The French Revolution

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The French Revolution

• Enlightened Chaos

Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix
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Review (Quiz)

• Question 1 List the best reason for why
  England was the most powerful country in the
  world by the mid-18th century.
• Question 2 A government whose power is defined
  and limited by the law is called a ___________
  government.

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Review (Quiz)

• Question 3 Only one out of _____ (number)
  colonists supported the American Revolution. The
  others were either Loyalists and neutral.
• Question 4 True / False
• Common Sense was a pamphlet written by the
  Englishman, John Locke, which supported the
  ideals of the Enlightenment.

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Review (Quiz)

• Question 5 Which European country joined the
  side of the American colonists, after they had
  demonstrated that they could actually win the
  American Revolutionary War?

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Review

• With a partner. (2 minutes)
• Think of the causes of the American Revolution.
  Do you think the colonists were justified in
  rebelling against King George and England?
  Why/why not?

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The French Revolution

• Enlightened Chaos

Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix
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French Revolution

• In a nutshell
• Stage One Moderate Reform
• Stage Two Violent Reform
• Stage Three Napoleons Reign
• Stage Four Legitimate Monarchies
• Today Stage One

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Preview

• Today, you will be able to answer
• What was the social structure of France before
  the French Revolution?
• What were the causes of the French Revolution?
• Describe some early events of the French
  Revolution.

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France Review

• What was the government of France like at the end
  of the Age of Absolutism?
• Who was the last French Absolute Monarch we
  talked about?
• What was he like? What did he do? What was his
  legacy?

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France Social Structure
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The Old Regime

• The Three Estates
• 1st EstateClergy
• Rich church workers
• 2nd EstateNobility
• Knights, landed rich
• 3rd EstateEveryone Else
• BourgeoisieFrench middle-class
• Rural Peasants (9 out of 10)
• Urban Workers
• All controlled by?

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France Social Structure
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France Social Structure
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The Problem with France

• Enlightenment Ideals
• Which two estates would be criticized by
  Enlightenment ideals?
• Crippled Economy
• Deficit Spending
• Greatly affects 3rd Estate
• Poor Harvests
• Lack of breadbread riots
• Greatly affects 3rd Estate

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A Quote

• Everything conspires to render the present
  period in France critical the lack of bread
  is terrible accounts arrive every moment from
  the provinces of riots and disturbances, and
  calling in the military, to preserve the peace of
  the markets.
• Arthur Young
• (English visitor to France, 1787-1789)

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Causes of the French Revolution

• Growing resentment of the monarchy
• Enlightenment ideas spreading
• Huge economic problems
• Imbalance in French society
• American Revolution

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French Reformation?

• Louis XV
• 1st and 2nd Estate Tax???
• Louis XVI
• Weak, indecisive
• The Estates General
• A legislative body consisting of all three French
  estates to aide the king in decision-making.
• No True Power

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The National Assembly (1789)

• The Traditional Estates General
• Separate Assemblies
• Cashiers
• The National Assembly (1789)
• Wanted vote taken By the head.
• Unofficial New Government3rd Estate
• Beginning of the French Revolution

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The Tennis Court Oath

• We swear never to separate and to meet whenever
  the circumstances might require until we have
  established a sound and just constitution.

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The National Assembly

• The Tennis Court Oath
• A meeting of the three estates of France pledged
  to meet until a constitution was written.

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Storming of the Bastille

• The Bastille
• Political Prison
• Symbol of the King
• 800 Parisians storm the Bastille
• Bastille DayJuly 14, 1789

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The Great Fear

• Peasant uprisings against nobles in the
  countryside
• Paranoia (why?)
• Factions and militias form

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The Shift of Power

• From king?National Assembly
• e.g. Great Fear, Storming of Bastille, king
  brought back to Paris and imprisoned
• Allows moderate reforms to take place

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The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the
Citizen

• Based on Declaration of Independence (written by
  the National Assembly)
• Liberty, property, security, and resistance to
  oppression.
• French Revolution Slogan
• Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

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Reforms of the National Assembly

• Political Changes
• Proclaimed all male citizens equal before the
  law.
• Limited the power of the monarchy
• Established the Legislative Assembly to make laws
• Granted all tax-paying male citizens the right to
  elect members of the Legislative Assembly

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Reforms of the National Assembly

• Social and Economic Changes
• Abolished special privileges of the nobility
• Announced an end to feudalism
• Called for taxes to be levied according to
  ability to pay

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Reforms of the National Assembly

• Religious Changes
• Declared freedom of religion
• Took over and sold Church lands
• Placed the French Catholic Church under the
  control of the state
• Provided that bishops and priests be elected and
  receive government salaries

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Review Questions

• Notes closed!!
• What was the social structure of France before
  the French Revolution?
• What were the causes of the French Revolution?
• Describe some early events of the French
  Revolution.

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Assignment

• Complete the Marseilles Hymn activity for the
  next class period.

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Preview of Things to Come?