French Revolution Anticipation

French Revolution Anticipation

French Revolution Anticipation

French Revolution Anticipation

• …with one stroke severed his head from his body. The youngest of the guards, who

• seemed about eighteen, immediately seized the head, and showed it to the people as

• he walked around the scaffold. At first an awful silence prevailed, at length some

• cries of “Long Live the Republic!” were heard...the voices multiplied and in less

• than ten minutes this cry, a thousand times repeated, became the universal shout

• of the multitude, and every hat was in the air

• 21 January, 1793

French Revolution Anticipation

• ...to the right were the benches

• on which the accused were

• placed in several rows...to the

• left was the jury...

• ...the weighty knife was then

• dropped with a heavy fall; and,

• with incredible rapidity, two

• executioners tossed the body

• into the basket, while another

• threw the head after it...

• ...the next unfortunate soul was

• placed in position...

• October, 1793

The Three Estates The Three Estates

Brainpop1st estate – less than 1% of

population 2nd estate – 2% of population 3rd estate – 97% of population

The French Monarchy:The French Monarchy:1775 - 17931775 - 1793

Marie Antoinette & Louis Marie Antoinette & Louis XVIXVI

The Old Regime and the The Old Regime and the Estates General Estates General

Absolutism & Old Regime strict social, political & economic divisions

(three social classes w/ very different roles & rights)

1. First Estate 1% – Catholic Clergy

2. Second Estate 2% – rich nobles who owned 20% land & paid almost NO taxes

3. Third Estate 97% - Commoners– upper-class, educated bourgeoisie– workers who were paid low wages & often

went hungry– peasants – 50% of income paid in taxes

The French Urban The French Urban PoorPoor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

% of Income Spent on Bread

1787

1788

Let Them Eat Cake! Let Them Eat Cake!

Y Marie Antoinette

Y Marie Antoinette NEVER said that!Marie Antoinette NEVER said that!

Y ““Madame Deficit”Madame Deficit”

Y ““The Austrian Whore”The Austrian Whore”

Marie Antoinette’sMarie Antoinette’s“Peasant Cottage”“Peasant Cottage”

Marie Antoinette’sMarie Antoinette’s“Peasant Cottage”“Peasant Cottage”

Marie Marie AntoineAntoine

tte tte and the and the Royal Royal

ChildrenChildren

Forces of Change Forces of Change 3rd Estate was discontent, restless & many were hungry & angry

King Louis XVI – huge debts: support of American Revolution, Seven Year’s War, & luxury spending

1789 – Louis is forced by nobles to call a meeting of the Estates General (legislature of all 3 estates) because he tried to tax the 2nd Estate

Educated revolutionaries encourage 3rd Estate to get involved & demand rights & powers in government – ENLIGHTENMENT IDEALS HAVE A HUGE IMPACT!

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Number of The Number of RepresentativesRepresentatives

in the Estates General: Vote in the Estates General: Vote by Head!by Head!300

300

648

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy

2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Suggested Voting The Suggested Voting Pattern:Pattern:

Voting by EstatesVoting by Estates

Louis XIV insisted that Louis XIV insisted that the ancient distinction of the the ancient distinction of the three orders be conserved in its entirety.three orders be conserved in its entirety.

Convening the Estates General Convening the Estates General May, 1789May, 1789

Last time it was called into session was Last time it was called into session was 1614!1614!

Abbé SieyèsAbbé SieyèsWhat is the Third What is the Third Estate? Estate? Everything!Everything!

What has it beenWhat has it been heretofore in the heretofore in the political order? political order? Nothing! Nothing!

What does it demand?What does it demand? To become To become somethingsomething therein! therein!

Suggested that 3Suggested that 3rdrd Estate delegates name Estate delegates name themselves the themselves the National National Assembly Assembly and make and make laws for the people of laws for the people of FranceFrance

Abbé Sieyès Abbé Sieyès (3(3rdrd Estate Layer) Estate Layer)

1748-18361748-1836

““The Third Estate The Third Estate Awakens”Awakens”Y The commoners finally presented their The commoners finally presented their

credentials not as delegates of the Third credentials not as delegates of the Third Estate, but as Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”“representatives of the nation.”

Y They proclaimed themselves the “National They proclaimed themselves the “National Assembly” of France.Assembly” of France.

““The Tennis Court The Tennis Court Oath”Oath”

by Jacques Louis Davidby Jacques Louis David

June 17, 1789June 17, 1789

The Tennis Court Oath The Tennis Court Oath – French citizens of the Third Estate voted to

establish the National Assembly. – This, in effect, ended the monarchy and

began representative democracy.– Three days later the Third Estate Delegates

were locked out of their meeting room.– They broke down the door to an indoor

tennis court and pledged to stay until a new constitution had been written.

Storming the Bastille July Storming the Bastille July 14, 1789 14, 1789 Y A rumor that the king was planning a military A rumor that the king was planning a military

coup against the National Assembly and coup against the National Assembly and planned to use foreign troops to massacre planned to use foreign troops to massacre citizens citizens Y Mob tried to get Mob tried to get

gunpowder gunpowder from the from the Bastille Bastille

Y Angry mob Angry mob overwhelmed overwhelmed the king’s the king’s soldierssoldiers

Y Bastille fell into Bastille fell into hands of hands of citizenscitizens

Y July 14July 14thth is is French French Independence Independence DayDay

The Declaration of the Rights of The Declaration of the Rights of ManMan

August 27, August 27, 17891789

V Liberty!Liberty!

