By: Susan M. PojerBy: Susan M. Pojer

(edited by patricia mcGloine)(edited by patricia mcGloine)Horace Greeley H. S. Horace Greeley H. S.

Chappaqua, NYChappaqua, NY

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

Marie Antoinette & Louis Marie Antoinette & Louis XVIXVI

Marie Marie AntoineAntoine

tte tte and the and the Royal Royal

ChildrenChildren

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

Let Them Eat Cake! Let Them Eat Cake!

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

Y ““Madame Deficit”Madame Deficit”

Y ““The Austrian Whore”The Austrian Whore”

Crane Brinton’s Crane Brinton’s Anatomy of a Anatomy of a

RevolutionRevolution

Y He borrowed his terms from He borrowed his terms from pathology.pathology.

Y Compares a revolution to a Compares a revolution to a fever or a disease:fever or a disease:

“ “symptoms.”symptoms.”

honeymoonhoneymoon

crisis stagecrisis stage

A period of recovery A period of recovery

InstabilityInstability

tyranttyrant

Crane Brinton: Conditions Crane Brinton: Conditions Present Before a Revolution Present Before a Revolution

OccursOccurs• Inefficient government systemInefficient government system

• Inept rulerInept ruler

• Intellectuals transfer loyaltyIntellectuals transfer loyalty

• Economic upgradeEconomic upgrade

• Failure of forceFailure of force

• Class antagonismClass antagonism

Socio-Economic Data, Socio-Economic Data, 17891789

The French Urban The French Urban PoorPoor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

% of Income Spent on Bread

1787

1788

Where is the tax Where is the tax money?money?

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

Emmanuel Joseph Emmanuel Joseph SieyesSieyes

What is the Third What is the Third Estate? Estate? Everything!Everything!

Abbé SieyèsAbbé Sieyès1748-18361748-1836

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!

““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 “representatives of the nation.”Estate, but as “representatives of the nation.”

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

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

by Jacques Louis Davidby Jacques Louis David

June 20, 1789June 20, 1789

Storming the Bastille, Storming the Bastille, July July 14, 178914, 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.coup against the National Assembly.

The Great Fear: The Great Fear: Peasant RevoltPeasant Revolt

(July 20, 1789)(July 20, 1789)

Y Rumors that aristocracy sending hired brigands Rumors that aristocracy sending hired brigands to attack peasants, but peasants knew what they to attack peasants, but peasants knew what they were doing-they wanted to destroy the manors.were doing-they wanted to destroy the manors.

Night Session of August Night Session of August 4, 17894, 1789

Y Before the night was over:Before the night was over: The feudal regime in France had The feudal regime in France had

been abolished.been abolished.

All Frenchmen were, at least in All Frenchmen were, at least in principle, subject to the same principle, subject to the same laws and the same taxes and laws and the same taxes and eligible for the same offices.eligible for the same offices.

Equality & Meritocracy!Equality & Meritocracy! Equality & Meritocracy!Equality & Meritocracy!

National Constituent National Constituent AssemblyAssembly1789 - 17911789 - 1791

August DecreesAugust DecreesAugust 4-11, 1789August 4-11, 1789

(A renunciation of aristocratic (A renunciation of aristocratic privileges!)privileges!)

Liberté!Liberté!Egalité!Egalité!

Fraternité!Fraternité!

BUT . . . . .BUT . . . . .

Y Feudal dues were not renounced outrightFeudal dues were not renounced outright

Y Peasants would compensate their Peasants would compensate their landlords through a series of direct landlords through a series of direct paymentspayments

Therefore, the National Assembly made Therefore, the National Assembly made revolutionary gestures, but remained revolutionary gestures, but remained essentially moderate.essentially moderate.

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

The Declaration of the The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Rights of Man and of

the Citizenthe CitizenAugust 26, August 26,

17891789

V Liberty!Liberty!

V Property!Property!

V Resistance to Resistance to oppression!oppression!

