1. The French Revolution
One of the most important events in history…taught in one class period.

2. Causes The Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau were encouraging people to question life and government
Thought that LOGIC and REASON should be the basis of government and life
NOT DIVINE RIGHT
Kings and church=Angry

3. The Enlightenment Ideas of the Enlightenment
People are born with rights
Government should be selected by the people
People should have a say in their government
Governments who abuse their power should be ended

4. Causes
The Enlightenment
The people were inspired by these ideas

5. Causes of Revolution Finances (France was broke)
Total misallocation of funds in France
Spent money on military and foreign wars. HUGE DEBT
Monarchs spend money on luxury items
Palaces, clothing, Art
Only the poor pay taxes
The wealthy kept their money while the poor starved

6. AND
A famine hit France in the 1780’s and killed the wheat …no bread

7. France 1789 Monarchy Wealthy, well fed, clothed, lived in palace
Average Person
Poor, starving, live with 10 people in one small cottage

8. Causes of Revolution The Estate System
The population was broken into three estates (social classes)
Each of the three Estates got ONE vote in the Estates General

9. Voting in the Estate System
Question: Raise taxes on peasants?
NO!
Yes!
Yes!

10. Voting in the Estate System
Question: Tax the nobles?
Yes!
NO!
NO!

11. Voting in the Estate System
Question: Limit the money given to the king?
Yes!
NO!
NO!

12. Problems with the Estates General
The third estate was never included in decisions
The third estate made up 97% of France, thus was significantly underrepresented
Had not come together in over 100 years

14. Louis XVI notices that the people are unhappy
Invites the third estate to come and speak to government leaders
This meeting is called the “Estates General”

15. Meeting of the Estates General
Hey, this doesn't’t make sense!
So?
Sure it does.

16. Meeting of Estates General
Each group should have the number of votes of PEOPLE they represent!
Heck no!
Robespierre

17. Meeting of Estates General
Not asking. Join in or prepare for a beat-down.
HA! You and what army?
Robespierre

18. Meeting of Estates General
Ummm…we are the army, remember?
Oh right. We didn't’t want to get dirty.
Robespierre

19. Meeting of Estates General
Lets take a break

20. Meeting of Estates General
Hurry! Lock the door while they are in the bathroom!

21. Meeting of Estates General
HA! NOW WHAT!?
Robespierre

22. Meeting of Estates General
Fine. We will be in the tennis court, forming a new government.
Robespierre

23. Meeting of Estates General
Shoot.
Robespierre

24. WE ARE THE PEOPLE. WE ARE TAKING OVER THIS GOVERNMENT
WE ARE THE PEOPLE! WE ARE TAKING OVER THIS GOVERNMENT. We are no longer the “Third Estate” we are the National Assembly.

25. Robespierre

26. Tennis Court Oath
While in the tennis court, the people decided that they were going to write a Constitution
They stated that they were not going to leave the palace until their constitution was considered
Robespierre

27. Meanwhile…
Rumors spread in the city of Paris about Louis XIV locking out the third estate
People are angry

28. Fine. Have your assembly.
Robespierre

29. This seems like a good time to randomly send troops into the city of Paris.

30. The soldiers are coming into the city
The soldiers are coming into the city! The king must be trying to kill us all!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

31. WE NEED GUNS. Kill the soldiers before they kill us
WE NEED GUNS! Kill the soldiers before they kill us! We must invade the Bastille and take the guns!
AHHHHHHHHHHHH
BASTILLE
(where the guns are)

32. Wait, can we talk about this?
Robespierre
Manager of Bastille

33. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

34. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
But first, lets write a document to start a new government!
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
Got it.

35. July 14, 1789
AHHHHHHHHHHHH

36. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

37. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

38. Go back to Versailles and never come back!
Robespierre

39. Its nice that they let us live, right. Lets steal some bread from them
Its nice that they let us live, right? Lets steal some bread from them. I am sure they will be okay with that.
Sure!

40. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

41. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

42. RUN AWAY!!!

43. Hey! WHATS THAT!?

44. Trial of Louis XVI and M.A.
DIE
Why is everyone so mad?

46. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

48. Jacobins
A political party in Paris who supported the removal of Louis XVI
Attempted to help France transition into a new government

49. Meanwhile…back in Paris
People still have no food
People still have no money
Many nobles begin to leave France
Which you would think is a good thing, but nobles needed to stay because they were the only ones with any money

50. Committee of Public Safety
Leader: Robespierre
Job: Be the government of France until another government is created.
Military
Finance
Public issues

51. Committee of Public Safety
Robespierre eventually takes too much power under the committee of Public Safety
Essentially a dictator
Ironic, yes?

52. The Reign of Terror Time when Robespierre was leader of France
Wanted to get rid of any trace of Frances past
Redistributed the calendar
12 months
30 days in each month
No Sundays
Closed all Churches
Executed anyone who threatened the “Revolution” or who was guilty of association with Frances past
(Basically, they killed all the nobles)

53. Karma…
In 1794 members of the Committee of Public Saftey realized the Robespierre was out of control
They captured him and killed him using the guillotine

54. Revolution over? Not exactly
Still poor.
Still scared.

55. Napoleon Bonaparte
I will help you!
(I’m on a horse.)