V Property!Property!

V Resistance to Resistance to oppression!oppression!

V Freedom of speech Freedom of speech and religion!and religion!

V Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was in Paris at this was in Paris at this time.time.

The Declaration of the The Declaration of the Rights of ManRights of Man

***This angered women******This angered women***

The Old Regime in France had The Old Regime in France had been abolished.been abolished.

All three estates (all Frenchmen) All three estates (all Frenchmen) were subject to the same laws and were subject to the same laws and the same taxes and eligible for the the same taxes and eligible for the same offices.same offices.

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was in Paris at this was in Paris at this time – Why is this time – Why is this

significant?significant?

V France supported France supported the Independence the Independence of the USof the US

V Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was there to help was there to help them write their them write their own Declaration of own Declaration of Independence.Independence.

V He was also there He was also there to determine how to determine how to pay France backto pay France back

Slogan of the Slogan of the Revolution Revolution

LibertyLibertyEquality!Equality!

Fraternity!Fraternity!

The Tricolor (1789)The Tricolor (1789)

The WHITE of the The WHITE of the Bourbons + the RED Bourbons + the RED

& BLUE of Paris.& BLUE of Paris.

Citizen!Citizen!

The Tricolor is the The Tricolor is the Fashion!Fashion!

The “Liberty Cap”: The “Liberty Cap”: Bonne RougeBonne Rouge

Revolutionary SymbolsRevolutionary Symbols

CockadeCockade

Revolutionary Revolutionary ClockClock

La RepublicLa RepublicLibertéLiberté

Great Fear (October 1789)Great Fear (October 1789)King and Queen Leave King and Queen Leave

Versailles Versailles

6,000 Parisian women rioted over rising price of bread. Seizing knives and axes they marched on

Versailles. They killed two guards and demanded the royal family come to Paris. The family left-

never to return. This event signaled the change of power.

The Royal Family Attempts to The Royal Family Attempts to Flee – June 1791Flee – June 1791

Y Helped by a Swedish CountHelped by a Swedish Count

Y Headed Austrian Netherlands Headed Austrian Netherlands

Y The King was recognized near the The King was recognized near the French borderFrench border

Y His attempt to escape France angered His attempt to escape France angered his radical enemies and sealed his fatehis radical enemies and sealed his fate

Louis XVI Accepts the Louis XVI Accepts the Constitution Constitution

& the National Assembly-& the National Assembly-17911791

-After his attempted escape, Louis gave Legislative Assembly the power to make French laws and approve or prevent any war the king declared -Food shortages and debt still plagued the new government

National Convention National Convention

• Members of the Legislative Assembly gave up the idea of the limited monarchy

• They set aside the Constitution of 1791- declared the king disposed, dissolved their assembly, began a new legislature known as the National Convention, and declared France a republic

War and Extreme War and Extreme MeasuresMeasures

FRANCEFRANCE 17921792 AUSTRIAAUSTRIAPRUSSIAPRUSSIA

Austria and Prussia Austria and Prussia proposed that France put proposed that France put Louis back on the throneLouis back on the throne

The Legislative Assembly declared war on The Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria Austria (Prussia joined Austria) (Prussia joined Austria)

This military crisis did not go well for the French. This military crisis did not go well for the French. Prussian commander threatened to destroy Paris if Prussian commander threatened to destroy Paris if royal family was harmed. This statement infuriated the royal family was harmed. This statement infuriated the Parisians and Parisians and 20,000 men and women invaded the 20,000 men and women invaded the TuileriesTuileries, , captured and imprisoned the royal family. captured and imprisoned the royal family.

Execution of a KingExecution of a King• During the summer of 1792 leaders of

mobs controlled power in France • Citizens joined political groups, the most

radical group being the Jacobins• Jacobins wanted to remove the king• Delegates reduced King Louis XVI to a

common citizen and prisoner• Guided by the Jacobins- they tried Louis

for treason, found him guilty, and by a close vote sentenced him to death

• January 21, 1793 – beheaded by the guillotine

and Queenand Queen

• Marie Antoinette was beheaded on October 16, 1793, two and a half weeks before her thirty-eighth birthday

• She wore a simple white dress

• Her last words were, "Pardon me Sir, I meant not to do it," to the executioner, whose foot she accidentally stepped on before she was executed by the guillotine

Reign of Terror Reign of Terror • Foreign armies, peasants horrified by the

beheading of the king, priests who disliked gov’t control, and rival leaders all threatened the power of the French republic

• Maximilien Robespierre gains power

• Summer of 1793- Robespierre became leader of the Committee of Public Safety

Reign of Terror Reign of Terror • From July 1793-July 1794 he governs

France almost as a dictator and this period becomes known as the Reign of Terror

• 3,000 people died – mostly peasants and middle class citizens

End of TerrorEnd of Terror• July 1794 – members of

the National convention turned on Robespierre

• Beheaded him• 1795 – moderate

leaders drafted the third form of gov’t in France in less than 10 years

• A two house legislature and an executive body of five men known as the Directory