The French

Revolution
1789-1799

The French
Revolution

REVIEW:

The First Estate: clergy

The Second Estate: nobility
The Third Estate: bourgeoisie and
peasants
Pay attention to the following video
clip

Key Points
Estates General: the legislative
body consisting of representatives of
the three estates. (Remember Louis
XIV? What happened with the Estates
General?)
Financial Troubles: Huge deficit
spending (government spent much
more than they took in)

Key Points
No Food: bad harvests meant no food.
Inequalities between the classes:
Clergy and Nobles had all the say. The
bourgeoisie could buy political office
and even titles, but the best jobs were
reserved for the nobles. The urban
workers (peasants) were poor and
hungry.

Think & Type

Who is represented here? What do you think is happening in this political cartoon?

Quick Review
The Third Estate made up most of the
population in France yet only had 1/3 of the
say in the Estates General.
The clergy and the nobles paid almost no
taxes. The peasants were burdened by taxes
on everything from land to soap to salt.
Enlightenment ideas led to this thought:
Why should the first two estates have such
great privileges at the expense of the
majority?

Quick Review
(continued)
Deficit spending, the government
spending more than it takes in, was
growing to levels of epic proportion.
To solve this financial crisis, the
government would have to increase
taxes, reduce expenses, or both. The
nobles and clergy, however, declined
to end their exemption from taxes.

Top Three Causes

Social Inequalities
Economic troubles
Inspiring Enlightenment ideas

The Louises
The heirs of Louis XIV were not the
right men to solve the economic crisis.
Louis XV, who ruled from 1715 to
1774, pursued pleasure before serious
business and ran up more debts.
Louis XVI was well meaning, but
weak and indecisive.

Louis XVI
Chose Jacques Necker, a financial
expert, as an advisor.
Necker told the king to reduce
extravagant court spending, reform
government, and abolish burdensome
tariffs on internal trade.
Jacques Necker also proposed taxing
the First and Second Estates. What do
you think happened to Jacques Necker?

 Estates-General had not been called in 175

years, fearing that the nobles would use it to
recover the powers they lost under absolute
rule.
They demanded that Louis XVI summon a
meeting. They hoped to see the same type of
changes that happened in England during the
Glorious Revolution. They hoped to bring the
absolute monarch under the control of the
nobles and guarantee their own privileges.

Meeting with Louis XVI

In preparation, Louis had all three
estates prepare cahiers, or
notebooks, listing what made them
upset. Many cahiers called for
reforms such as fairer taxes, freedom
of the press, or regular meetings of
the Estates-General.
Some quotes from the cahiers

 Called tax collectors, bloodsuckers of

the nation who drink the tears of the
unfortunate from goblets of gold.
Called nobles, vampires pumping the
last drop of blood from the people.
20 million must live on half the wealth
of France while the clergydevour the
other half.

 Objective: SWBAT understand the

impact The Tennis Court Oath and
Bastille Day had on the French
Revolution.
Essential Question: How do
revolutions begin?

The Tennis Court Oath

The Tennis Court Oath

Delegates from the Third Estate were
mostly lawyers, middle-class officials,
and writers. They were familiar with
the writings of Voltaire, Rousseau, and
other philosophes.
They went to Versailles not only to
solve the financial crisis, but also to
insist on reform.
The Third Estate took a daring step..

 Claiming to represent the people of

France, they declared themselves to
be a National Assembly in June 1789.
A few days later, the National
Assembly found its meeting hall locked
and guarded. Fearing that Louis XVI
planned to dismiss them, they moved
to a nearby indoor tennis court. (hand
ball, as we would think of it today)

 As spectators looked on, the delegates took

their famous Tennis Court Oath. They
swore never to separate and meet wherever
they could until they had a just constitution.
Some clergy and nobles joined the Assembly,
and Louis XVI reluctantly accepted it.
However, rumors spread that the king
planned to dissolve the Assembly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRjqof9i9xw

Parisians Storm the

Bastille
July 14, 1789: The city of Paris seized
the spotlight from the National
Assembly meeting in Versailles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_w
sT6pqJd8
The Bastille was a symbol to the
people of France representing years of
abuse by the monarchy. The storming
and fall of the Bastille was a wake-up
call to Louis XVI.

 Unlike any other riot or short-lived

protest, this event posed a challenge
to the sheer existence of the regime.
How do the French celebrate Bastille
Day? (The 14th of July)

Think & Type

People have a natural right to life, liberty,
and property. Rulers have a responsibility to
protect these rights. People have the right
to change a government that fails to do so.
Question: How does this quote relate to the
events of the Estates-General?
Objective: Students will be able to identify the events that led to the start of the French
Revolution.
Essential Question: What is a revolution?

