French Revolution The Old Regime 3 Estates Old

French Revolution

The Old Regime & 3 Estates

Old Regime ¨Carry over from MA – 3 large social classes • 1 st & 2 nd Estates= wealth and privilege – Absolutism (monarch) – Feudal system • Taxes and serfdom ¨Unlike Britain

First Estate ¨ 1% of population (conservatives) ¨Roman Catholic clergy ¨ 10% of French land ¨Wealthy- arch/bishops ¨Poor- parish priests ¨No direct taxes (2% gift)

Second Estate ¨ 2% of population ¨Nobility (conservatives) ¨ 20% of French land ¨Highest offices (sons of nobles) – Govt. , church, army ¨Refuses to pay taxes – Cause of revolution

Third Estate ¨ 98% of population ¨Comprised of 3 economically different groups: – City-dwelling middle class (bourgeoisie) – Urban lower class – Peasant farmers

Bourgeoisie ¨Power growing since MA ¨Many well-educated – Enlightenment ideals of liberty and equality ¨Some as wealthy as nobles – Desired social status, political power equal to wealth ¨Paid much in taxes

Workers ¨Poorer than bourgeoisie ¨Wore sans-culottes (w/out knee britches) ¨Most literate ¨Often hungry (bread) – Spring 1789 bad harvest, prices doubled ¨Most supported revolution

Peasants ¨ 80% of population ¨ 50% of income paid in taxes – Feudal dues, tithe, taxes ¨Owed the corvee- tax paid w/ work on govt. roads ¨No Enlightenment ideals – Revolt against oppression

Why Revolution? ¨All estates had reasons for hating Old Regime ¨Weak leadership at top – (Louis XVI)

Problems of Louis XVI

Problems… ¨Wife Marie Antoinette – Austrian (hated) princess – Lived extravagantly while poor suffered (Versailles) – Believed she was better than French

Problems… ¨Govt. deeply in debt – Borrowed to help in Americans in Revolutionary War ($ not troops) ¨Desire to tax nobles- refused unless Estates General called – Had not met since 1614 – Called to Versailles May 1, 1789 • Invitation to revolution

Problems… ¨Necker – Director-General of Finances – Without American revolution govt. would have surplus – Too much money to aristocrats

National Assembly

Stage One of Revolution

Estates General ¨Dominated by 1 st and 2 nd Estate – Since MA ¨Voting- each met in separate hall – One vote per estate – 1 st and 2 nd Estate outvoted 3 rd

New Demands… ¨ 1789 3 rd Estate demands all 3 estates meet together – Each vote count equally – 610 members in 3 rd Estate – 591 members combined in 1 st and 2 nd Estates ¨King sides with nobles- follow old rules

New Demands… ¨ 3 rd Estate determined-gain power – Spokesman Abbe Sieyes – June 16, 1789 suggests 3 rd Estate change name to National Assembly – National Assembly- pass laws, reform in people’s name

National Assembly ¨Formed June 17, 1789 – Tennis Court Oath – Cashiers- list of grievances and desired reform ¨End to absolute monarchy ¨Representative govt. ¨ 1 st deliberate act of revolution

Louis’ Reaction… ¨Make peace with 3 rd Estate – All estates meet together ¨ Swiss mercenaries ordered to Paris – Did not trust loyalty of French soldiers ¨Bourgeoisie fear end to Assembly ¨Mobs riot over price of bread

Storming of the Bastille ¨July 14, 1789 ¨Want gun powder to defend Paris and National Assembly

Long-term Causes ¨People of Paris were hungry ¨High unemployment ¨High prices

Storming of the Bastille ¨Significance: ¨Militarily- Louis gives up use of troops ¨Politically- kings power reduced, National Assembly saved ¨Symbolic- act of revolution people ready to fight

Desires of rd 3 Estate ¨Peasants/workers- economic reform (liberal) – Achieve through violence ¨Middle class (bourgeoisie)- social reform (liberal) – Achieve through legitimate means – Controlled peasants to some degree ¨Price of grain leads to problems

The Great Fear

The People ¨Still in MA – No education – No news- rumors only of Bastille and killing • Fear of violence spreading • King will get even with them – Violent, superstitious, ignorant • Grouping together for 1 st time

The Beginning… ¨Rebellion from Paris spread to countryside ¨Rumors: plot against common people – Nobles hire brigands to terrorize ¨Great Fear breaks out

Great Fear ¨Reaction: peasants hid but no brigands – Peasants become brigands – Upset soldiers do not come- fight each other ¨Break into nobles houses– Tore up legal documents binding them to the land/feudal dues – Houses burned

