The French Revolution

Estates General, May 1789- The Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly

when the king did not allow them to form a fairer Estates-General. They claimed that they had the right to write a new constitution.

- The Third Estate claimed that the monarch was not the only source of power any more, and that the people should be able to make their own social contract.

- Hierarchy, pluralism, philosophes

The Tennis Court Oath - June 20, 1789

• This was an oath taken which stated the National Assembly would not disband until the people had a new constitution. The assembly included delegates of the third estate, some lower clergy and some reform-minded nobles.

• They were disobeying a direct order from the king and banded all the estates together. They were saying the power comes from the people and not the monarchy.

• Order v. Freedom, equity, Enlightenment

•The Parisian citizens stormed the Bastille prison in Paris to free wrongly imprisoned French citizens.

•This signalled how the Parisians would fight for their rights and the key role they would play in the French revolution

•Uses of power, types of power, social contract

Storming of the Bastille July 14, 1789

Declaration of the Rights of Man-August 26th 1789

• The Declaration of the Rights of Man was written so that the French people could have equality for all citizens under the law.

• This Declaration showed how citizens now insisted on having rights which they did not have before the French Revolution.

• Social organizations, philosophes, hierarchy pyramid

The March On Versailles - October 5, 1789• A Paris crowd led by thousands of women marched to

Versailles. They were mad about high food prices, and forced the King to come back to Paris with them.

• Both the King and National Assembly were being carefully watched, and power had shifted so much that the King wasn’t safe even from a group of peasant women.

• Uses of power, the social contract, interdependence

Flight to Varennes – June 20, 1791• Afraid that he would lose all power

and wealth the King and his family disguised themselves as servants and tried to leave France. They were discovered and brought back to Paris in shame.

• This changed the popular view of the monarchy from supporting the people to against them. It was only a matter of time until Louis XVI was executed.

• Social organizations, divine right, hierarchy pyramid

The Execution of Louis XVI - 21 January 1793• The King was convicted of treason because

he was plotting with the émigré French to crush the Revolution. He was executed by the guillotine.

• As a result hardened enemies inside and outside France (supporters of the King) would now fight against the Revolution.

• Uses of power, divine right. . .

The Terror – September 1793 – July 1794• Led by Maximilien Robespierre and his Jacobin party,

the Committee of Public safety tried to guarantee the rights of the people by enforcing strict adherence to revolution’s ideals. It was a horrific period of executions, widespread fear, and unrest

• The Terror did nothing to solidify the gains of the revolution and might actually have set it back some. You cannot scare people into belief.

• Uses of power, types of power, social contract

The Directory, 1795-1799• It was a new government body established by the

Constitution of 1795. It included a legislature and an executive branch with 5 directors. Only men who could read and owned property could vote.

• The Directory tried to bring calm and order after the chaos of the Terror but failed as

a result of high food prices andongoing wars.

• Hierarchy pyramid, equity, social contract

Napoléon Bonaparte – 1799-1815• Napoléon was a general, and he named himself Emperor in

1799 after winning a lot of wars and great fame.

• Napoléon wanted to rule the country, but the people wanted

to make their own laws. They did not want a King or a

Emperor, and they did not

want to fight wars but

Napoleon forced them

to fight.