The Phases of the French

Revolution
Moderate Phase: National Assembly turned
France into a constitutional monarchy. (1789-1791)
Radical Phase: Escalating violence led to the end
of the monarchy and a Reign of Terror. (1792-1794)
Directory: Period of reaction against extremism.
(1795-1799)
Age of Napoleon: Consolidated many
revolutionary changes. (1799-1815)

THINK & TYPE

What is The Declaration of the Rights of Man and

the Citizen? What predictions can you make about
what this written constitution might include?
(Hint: Think about the American Declaration of
Independence)
Objective: SWBAT discuss
what was included in The
Declaration of the Rights of
Man.
Essential Question: What
rights were violated prior to
The French Revolution?

Moderate Phase

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

Political Crisis
Leads to Revolt
1789: The political crisis coincided
with the worst famine in memory.
Starving peasants roamed the
countryside or flocked to towns were
they swelled the ranks of the
unemployed.
Grain prices soared and even people
with jobs had to spend as much as 80
percent of their income on bread.

 In Paris, many factions fought to gain

power.
Moderates looked to Marquis de Lafayette,
the aristocratic hero of the two worlds
who fought alongside George Washington
in the American Revolution.
Lafayette headed the National Guard, a
largely middle-class militia organized in
response to the arrival of royal troops in
Paris

 Paris Commune: A more radical group

replaced the royalist government of the
city.
Newspapers and political clubsmany
even more radical than the Commune
blossomed everywhere.
Some demanded an end to the monarchy
and spread scandalous stories about the
royal family and members of the court.

The National Assembly

Acts
Peasant uprisings and the storming of
the Bastille stampeded the National
Assembly into action.
On August 4, 1789, the nobles in the
National Assembly had an all-night
meeting and agreed to end their
privileges.
Most importantly they gave up their
privilege to be exempt from taxes.

Declaration of the
Rights of Man
This declaration proclaimed that all male
citizens were equal before the law.
Every Frenchman had an equal right to
hold public office with no distinction
other than that of their virtues and
talents.
In addition, the declaration gave freedom
of religion and called for taxes to be
levied according to the ability to pay.

 French Revolution slogan: Liberty,

Equality, Fraternity.

and what about women?

Declaration did not grant rights to women.
They were disappointed. They believed
the Enlightenment meant ALL people were
created equal, not just men.
Women were not the only ones opposed to
the declaration. Louis XVI did not want to
accept the reforms of the National
Assembly. Nobles continued to enjoy gala
banquets as people starved. By autumn,
anger turned to action.

The Move from

Versailles to Paris
Womens March on Versailles: Angry
mob of 7,000 (mostly working women)
marched to Versailles and demanded
to see the King and Queen.
There were rumors that they were
hiding grain in the palace.
The crowd made up songs, singing
about killing Marie Antoinette.

 The royal family took refuge in the Kings chambers.

 Soon a large crowd gathered in the

palace's courtyard and demanded
that the queen should appear before
them.
When Marie Antoinette finally
emerged from the palace onto the
front balcony with her children by her
side, the rioters below demanded that
the children be sent back inside.

 The queen stood solemnly alone above the

crowd for almost ten minutes while some
below pointed muskets at her. When she
bowed her head before returning inside, some
of the people in the mob were so impressed
by her bravery that they cried"Vive la
Reine!"("Long live the Queen!").
While the stoic behavior of the queen had
greatly calmed the crowd, it still demanded
bread. (Watch movie clip.)

The Move from

Versailles to Paris
The people demanded that Louis XVI
and the royal family move to Paris to
be closer to the people.
He reluctantly agreed.
They were virtually prisoners in Paris
for the rest of their days.

THINK & TYPE

What is happening in this political cartoon? Which event do you think it illustrates?
Objective: Students will be able to understand the end of the moderate phase of the
French Revolution
Essential Question: What is a revolution?

National Assembly
Presses Onward
The National Assembly soon followed
the king to Paris.
In a more radical move, the Assembly
put the French Catholic Church under
state control.
To pay off huge government debt
much of it owed to the bourgeoisie
the Assembly voted to take over and
sell Church lands.

New Constitution
In 1791, the National assembly completed
its main task and produced a constitution.
The Constitution of 1791 set up a limited
monarchy in place of absolute monarchy.
The constitution replaced the old
provinces with 83 departments of roughly
equal size. It abolished the old provincial
courts and reformed laws.

 To moderate reformers, the

Constitution of 1791, seemed to
complete the revolution. Others still
wanted something more

The Great Escape

On June 21, 1791, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and
their two children attempted to escape their home at
the Tuileries in Paris, France.
While the National Assembly worked painstakingly
towards a constitution, Louis and Marie-Antoinette
were involved in plans of their own.
They disguised themselves and headed for the border.
They almost made it to their final destination when

 A man recognized Louis XVI from a coin in his

pocket. They were brought back to Paris.
Viewed suspiciously as traitors, they were
placed under tight house arrest upon their
return to the Tuileries.
During this limited house arrest, Marie
Antoinette conveyed to her friends that she
did not intend to involve herself any further
in French politics, as everything, whether or
not she was involved, would inevitably be
attributed to her anyway and she feared the
repercussions of further involvement.