Reforms of the Assembly

Why Reforms? ¨Great Fear & Paris mobs ¨Nobles pay taxes for reforms – Middle class small – Money came from feudal dues ¨Bourgeoisie pay taxes for rights – No benefits from ending feudalism

Accomplishments ¨End of Old Regime ¨End feudalism & serfdom ¨End church tithes ¨End social privileges – Nobles & clergy ¨End sale of offices ¨Opening of public offices

“Liberty, Fraternity, Equality” ¨Aug. 27, 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and the citizen – Men born and remain free – Limited monarchy (constit. ) • Law making assembly – Departments(83 districts/elected) – State controlled church • lose land, prop. owners elect officials (NEW PROBLEMS)

Declaration of the Rights of Women ¨ 1791 by Olympe de Gouges – Revolutionary radical ¨To Queen Marie Antoinette ¨Applied Dec. Rights of Man to women ¨Women also citizens w/ property rights

Mary Wollstonecraft ¨Early feminist ¨ 1792 A Vindication of the Rights of Women ¨Women and men do NOT have definite spheres

New Problems ¨Church issue divides peasants and bourgeoisie – Peasants will oppose other revolutionary changes

King’s Response ¨King reluctantly approves Constitution and Declaration ¨June 1791 Louis and family try to flee to Austrian Netherlands – Caught and returned to Paris – Louis discredited and plan for constitutional monarchy – Radicals’ influence increased

Change… ¨Sept. 1791 new constitution completed – Legislative Assembly replaced National Assembly

Rule of the Radicals

Stage 2 of Revolution The Radical Phase

Old Problems Remain ¨Legislative Assembly splits – Right (conservative)- limited monarchy, trusted king – Left (radicals)-reform, Republic, common people have power – Center (moderates)- few reforms

Radicals ¨Extreme right (nobles)- undo revolution, restore Old Regime – Emigres- nobles who fled during peasant uprising ¨Extreme left- sans-culottes of Paris who set up city govt. – Paris Commune became force

War with Austria ¨Ruler of Austria- Marie’s brother ¨Radicals- war spread revolution ¨Prussia joins Austria – War declared April 20, 1792 ¨Radicals imprison Louis & Marie

The Result… ¨France defeats Prussia & Austria ¨Parisian radicals – Legislative Assembly deposes king, end 1791 Constitution – New legislature- National Convention

The Radicals ¨Summer 1792 radicals more power than govt. – Mobs= poor – Leaders= bourgeoisie ¨Most radicals= Jacobins – Remove king, est. Republic – Leaders= Danton, Marat – Levee in mass- 1 st citizen army – Violent phase will begin

National Convention ¨Sept. 21, 1792 - monarchy replaced by Republic – Adult males citizens – right to vote, hold office ¨Louis tried for treason – Guillotined Jan. 21, 1793 ¨Army grew to 800, 000 (women) – Protect against 1 st coalition – 2 nd war pushed by execution

Reign of Terror ¨Led by Robespierre “the Incorruptible” – Republic of Virtue- wipe out traces of monarchy and nobility – Most churches closed (old fashioned, dangerous) ¨Many did not killing

Committee of Public Safety ¨Leaders- Robespierre, Danton, Carnot (military leader) ¨Find enemies of the Republic – Guillotine (many innocent) – Problem- most enemies were other revolutionaries who challenged his leadership

Committee of Public Safety ¨ 40, 000 killed (80% commoners) ¨Oct. 1793 - many leaders executed – Danton executed

Reign of Terror Ends ¨Aug. 27, 1794 - Nat’l Convention guillotines Robespierre – End of Radical Stage of Revolution

Stage 3 of Revolution Return to Moderation

Thermidorian Reaction ¨Reaction against radicals ¨Church regain power ¨Political change – Sans-culottes must be checked – Royalists try to take power at Nat’l Convention- stopped by Napoleon

Bourgeoisie Led Third Stage ¨Goals of Bourgeoisie: – No monarchy – No political power for commoners – Voting rights for tax payers only ¨ 1795 New Constitution- France Republic with Directory

1799 Revolution Ends ¨ 1789 Directory fails- they can not control inflation ¨Results of Revolution in France: – End of absolute monarchy – Church and nobles lose power – Rise of bourgeoisie • Will come to dominate govt.

Revolutions Results in Europe ¨Ideals of liberty and individual rights spread ¨Nationalism spread ¨New types of warfare emerge