1. Conditions in France - 1789

2. Series of events Bad harvest, less wheat produced Bad weather – cold winter Foreign wars – expensive King’s luxury – expensive Unfair taxation system Lack of political representation

3. Public discussion Estates General had not met in 175 years No public forum to discuss issues Monarch has complete control Monarch reluctant to change policies

4. People are hungry Peasants are starving Bread price rose steeply (wheat shortage) France could not afford to import wheat France is in debt – cannot pay all its bills Louis wants to tax the Nobles – they refuse He’s not hungry

5. Street protests “Bread” riots break out in Paris Louis calls a meeting of the Estates General All three estates prepare notebooks of complaints (cahiers in French)

6. Cahiers People had many complaints Taxes Service to masters (the boss) Press freedom Regulations & restrictions Lack of Estates General meetings

7. “20 million must live on half the wealth of France while the clergy…devour the other half.”

8. May, 1789 Estates General met – each estate got one vote Third estate wanted reforms Third estate wanted a vote based on overall number of delegates No agreement could be reached with the 1 st and 2 nd estates

9. National Assembly declared 3 rd estate declared itself the National Assembly in June, 1789 They were then locked out of the meeting room Moved to an indoor tennis court

11. Tennis Court Oath On the tennis court, the delegates swore to: “Never to separate and to meet wherever circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution.”

12. To the Bastille Storming the Bastille A funnier version BBC Horrible Histories Storming the Bastille BBC Horrible Histories Reading of The Rights of Man and of Citizen

13. Chronology – first phase Meeting of Estates General Lock-out of 3 rd Estate Declaration of National Assembly Tennis Court Oath Storming of the Bastille National Assembly issues a Declaration of Rights of Man and of the Citizen King approves the “rights” declaration

14. Chronology – foreign threats King and Marie-Antoinette attempt to flee Paris: they are captured and returned to Paris Threat of foreign invasion to protect royalty October, 1791 – National Assembly is elected High inflation – value of currency falls The sans-culottes (without breeches) radicalize the revolution

15. Chronology – push for a republic Sans-Culotte team with Jacobins (intellectuals and lawyers) seeking a republic National Assembly declares opposition to tyranny everywhere National Assembly declares war on Austria, Britain, Prussia and other states that oppose the revolution

16. Chronology – radical phase 1792 – king’s guards slaughtered by mob 1793 - King is tried & beheaded (Jan) France declared a republic 1793 – Marie-Antoinette tried & beheaded (Oct.) The Committee for Public Safety is formed Reign of Terror begins (25,000 beheaded)

17. The guillotine rules France “It (the reign of terror) is necessary to stifle the domestic and foreign enemies of the Republic or perish with them….the first maxim of our politics ought to be to lead the people by means of reason and the enemies of the people by terror….if the basis of popular government in time if peace if virtue, the basis of popular government in time of revolution is both virtue and terror.” – Maximilien Robespierre, 1794

18. History Channel documentary French Revolution - History Channel

19. Chronology – return to a single ruler 1794 – Revolution ends 1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte becomes emperor France has a new absolute ruler