 Despite the situation, Marie Antoinette was

still required to perform charitable functions
and to attend certain religious ceremonies,
which she did. Most of her time, however,
was dedicated to her children.
Despite her attempts to remain out of the
public eye, she was falsely accused in
thelibellesof having an affair with the
commander of the National Guard Marquis de
Lafayette. (She actually hated himso)

Think & Type

What is
happening
in this
political
cartoon?
What is
England
saying
about the
French
Revolution
?

Objective: SWBAT
Understand how and
why radicals
abolished
the monarchy
Essential Question:
What is a revolution?

Rulers Fear Spread

of Revolution
European rulers increased border
patrols to stop the spread of the
French plague.
Horror stories were told by emigres
nobles, clergy, and others who had fled
France and its revolutionary forces.
Even enlightened rulers turned
against France. (Catherine the Great of
Russia burned Voltaires letters.)

Creepy Prediction
Edmund Burke, a British writer who
had defended the American
Revolution, predicted the revolution in
France would become much more
violent. He warned it would be
completely out of control and that the
rest of Europe would not support this
kind of chaos.
He was right

 The King of Prussia and Emperor of

AustriaMarie Antoinettes brother
issued a document threatening to
intervene to protect the French
monarchy.
The revolutionaries in France took
that as a serious threat and prepared
for war.

Radicals Take Over

Many demanded a republic, or
government ruled by elected
representatives instead of a monarch.
The radicals soon held the upper hand in
the Legislative Assembly. In 1792, the war
of words between French revolutionaries
and the European monarchs moved onto
the battlefielddeclaring war on Austria,
then Prussia, Britain, and other states.

The Monarchy is
Abolished
As the revolution continued, dismal
news about the war abroad heightened
tensions. In addition, royalist officers
were deserting the French army,
joining migrs and others hoping to
restore the kings power.
The revolutionaries thought King Louis
XVI was in cahoots with the enemies.
Not good

Parisians storm
the Tuileries
A crowd of Parisians stormed the
royal palace, slaughtering the kings
guards. The royal family fled to the
Legislative Assembly, escaping before
the mob arrived.
A month later, citizens attacked
prisons that held nobles and priests.
About 1200 prisoners were killed,
some ordinary criminals.

 Radicals took over the Assembly.

They voted to abolish the monarchy
and established a republicThe
French Republic.
They wrote a new constitution, and
seized lands of the nobles, abolishing
all titles of nobility.

Executions of Louis XVI

and Marie Antoinette

Louis XVI
They put Louis XVI on trail as a traitor to
France. The king was convicted and
sentenced to deathby one vote.
On a foggy morning in January 1793, Louis
mounted a scaffold in a public square in Paris.
He started to speak, Frenchmen, I die
innocent. I pardon the authors of my death. I
pray God that the blood about to be spilt will
never fall upon the head of France.. Then a
drum roll drowned out his words.

 Moments later, the king was beheaded.

The executioner lifted the kings head
by its hair and held it before the crowd.
In October, Marie Antoinette was also
executed. The popular press celebrated
her death. The queen showed great
dignity when she went to her death.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL-4pIc
tRjA

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinettes final resting place in St. Denis, France.

Robespierre the
Incorruptible

Maximilien Robespierre
Embraced Rosseaus idea of the
general will as the source of all
legitimate law.
He promoted religious toleration and
wanted to abolish slavery.
He is quoted in saying, Liberty
cannot be secured unless criminals
lose their heads.

Reign of Terror
Robespierre was one of the leaders of
the Reign of Terror.
Hail the Republic!
Death to the traitors!
Over 300,000 people were arrested
during the Reign of Terror.
Seventeen thousand were executed
via guillotine.

Revolution Brings
Change
Nationalism: a strong feeling of pride in
and devotion to ones country
Revolutionaries pushed for social reform
and religious toleration. They set up state
schools to replace religious ones and
organized systems to help the poor, old
soldiers, and war widows.
Slave revolt occurred in Haiti and the
government also abolished slavery in
Frances Caribbean colonies.

THINK & TYPE

WRITE YOUR OBJECTIVE AND
ESSENTIAL QUESTION FOR TODAY:
Objective: SWBAT understand
Napoleons rise to power and why the
French supported him.
Essential Question: How did Napoleon
rise to power? How was he able to keep it?

Napoleon Bonaparte

How Napoleon Kept His

Power
-He was a strong military power, the
people liked that he kept winning.
-When battles didnt go so well,
however, Napoleon had artists depict
those battles in a more positive light.

Napoleons Fall From

Power
Napoleon was defeated in the Battle
of the Nations at Leipzig. (Russia,
Britain, Austria, and Prussia)
The next year, Napoleon stepped
down from power. He was exiled from
power.
They then recognized Louis XVIII,
brother of Louis XVI, as king of France.

 He agreed to accept the Napoleonic

Code and honor the land settlements
made during the revolution.
Economic depression and the fear of
a return to the old regime helped
rekindle loyalty to Napoleon
March 1815, Napoleon entered Paris
in triumph.

 Triumph was short lived: Napoleon

was there for 100 days. Lost at Battle
of Waterloo. Exiled to St Helena, a
lonely island in the South Atlantic.
This time, he would never return.