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

The Declaration of the The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Rights of Man and of

the Citizen the Citizen Posed New DilemmasPosed New Dilemmas

1.1. Did women have equal rights with Did women have equal rights with men?men?

2.2. What about free blacks in the What about free blacks in the colonies?colonies?

3.3. How could slavery be justified if all How could slavery be justified if all men were born free?men were born free?

4.4. Did religious toleration of Protestants Did religious toleration of Protestants and Jews include equal political and Jews include equal political rights?rights?

March of the Women,March of the Women,October 5-6, 1789October 5-6, 1789

A spontaneous demonstration of Parisian A spontaneous demonstration of Parisian women for bread.women for bread.

The “October The “October Days” Days” (1789)(1789)

The king was thought to be surrounded by evil The king was thought to be surrounded by evil advisors at Versailles so he was forced to advisors at Versailles so he was forced to move to Paris and reside at the move to Paris and reside at the Tuileries Tuileries

PalacePalace..

Sir Edmund Burke Sir Edmund Burke (1790):(1790):

Reflections on the Revolution Reflections on the Revolution in Francein France

Revolution making too many

changes and would lead to

chaos and rule by a tyrant

(Napoleon?)

The conservative reaction.

How to Finance the How to Finance the New Govt.?New Govt.?

1.1. Confiscate Church Confiscate Church Lands Lands (1790)(1790)

One of the most controversial decisions of the One of the most controversial decisions of the entire revolutionary period.entire revolutionary period.

2.2. Print Print AssignatsAssignats2.2. Print Print

AssignatsAssignats

V Issued by the National Constituent Assembly.Issued by the National Constituent Assembly.V Interest-bearing notes which had the church lands Interest-bearing notes which had the church lands

as security.as security.

Depreciation of the Depreciation of the AssignatAssignat

V They began circulating as paper currency.They began circulating as paper currency.

Government printed more Government printed more INFLATIONINFLATION [they [they lost 99% of their value ultimately].lost 99% of their value ultimately].

Therefore, future governments paid off their Therefore, future governments paid off their creditors with cheap money.creditors with cheap money.

The Civil The Civil Constitution Constitution

of the of the ClergyClergy

July 12,July 12,17901790

JuryingJurying

vs.vs.

Non-JuryingNon-Jurying[refractory][refractory]

ClergyClergyThe oath of allegiance The oath of allegiance permanently divided the Catholic permanently divided the Catholic

population!population!

New Relations New Relations Between Church & Between Church &

StateStateV Government paid clergy salaries.Government paid clergy salaries.

V The church reorganized:The church reorganized: Parish priests Parish priests elected elected Bishops Bishops named by the named by the

department assemblies.department assemblies. Pope had NO Pope had NO

voice.voice.

V Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Churchwas a branch of the state!!was a branch of the state!!

Pope Pius VIPope Pius VI[1775-1799][1775-1799]

Louis XVI “Accepts” the Louis XVI “Accepts” the Constitution Constitution

& the National Assembly. & the National Assembly. 17911791

The French Constitution The French Constitution of 1791:of 1791:

A Bourgeois A Bourgeois GovernmentGovernment

V The king got The king got “suspensive” veto“suspensive” veto [ prevented passage of laws for 4 [ prevented passage of laws for 4 years].years].

He could not pass laws.He could not pass laws.

V A permanent, elected, single chamber A permanent, elected, single chamber National Assembly.National Assembly.

Had the power to grant taxation.Had the power to grant taxation.

V An independent judiciary.An independent judiciary.

The French Constitution The French Constitution of 1791:of 1791:

A Bourgeois A Bourgeois GovernmentGovernment

V ““Active” CitizenActive” Citizen [ pays taxes [ pays taxes amounting to 3 days labor] could vote amounting to 3 days labor] could vote vs. vs. “Passive” Citizen“Passive” Citizen..

1/3 of adult males were denied the 1/3 of adult males were denied the franchise.franchise.

Domestic servants were also Domestic servants were also excluded.excluded.

V A newly elected A newly elected LEGISLATIVE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLYASSEMBLY..

83 Revolutionary 83 Revolutionary DepartmentsDepartments

February 26, 1790February 26, 1790