The French Revolution

1
The French Revolution

• Louis XVI - Napoleon

2
Setting the Stage

• 1788 King Louis XVI needs cash
• France bankrupt
• Fighting the British during the 7 Years War
  (French and Indian War)
• Supported America during the American Revolution
• Upkeep on Palace of Versailles

3
Louis Calls the Estates-General

• Estates General
• Similar to Parliament
• Representatives from each of the 3 classes of
  French society

1st Estate - Clergy
2nd Estate - Nobles
3rd Estate Everyone else - bourgeoisie -
artists, farmers, Peasants, city workers etc
4
Divide up room

• 1st Estate on right (2 people)
• 2nd Estate in middle ( 2 people)
• 3rd Estate on left ( everyone else)
• The issue for todays vote
• Extra Credit

5
Estates General

• 1st Estate has 300 members and one vote
• 2nd Estate has 300 members and one vote
• 3rd Estate has 600 members and one vote
• How do you feel about this if you are in the 3rd
  Estate???
• WHY?

6
Demand for Change

• 3rd Estate wants to change voting procedures.
• Want to establish a National Assembly where EACH
  representative has a vote.

7
King Louis XVIs Response

• Get the idea??

NADA!!! No!!, No Way!!! Aint gonna happen!!!,
Forgetaboutit!!! Nope!!! Uh-uh!!! Not on my
watch!!! Not here, not now, not ever!!!
8
3rd Estate Response

• May 1789 -Representatives meet on an indoor
  tennis court and pledged that they would not
  leave until the king agrees to their demands
• The Tennis Court Oath
• Embarrassing situation for the king
• King agrees
• Establishment of The National Assembly

9
Bastille Day

• July 1789 French farmers, peasants do not have
  enough to eat and are paying high taxes
• Nobles out of touch (Let them eat cake)
• Peasants getting a bit rowdy
• Louis XVI starts assembling troops at Versailles
• People fear he is planning to attack the new
  National Assembly and arrest members

10
Bastille Day continued

• People in Paris hear about the troops
• Begin to riot.
• July 14, 1789 - Attack the Bastille fortress
  prison in Paris holding political prisoners,
  debtors, criminals etc.
• Seen as a symbol of Kings power
• People storm the prison and free the prisoners.

11
Declaration of the Rights of Man

• National Assembly votes to eliminate all classes,
  titles, nobility.
• Say nobles and clergy must pay taxes too
• Serves as a basis for French Constitution

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
12
Revolution gets out of hand

• Riots soon spread to countryside
• Peasants attack nobles in their houses. Kill
  many nobles
• Nobles and Clergy living in fear

13
Revolution Getting out of Control

• King Louis XVI attempts to flee the country with
  his wife Marie Antoinette
• Captured and brought back
• Radicals getting more say in how the government
  should be run

14
Outside Influences

• 1792-1793 Other nations of Europe worry that
  revolution in France will spread to their
  countries.

15
This is not good
This is getting out of hand
We better stop this
The killed their King!!!
16
Other nations invade France

• Austria, Prussia (Germany), Spain, Britain, wage
  war on France.
• French fight them off
• Radicals in France gain even more power

17
Rule of Revolution 2

• In the midst of chaos, the one who comes out on
  top is the one who is most organized and willing
  to speak out.

18
Radicals Gain Control

• Robespierre and the Committee for Public Safety
• Begin hunting down all those seen as a threat to
  the Revolution
• 1793 Louis and Marie sent to the guillotine
• Reign of Terror Begins
• Around 30,000 people will be sent to the
  guillotine
• Nobles, peasants, workers, anyone Robespierre saw
  as a threat to the revolution

19
Reign of Terror

• Reign of Terror Begins
• Around 30,000 people will be sent to the
  guillotine
• Nobles, peasants, workers, anyone Robespierre saw
  as a threat to the revolution

20
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End of Reign of Terror

• 1794 National Convention feels Robespierre has
  gone over the line
• He is arrested, tried, convicted and executed
• Dont you just love the irony of it all???

22
Impact of the Revolution

• Monarchy is gone
• Old feudal customs are gone
• Slavery in French colonies abolished
• France becomes democratic country
• The Directory
• 2 house legislature and committee of 5 Directors
• Inefficient, quarrelsome,
• France has LARGE, experienced army
• Rising young star in that army Napoleon
  Bonaparte