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The French Revolution

The French Revolution. Open your notebooks to page 8 and get out something to write with (pen preferably) . Causes of the Revolution (all of p.8). Social inequality within the 3 Estates (see page 7)

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The French Revolution

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  1. The French Revolution Open your notebooks to page 8 and get out something to write with (pen preferably)

  2. Causes of the Revolution (all of p.8) • Social inequality within the 3 Estates (see page 7) • Educated members of the 3rd Estate were inspired by the Enlightenment and the success of America’s revolution against their king • Financial Crisis in France! • Tax system was outdated and unfair (esp. to 3rd Estate) • King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette spent most of France’s $$ on luxurious lifestyle while the commoners starved. • The need to pay for French & Indian War led to a need to increase taxes. In order to raise taxes, the king had to call a meeting of the ESTATES GENERAL, which had not met since 1614

  3. p. 9 The Estates General (France’s version of Parliament) • Composed of delegates from the 3 Estates 1st = 300 delegates 2nd = 300 delegates 3rd = 300 delegates Equal representation??? • Each Estate had 1 vote Equal representation??? Here’s the problem: When the king calls a meeting of the E.G. to vote to increase taxes, what will be the decision?

  4. p. 9 Because of this blatant inequality, the 3rd Estate finally decides to do something and on June 17, 1787, the delegates of the 3rd Estate form the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY and decide to start drafting a constitution.

  5. Actions of the National Assembly p. 10 • When they arrive back to the Estates General building 3 days later, they find they’ve been locked out. So they move their meeting to a nearby tennis court and vow not to leave until they’ve drafted their new constitution (known as the TENNIS COURT OATH)

  6. Actions of the National Assembly p. 10 • The King quickly moved to break up the Assembly. When word of this got to Paris in July, they stormed the Bastille (a French prison and armory) looking for weapons. (known as the STORMING OF THE BASTILLE) The French celebrate Bastille Day (July 14th) much like we celebrate the 4th of July.

  7. Actions of the National Assembly p. 10 • August 1789, National assembly abolishes the privileges of the nobles, confiscates church lands & issues to DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN AND CITIZEN

  8. Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen Glue the paper I’m passing out to page 11.

  9. The Revolution continues... P.12 • Oct. 1789 – bad harvests led to food shortages. 1000 hungry, Parisian women marched to Versailles & forced the king to accept the DRMC. • Constitution of 1791 – set up a limited monarchy w/ a 745 member Legislative Assembly (called Nat’l Convention) to make all the laws in France • June 1791 – king attempts to flee but is captured and imprisoned

  10. War w/ Austria p.12 Over time, European rulers feared the revolution would spread to their countries. Rulers of Austria and Prussia threatened to use force to restore Louis XVI. Nat’l Convention declared war on Austria in 1792.

  11. Even more problems in France p. 13 • 2 factions arose over the fate of the king: the Girondins (stay in prison) & the Mountain (die) • Mountains convinced Nat’l Convention to condemn Louis XVI and on Jan. 21, 1793, Louis was beheaded on the guillotine. • As a result of the king’s death, a coalition of Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Dutch Republic join Austria and Prussia in declaring war on France.

  12. p. 13 To defend France from foreign and domestic threats, the Nat’l Convention gave broad powers to the Committee of Public Safety

  13. The “Reign of Terror” and the Committee of Public Safety (p.14) • Directed by Maximilian Robespierre • Used force to achieve their goals and savage repression to crush rebels • Laws passed allowing gov’t to arrest anyone and took away the right for people to defend themselves • Nobles, priests, and suspected traitors were executed. An estimated 300,000 arrested; 30,000-50,000 people killed, 16,000 of those on the Guillotine (Marie Antoinette included!)

  14. The Thermidorean Reaction • Robespierre overthrown on 9 Thermidor (July/August in our calendar, its weird, just go with it) He and his followers sent to the guillotine.

  15. p.15 • With the terror over, the Nat’l Convention reduced the power of CPS and established the Constitution of 1795, with a : • Bicameral [“2 house”] legislature: Council of 500, Council of Elders • Elected by men over 26 who owned or rented property called “electors • Created an “Executive branch” called the Directory. Made up of 5 directors elected by the Council of Elders • The Directory ruled France from 1795-1799 – very corrupt

  16. Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte In 1799, a coup d’etat, a sudden overthrow of a gov’t, led by Napoleon seized power and topped the Directory.

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