1. The French Revolution 1788-1799 Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

3. Estates
Old Order – Frances hereditary class system - class born into, remain in.
Estate – all French people belonged to one of three. Determined legal rights and status
First Estate – Clergy
Catholic clergy (religious leaders)
No taxes
Lived in great style

4. Estates Second Estate – Nobles Old royalty, land owners
@2% of pop. Own 25% of land, don’t pay taxes
Special social and political privileges (high positions in govt, church, army)
Lived in great style
Income from peasants that lived and worked their land

5. Estates Third Estate – Others
Bourgeoisie – merchants, bankers, artisans, no power, high taxes
Working class – low wages
Peasants(farmers) 80% of population
Pd. ½ of all taxes (tithe to church, feudal dues to nobles, land tax to king)
97% of all French

7. Why no taxes for rich/powerful? – kept them on King’s side
How did third estate feel? – 97% of population against the King

8. Factors of the Revolution
Financial problems
Taxes – peasants pay most of taxes, nobility and clergy exempt
Debt
Gov. gave $6 million to American Colonists to fight against England in Revolutionary War
50% of national budget paid for loans to fight England
25% paid for military expenditures
6% paid for parties, clothing, expensive lifestyle of the king and queen
Crop failure – leads to starvation
Growing inflation due to debt

9. Factors of the Revolution
Enlightenment
John Locke’s ideas of natural rights to life, liberty, property
Locke’s ideas of the right to overthrow government if not protecting your rights

10. Factors of the Revolution
Weak Leader
Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette
Very Young (19/18yrs)
Make bad decisions

11. Factors of the Revolution
Social Classes –
1st and 2nd have special privileges
3rd estate is 97% of population
Bourgeoisie (middle class) of 3rd Estate pay most of the taxes, lead the revolution

12. Estates General Meeting of 3 estates to make laws
Called by Louis XVI to get 1 & 2 Estates to pay taxes/raise $
1st time met in 175 yrs (1614)
each estate gets one vote (third estates calls for individual vote)
1 & 2 band together to block 3rd Estate
3rd Estate leaves and forms the National Assembly

13. Citizen Action
3 Types of citizen action - taken by French Citizens during the revolution to change their government
1. Social Protests – citizens demonstrate against a government action or policy they want to change
2. Political Action – citizens write or change a law to change a government policy or action
3. Revolution – citizens attempt a radical change in their government usually through an overthrow of the existing government

14. National Assembly – Political Action
meet on Tennis Court
Tennis Court Oath - vow to not leave until write a constitution for France = Tennis Court Oath
King orders 1st and 2nd estate to join National Assembly
Why? Fear of what 3rd Estate might accomplish
3rd Estate now has majority vote
King gathers troops for his protection – makes people think he’s going to break up the National Assembly

15. French revolution
Storming of the Bastille – July 14, 1789 (like our 4th)- Revolution
Bastille – jail for political prisoners & where weapons held
Bastille symbolizes injustices of Monarchy
3rd Estates - storm jail and let prisoners out
Symbolic beginning of the French Revolution, and Frances Independence Day

16. French Revolution
Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizens (Part of French Constitution Today) – Political Action
Purpose to establish equality in France and abolish the class system
Incorporated Enlightenment ideas
Montesquieu’s ideas of separation of powers
Rousseau’s belief in the will of the majority
Locke’s beliefs in natural rights
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence
Louis XVI rejects declaration

17. French Revolution March on Versailles – Social Protest
6000 angry women march on Versailles
Protesting against food shortages and price of bread
Want king to move to Paris and accept the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and National Assembly
Louis XVI arrested and forced to leave Versailles for Paris

18. French Revolution Constitution of 1791 – Political Action
Made France a Constitutional Monarchy
Unicameral legislature (one house legislature) called National Convention
King as executive
Everyone equal, all legislators get a vote
Delegates seated by their political beliefs

19. 3 political groups in the Legislative Assembly
Left Center Right
Radical Moderates Reactionary
Big change Open to some change Want to return to past policies
Support Democracy Support Constitutional Monarchy Support Absolute Monarchy
Jacobins Plain Emigres

20. Decline of Monarchy
Jacobins start to gain control in 1792 – want a Republic
Louis XVI is tried before Convention and convicted of conspiring against the liberty of a nation
Executed by the guillotine
Austria and Prussia declare war on France – ***fearful of revolution spreading to Austria

21. Reign of Terror Robespierre
Jacobin – wants change from limited monarchy to republic
Executes anyone related to monarchy (priests, nobles)
Executes “traitors” – 40K mostly commoners
Killed by guillotine by others afraid of him killing them
Death ended violence

22. Committee for Public Safety
Neighborhood watch committees hunted down suspected traitors and turned them over to the courts
Neighbor turned on neighbor, many innocent people executed

23. Directory New Constitution 2House legislature
5-man executive committee
power more divided – sounds good? But is it? What challenges?
Can’t make decisions, debate, but nothing accomplished
Growing gap between rich and poor, many dissatisfied
French people looked for leadership →