1. It was the best of times, It was the worst of times
The French Revolution
It was the best of times, It was the worst of times

2. Louis XVI Good heart, but incompetent Insecure, disliked being king
“Why can’t I resign too?”

3. Louis is looking at the chests and asks "where is the tax money
Louis is looking at the chests and asks "where is the tax money?" The financial minister, Necker, looks on and says "the money was there last time I looked." The nobles and clergy are sneaking out the door carrying sacks of money, saying "We have it."

4. French nobility What did the nobility want? Financial Crisis
greater political influence
Financial Crisis
Taxed the nobility
Nobility blocked this tax
King Louis XVI called Estates General

5. Estates General May 5, 1789 Three Estates
First estate: Catholic Church
No direct taxes, but a gift of 2 percent
Second estate: French Nobels
2% population, 20% land, no taxes
Third Estate: 98% population
Bourgeoisie, urban lower class, rural peasants
High Taxes

7. Estate General Cont. Each estate met in separate hall
Each had only 1 vote
Third estate wanted to meet all together
King ordered to follow old rules
Abbe Sieyes
“What is the Third Estate?”
Locked out of meeting hall

8. Tennis Court Oath
“The national assembly, considering that is has been summoned to establish the constitution of the kingdom…decrees that all members of this assembly shall immediately take a solemn oath not to separate…until the constitution of the Kingdom is established on firm foundations….
June 20, 1789

9. Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
August 26, 1789
National Assembly approved
All men had equal rights under the law
Adult free men, women had less rights
Slaves? Debate in Paris, led to Free Hati

10. Storming of the Bastille
Revolution: began with nobility, then started by bourgeoisie, spread to the common people
Very poor conditions in Paris for common people.
Price of bread was high due to shortages
Mobs roamed in search of weapons
Ammunition stored in Bastille
July 14, 1789 the mob stormed the Bastille
Still celebrated today in France

11. Marquis de Lafayette
Due to Storming of Bastille, National Guard was formed
Louis legalized the militia
The National Guard for National Assembly
The Paris Commander was Marquis de Lafayette
Draftee army

12. Great Fear Peasants rioted from June till August
Burned nobles’ chateaux, and other buildings
Targeted documents of feudal obligations
Spread quickly throughout France

13. August Days The Great Fear caused the National Assembly to act quickly
Feudalism was dead by the end of August

14. Women Oct. 4, 1789 Crowd of women demanded bread
Marched toward Versailles
Wanted to see “baker, the baker’s wife, and baker’s boy
King promised to distribute bread to crowd
National Guard arrived
“My friends, I will go to Paris with my wife and Children”

15. Civil Constitution of the Clergy
National Assembly resolved financial crisis
Seized church lands
Put church under control of state
Drew support away from new gov’t

16. Constitution of 1791 Created by moderate revolutionaries
Declared France Constitution Monarchy
Reps were selected by Electors
Electors elected by “active citizens”
Male, paid taxes, 2/3 able to vote
Small number qualified as electors or representatives
Monarch had limited powers
No control over army, or local government
Constitution lasted only 1 year

17. Au revoir King Louis XVI
June 20, 1791
King and his Family set out for Austria
People outraged with this news
Demands for new government: a republic
Captured King Louis

18. Sans-culottes Without trousers
Working men wore loose trousers instead of knee breeches of nobility
1790 began to be politically active
Looked for simple solutions

19. New National Guard Marquis de Lafayette
French Flag= white, blue and red
Marseillaise music
War with Austria
Not going well, counter-revolutionaries

20. Revolution begins Georges-Jaques Danton The mob took to the streets
“…boldness and again boldness, and always boldness…”
The mob took to the streets
Attacked prisons, held mock trials, and slaughtered many inmates
September 7th, over 1,000 dead

21. September Massacres By 1792 constitutional monarch fell Louis on Trial
Jan. 23, 1793 Louis XVI killed
“I forgive those who are guilty of my death”

22. Girondins Girondins Equal rights to free blacks and mulattoes
Wanted war with Austria to show france’s strength
Against the September massacres

23. Jacobins More radical, critical of Girondins Jean-Paul Marat
Arrested and loved by the people of Paris
Wanted execution of King
Had 22 Girondin leaders arrested and executed
Marat was killed, became martyr

24. The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David

25. Reign of Terror After Death of Louis XVI began the Reign of Terror
Guillotine
Public executions were considered educational
2,400 people ordered to be executed by July 1794
30,000 people died across France
Designed to fight enemies of revolution
Watch committees

27. Maximilien Robespierre
“Softness to Traitors will destroy us all”
Mastermind of Reign of Terror
Feared by all, including other radical Jacobins
Danton spoke out
Killed
Went too far
Last victim of Reign of Terror

28. New Government 1795 people were tired of instability and bloodshed
Republic was gone
The Directory
5 business men ruled France
Ineffectual and coup d’etat of 1799
Napoleon Bonaparte