I. The French Monarchy In Crisis

• Structure of the Old Regime* The King is an Absolute Monarch* Society was divided into 3 Estates

The First EstateThe High Clergy

Parish Priests

These people were nobles

These people were commoners

They managed church affairs, ran schools, kept birth and death records and cared for the poor

Collected a tithe – which was a 10% income tax - to fund these activities

.5%

Many parish priests criticized the luxury that High Clergy lived in

The Second Estate 1.5%The Nobility

Enjoyed great wealth and privilege

(Not all were wealthy but the defended their traditional rights)

Only nobles could become officers in the military or fill highchurch office

Nobles were exempt from most taxes

When Louis XIV died in 1715 French nobles tried to take back power that they had lost during his reign

led by nobles of the robe who were mostly judges in theparliament or high courts.

Had to approve the kings orders before they became law and often they didn’t, especially if they limited their power

The Third Estate 98%This literally included everyone else

Bourgeoisie

They resented the privilege of the Nobles and believed in the Enlightenment ideas of equality and social justice

These people called for the reform because the 3rd estate paid most of the taxes

- Wealthy middle classThese are the wealthiest and most outspoken

Included successful merchants

Manufacturers

Lawyers And Doctors

Small storekeepers and artisans

Peasants These people made up the largest percentage of the 3rd estate

They were a bit better off than peasants in the rest of Europe

Serfdom was mostly gone though there were some feudal dues such as fixing roads etc.

Peasants paid heavy taxes, the tithe, and rent to their landlords

Only the nobility could hunt, so peasants were not allowed to destroy animals that ate their crops

City WorkersThousands of French people worked as servants, maids, apprentices, and day laborers

Food prices grew faster than wages

The Growing Economic CrisisHISTORY:

During most of the 1700s the French economy prosperedThe population grew from 18 million in 1715 to 25 million in 1789

Food surpluses and Mercantilist policies helped support the growing population and industry

In the 1770s however, economic activity slowed

Internal customs duties and toll roads kept business from expanding

There was huge debt from the wars of Louis XIV

Poor harvests , and poorly stored surpluses lead to famine

Louis XV and Louis XVI kept borrowing money instead of paying off the debt

Support of the American Revolution doubled the national debt

Louis’ Attempts at ReformLouis saw the need for Economic Reform when he became king in 1774

But he wasn’t really interested in doing anything about it

Robert Turgot Was Louis’ finance minister

He eased the economic crisis by reducing spending

Doing away with internal tariffsSuggested that the nobles pay taxes

They said no…the lower classes alone should pay taxesLouis fired him in 1776 because he didn’t want to deal with unhappy nobles

In fa l l of 1788 Louis ca l led the Estates General to meet in May 1789

Poor harvests in 1787-8 deepened the crisis and Louis went to Paris to try to pass a new tax law

II. A Moderate Start to the RevolutionTHE ESTATES GENERAL

Each estate elected their own deputies

When the estates met in May of 1789 the 3rd Estate demanded that they all meet together

andThat all deputies have equal vote instead of meeting separately and voting as groups

The 3rd Estate was ALWAYS out voted.

Louis XVI said

Deputies from the 3rd Estate declared themselves the National Assembly

They wanted to write a Constitution for France

Louis Banished Them

NO!

THE TENNIS COURT OATHNobles and deputies of the other estates joined the Third Estate at a nearby Tennis Court

Swore that they would not disband until a Constitution was written for France

At first Louis didn’t want them to, but then ordered the 1st and 2nd Estates to join the 3rd

Oath was taken on June 20, 1789

There were some problems however, because there were deep divisions in the individual estates

Some nobles and clergy and most commoners wanted a limited constitutional monarchy like Great Britain

Radicals Were people who wanted drastic change

They wanted to do away with titles, feudal obligations, and the monarchy

The Storming of the BastilleFrench peasants wanted quick change but they didn’t get it

Louis brought troops in to Versailles for protection

ButPeople thought that he wanted to crush the National Assembly

July 14th 1789Peasants stormed a prison called the Bastille looking for weapons and gunpowder

This was a political prison that many saw as a symbol of all that was wrong with France

Between June and the beginning of August 1789, there were riots in the countryside. Peasants burned their nobles' chateaux, monasteries and buildings which housed public records.

THE GREAT FEARSoon Peasants began to hear rumors that bandits were destroying crops and homes

When no bandits showed up, the peasants rioted against their landlords

They particularly targeted documents which contained records of their feudal obligations.

