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The French Revolution

The French Revolution. The Enlightenment- an 18 th century intellectual movement based on the principles of reason and common sense that challenged the prevailing attitudes of religion and tradition. Important ideas…. Contractual government The General Will Limited royal power

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The French Revolution

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  1. The French Revolution

  2. The Enlightenment- an 18th century intellectual movement based on the principles of reason and common sense that challenged the prevailing attitudes of religion and tradition.

  3. Important ideas… • Contractual government • The General Will • Limited royal power • Checks and balances • Social equality • Humanitarianism

  4. Failure of the Enlightenment • The use of pure reason did not take into account some inescapable elements of human behavior such as: • Emotions • Desires • Passions • Appetites • Willpower

  5. 25 years of Chaos • The French Revolution 1789-1799 • The Age of Napoleon 1799-1815

  6. A turning point in Western Civilization • after the revolution had run its course... Europe was not the same place… • the stage was set for the modern political, social and economic systems that is the western world today... • However, France seemed the least likely for such dramatic changes.

  7. Underlying causes of the Revolution: • The legacy of the Middle Ages • The inequalities of the Old Regime --privileges of the 1st & 2nd Estates • the corruption & inefficiency of government and justice • The English & American Revolutions • The Enlightenment writers

  8. The Clergy -------------------------------------------------- 1st Estate 2nd Estate The Nobility 3rd Estate Everyone else! bourgeoisie artisans peasants and urban poor The Old Regime

  9. The First Estate- 1% population; 15% land • The Upper Clergy / The Lower Clergy • Paid no taxes- made a “free gift” • Collected tithes from peasants • Monopoly of religion-“The Sunday pulpit” • Operated the French school system • Censored books and plays • Provided relief for the poor • Kept birth, marriage and death records

  10. The Second Estate 2% - 30% • The Aristocracy or nobility, were exempt from taxes; • Nobles of the Sword & Nobles of the Robe • Collected feudal dues (banalities); • Held highest positions in government, church & army; • Liberals and Conservatives

  11. Third Estate 97% - 55% • Bourgeoisie – educated and industrious, many paid taxes but had no voice in government and were denied top positions despite their talent. • Artisans • Peasants –paid the bulk of the taxes • Day laborers gardeners, handymen, deliverymen, thieves, beggars • Estimate census: 21,000,000 people

  12. Inherited debt…

  13. Aid to the American colonists…

  14. Life at Versailles Palace…

  15. Pensions and gifts…

  16. A limited tax base…

  17. Marie Antoinette…

  18. The fiscal crisis of Louis XVI: 1786 – 3 billion livres in debtLouis’ plan to deal with the debt problem: Assembly of Notables • “ask” for permission to initiate a tax based on land ownership… • The response by the aristocracy…(their hidden agenda) • Louis had to call a meeting of the Estates-General

  19. The Estates-General… • Voting by Estates…

  20. The Tennis Court Oath, June 20, 1789 Louis ordered all three estates to meet together

  21. The Liberal Agenda... • limit the despotic, inefficient monarchy • institute a written constitution • guarantee the rights of all citizens • establish a national Parlement • reform the administrative & judicial systems • reform the tax and financial system • Insure a free, uncensored press • standardize weights & measures

  22. Louis changed his mind…decided to disrupt the assembly and sidetrack its goals • 18,000 troops called to Paris and Versailles • Jacques Necker dismissed • Backlash in Paris…

  23. 7 prisoners, 30 Swiss Guard….no gunpowder!

  24. “The Great Fear” ...July 20th - August 4th • delegates at the Assembly resumed their longwinded and inconclusive debates… • a rumor was started- nobles were paying gangs of brigands to steal & destroy the crops of peasants. • violent insurrections against landlords- burning their castles and destroying all records of feudal obligations…(peasants in the countryside sent the delegates at the Assembly an unmistakable message…)

  25. The Declaration of Rights of Man

  26. Reforms of the National Assembly • a statement on human rights • abolition of special privileges • The Constitution of 1791 • Constitutional Monarchy • Unicameral legislature • 83 departments replaced provinces • Reforms to aid business - standardized weights and measures - The metric system introduced - tolls were eliminated • subordination of the church to the state

  27. Three factors leading to the violent phase of the Revolution • 1) the counterrevolution • devout Catholics • royalists • 2) threat of foreign invasion • 3) the sans-culottes

  28. The Sans-culottes… • Universal male suffrage • Price controls on goods • Wage guarantees for workers • Graduated tax on wealth • Punish food hoarders • Create a “classless society” • Forced the creation of a new government: The Convention

  29. The National Convention succeeded the Legislative (National) Assembly • on September 21, 1792, its 745 members met for the first time… • the next day, they voted to abolish the monarchy and create a republic. • King Louis was put on trial-The vote against him- 360-361!

  30. Problems facing the Convention • The country was threatened by foreign invasions • Incited by the clergy, peasants were in open revolt • Many leading cities refused to cooperate with the central government • The Revolutionary Guard roamed the countryside searching for food-hoarders and “enemies of the revolution.”

  31. The slogan of the Revolution… “Liberty, Equality & Fraternity” • By April, 1793, France was at war with Austria, Prussia, Spain, Great Britain, Sardinia and Holland(known as the First Coalition)

  32. Jacques Danton - popular and practical, • began the levee en masse - he put the entire nation on a war footing • 1st time in Europe that the total population was mobilized, defended by a citizen army.

  33. Maximillian Robespierre“The Incorruptible” • the most powerful member of the Committee of Public Safety • supported by the sans-culottes- • Goal - remove all opponents of the Revolution- Reign of Terror

  34. A Republic of Virtue • Places & streets renamed • A new calendar • A national anthem • Festivals and parades • titles of distinction were outlawed • Dress and fashion reflected the working class • Slavery abolished • One man, one vote

  35. The terror actually started with the execution of Louis in Jan, 1792 • Marie remained alive until October, 1793 • the use of the guillotine was not the work of bloodthirsty madmen, but an enlightened method of execution to save the Republic.

  36. 16,000 were sent to the guillotine, including nobles, their wives, the clergy & anyone else suspected of not supporting the Republic • During the upheavals between 1789 and 1799, it is estimated than about 350,000 died

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