The French Revolution

From Estates to a Constitution

The French Urban The French Urban PoorPoor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

% of Income Spent on Bread

1787

1788

Weak MonarchyWeak Monarchy• Louie XVI

– Father was a weak ruler, had not known a strong monarch– Not interested in politics– Incapable of decisive action– Ignored economic problems– Strongly influenced by wife

• Marie Antoniette (Austrian)

• Louie XVI– Father was a weak ruler, had not known a strong monarch– Not interested in politics– Incapable of decisive action– Ignored economic problems– Strongly influenced by wife

• Marie Antoniette (Austrian)

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI& Louis XVI

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

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

Convening the Estates General May, 1789Convening the Estates General May, 1789

Last time it was called into session was 1614! (175 years before!)Last time it was called into session was 1614! (175 years before!)Why now?Why now?

- Louis XIV had left France in deep debt. Under Louis XV, the - Louis XIV had left France in deep debt. Under Louis XV, the government had borrowed just to pay their debt.government had borrowed just to pay their debt.- Poor Harvests led to bread shortages and riots- Poor Harvests led to bread shortages and riots- 1st and 2- 1st and 2ndnd estates DEMANDED it before they would accept estates DEMANDED it before they would accept changes to France.changes to France.

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy

2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Suggested Voting The Suggested Voting Pattern:Pattern:

Voting by EstatesVoting by Estates1

1

1

Louis XIV insisted that Louis XIV insisted that the ancient distinction of the the ancient distinction of the three orders (estates) be conserved in its entirety.three orders (estates) be conserved in its entirety.

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

““The Third Estate Awakens”The Third Estate Awakens”• The members of the Third Estate call themselves the The members of the Third Estate call themselves the

“representatives of the nation.”“representatives of the nation.”

• Each estate was asked to Each estate was asked to prepare prepare cahiers, cahiers, a notebook a notebook listing the issues they want listing the issues they want addressed.addressed.

• TheyThey proclaimed themselves proclaimed themselves the the “National Assembly”“National Assembly” of of France. They are all middle France. They are all middle class men who own property.class men who own property.

• They invite any member of They invite any member of the other estates to join them the other estates to join them in creating a new constitution in creating a new constitution for France.for France.

• When they find their meeting When they find their meeting hall locked, they move to a hall locked, they move to a nearby tennis court.nearby tennis court.

““The Tennis Court Oath” by Jacques Louis The Tennis Court Oath” by Jacques Louis DavidDavid

June 20, 1789June 20, 1789

•The Third Estate representatives swore “never to separate” until they had created a just constitution.

•Some clergy and nobles DID join the National Assembly, which forced the king to accept it, for now.

•Rumors, however, began to fly around that the king intended to use troops to shut down the National Assembly.

Europe on the Eve Europe on the Eve of theof the

French RevolutionFrench Revolution

Storming the Bastille, Storming the Bastille, July July 14, 178914, 1789

• 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.

• 18 died.18 died.

• 73 wounded.73 wounded.

• 7 guards 7 guards killed.killed.

• It held 7 It held 7 prisoners prisoners [5 ordinary [5 ordinary criminals & 2 criminals & 2 madmen].madmen].

The Great Fear: The Great Fear: Peasant RevoltPeasant Revolt

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

• Rumors that the nobles were sending hired Rumors that the nobles were sending hired brigands to attack peasants and pillage their land brigands to attack peasants and pillage their land sparked a serious of riots by peasants all over sparked a serious of riots by peasants all over France.France.

The The PathPath

of theof the“Great“GreatFear”Fear”

Reforms or Revolution?Reforms or Revolution?• The National Assembly did pass some The National Assembly did pass some

reformsreforms

• The feudal system of privileges was The feudal system of privileges was abolished.abolished.

• All people were technically equal All people were technically equal before the law.before the law.

• But the nobility didn’t give up But the nobility didn’t give up anything it didn’t already lose.anything it didn’t already lose.

MODERATE REFORMMODERATE REFORMMODERATE REFORMMODERATE REFORM

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!

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

the Citizenthe CitizenAugust 26, August 26,

17891789

• Liberty!Liberty!

• Property!Property!

• Resistance to Resistance to oppression!oppression!

• 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?

The Royal Family The Royal Family Attempts Attempts

to Fleeto Flee• June, 1791June, 1791

• Helped by the Swedish Count Hans Helped by the Swedish Count Hans Axel von Fusen [Marie Antoinette’s Axel von Fusen [Marie Antoinette’s lover].lover].

• Headed toward the Headed toward the LuxembourgLuxembourgborder.border.

• The King wasThe King wasrecognized atrecognized atVarennes, nearVarennes, nearthe borderthe border

Olympe de Gouges Olympe de Gouges (1745-1793)(1745-1793)

Declaration of Declaration of the Rights of the Rights of

WomanWomanand of the and of the

Citizen Citizen (1791)(1791)

Declaration of Declaration of the Rights of the Rights of

WomanWomanand of the and of the

Citizen Citizen (1791)(1791)

• Women played a Women played a vital role in the vital role in the Revolution.Revolution.

• But, But, The Declaration The Declaration of the Rights of Manof the Rights of Man did NOT extend the did NOT extend the rights and rights and protections of protections of citizenship to citizenship to women.women.