The August DecreesAUGUST 4TH, 1789

Deputies arose to make speeches in support of reformThey proposed taxing the nobility, ending the tithe, and doing away with hunting rights

Abolished serfdom, ended tax-exemption, made all male citizens eligible for church and government positions

ADOPTED THE DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN AND CITIZENThis stated that all are equal under the law

Stated that democratic principles would be the basis for the French Government

Protected personal property

October 5, 1789

The March on Versailles

A crowd of mostly women, protesting high food prices marched on Versailles

They demanded that the King and Queen return with them to Paris

Louis and his family returned to Paris with themLouis was forced to wear the tricolor

This is the symbol that the revolutionaries had adopted

Showed that they were in charge!

Reforms of the National Assembly

Religious ReformsFreedom of Worship

No more special privileges for the Catholic Church

1790 – Civil Constitution of the ClergyGave the French government control of the Church

Allowed citizens to elect bishops and priests

Government took land away from the Church and began to sell it to raise money

Catholics who had supported the Revolution to this point now condemned it

The Constitution of 1791Made France a limited monarchySet up a system of separation of powers

King is the Executive

Legislature makes laws

King can veto laws

Legislature can override

the veto

Courts guarantee

equal rights under the

law

Did away with the feudal system, and erased the boundaries between estates

Problems with the new ConstitutionVery few people were happy with the new constitution

Radicals wanted to do away with the monarchy altogether

Nobles thought it went to far when it did away with privileges and title

Some nobles fled France

They became known as ÉmigrésÉmigrés are political exiles

They encouraged monarchs all over Europe to condemn the French Revolution

Even the king tried to get help

Marie Antoinette Asked her brother, the emperor of Austria, for help

Flight to VarennesJune 20-21 1791

Louis decided to try to flee Paris with his family on the night of June 20th

They disguised themselves as Russian servants and headed to Montmedy

It didn’t work though, the king was recognized and they were all arrested

Louis is now a prisoner of the Assembly and forced to accept the Constitution in September of 1791

October 1791The newly elected Legislative Assembly met for the first time

RadicalsSat on the Left

ModeratesSat in the

MiddleRoyalists/Conservatives

sat on the Right

The King’s attempt to flee made divisions among the revolutionaries worse

Moderates still wanted a limited monarchy

Radicals demand a republic

The Radicals are splitThe really radical radicals are the Jacobins

Led by Maximillien Robespierre

Wanted full democracy and universal male suffrage

The Revolution DeepensFrance at War

April 1792France declared war on Austria

Prussia joins Austria against France

France does very badly at first because many nobles left, and they were the officers

August 1792Austrian and Prussian forces surround Paris

The Brunswick ManifestoThe Duke of Brunswick warned that if Paris didn’t surrender he’d burn it to the ground and torture its leaders

September 1792The French defeat the Prussians at Valmy

August 10, 1792

Radical revolutionaries take over the Paris city government

Set up the Paris CommuneThey attacked the palace, killed many of the king’s guards, and arrested the King and Queen

They then demanded a new Constitution

The National ConventionMet in late September 1792

A trunk full of Letters saying that Louis wanted to crush the revolution were found and used as evidence against him

* Then had to decide what to do with the King

Radicals want him tried for treason and executedModerates want him imprisoned until the end of the war

November 1792:

* First act was to do away with the Monarchy and make France a Republic

Execution of The King and Queen

Louis is convicted by a 1 vote majority

He is executed on January 21, 1793

Marie Antoinette is convicted of treason and executed in October of 1793

Louis’ execution spread fear throughout Europe

The French Army started doing much better

Monarchs started to fear the spread of Revolution in their own countries

March 1793

Great Britain, The Dutch Netherlands, and Spain join the war against France

People in France began to think the war went too far and there are revolts against the revolution

Robespierre put aside the Constitution of 1793 and created

The Committee of Public SafetyWaged a war against “enemies” of the Revolution

Called the Reign of TerrorThe point was to create a Republic of VirtueThe Law of Suspects

Allowed the Committee to imprison and condemn citizens for treason on little evidence

The Committee did do good things for the revolution as well

Created and trained a new ArmyUsed a draft to make every French Man eligible for the Army

Set limits on Prices and WagesRationed Food, especially White Flour

Encouraged “Equality Bread”

French Army starts winning again in 1794

Impact of the RevolutionThe Monarchy is goneAll titles and nobility are done away withAll feudal customs are now goneClothing is changed to simple dresses and long trousersThe Metric system was established

Called for Free Public Schools