public demonstration of disapproval (ex )
Political action - Actions organized by citizens to bring about changes in law, or govt. conduct/policy
(Ex )
Revolution - A radical change in political organization, especially the overthrow of a government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed ( )

26. Which of the following was not a citizen action against the govt
Which of the following was not a citizen action against the govt. during the French Revolution?
Formation of the National Assembly
March on Versailles
Great Fear
Storming of the Bastille

27. Creation of the National Assembly
Which of the following events is the symbolic beginning of the French Revolution?
Creation of the National Assembly
Tennis Court Oath
Storming of the Bastille
March on Versailles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

28. Storming of the Bastille Constitution of 1791?
Which of the following events is the best example of a protest against the government’s actions?
National Assembly
March on Versailles
Storming of the Bastille
Constitution of 1791? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

29. In which of the following events did citizens vow to write a new constitution?
Constitution of 1791
Formation of the National Assembly
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Tennis Court Oath 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

30. Did everyone like the new Constitution?
Political Parties formed in the newly elected Legislative Assembly
The assembly was seated by their political views
Political division led to unrest and violence
Left
Center
Right
Radical
Moderate
Reactionary
Support Republic
want major change
Known as Jacobins
Support Constitutional Monarchy
Want some change
Support Absolute Monarchy
Want to return to the old way

31. What is the flight of the nobles?
Louis and Marie try to flee France, but are caught and returned to Paris.
Émigrés (nobles, clergy an others) flee France and tell horror stories of the events there
In fear that revolution will spread, European Monarchs condemn the revolution and begin to mass armies against a possible French threat.

32. Why did France become a Republic?
Strong Distrust of the King and Queen
Austria, Prussia and Sardinia declare war on France – fearful that Revolutions will spread to their own country
Radicals voted for the King’s imprisonment

33. What was the French Republic?
A government without a King
Constitution limits the power of the leaders elected by the people.
Every man could vote

34. What happened to King Louis XV1?
He was tried and executed

35. What was the Reign of Terror?
Beginning of the Radical Period of the Revolution
Left Wing Radicals called Jacobins took control of the new Republic’s National Convention (legislature)
Leader
Maximilien Robespierre

36. What was the Committee for Public Safety?
Neighborhood watch committees that hunted down suspected traitors and turned them in
40,000 people executed

37. What Happened to Marie Antoinette?
She is executed during the Reign of Terror

38. How does the Reign of Terror End?
Robespierre is executed
The Directory takes over
Committee of five conservative men
Still has many problems
Napoleon Bonaparte stages coup d'état – quick seizure of power
imposes new constitution - declares himself first emperor

39. What do you think is the
Reaction Of the French?

40. Marks the beginning of the Reactionary Period
I am Emperor
Ooh la la
Finally, we can
have peace and
stability again
Marks the beginning of the Reactionary Period

41. Roman Empire
French Empire

42. Napoleon Bonaparte

43. What are the top 5 facts to know about Napoleon Bonaparte?
Became Dictator of France – people were tired of the Revolution & respected his leadership
Conquered most of Europe
3 major losses contributed to his downfall
Battle of Trafalgar against English Navy
Invasion of Russia
Battle of Waterloo against Prussia, Britain, Netherlands
Created the Napoleonic Code –
New law code
Enlightenment ideas – equality, religious freedom
Continental System – protected France’s industries at the expense of Great Britain (similar to Navigation Acts it was considered “protectionism”
Exiled to Elba after defeat by foreign armies , but escaped to rule for 100 more days until his defeat at Waterloo

44. The purpose of the Continental System was to
Create a united Europe under the Leadership of France
Consolidate Europe under Napoleon’s leadership
Unify France
Defeat England through an Economic war

45. A major problem for Napoleon in his conquest of Europe was
The British Navy
The Russian Winter
The American colonists
All of the above
Both 1 and 2