The French Revolution Begins Political Cartoon Analysis Political

The French Revolution Begins

Political Cartoon Analysis Political Cartoons have a political or social message – an argument n To determine the argument, examine: 1. Text (caption, title, words in the cartoon) 2. Symbols (images that represent something) 3. Caricature (things exaggerated for effect)

French Revolution Political Cartoons We will predict the causes of the Revolution by looking at political cartoons n First just look at the political cartoons in your group – tell your partner what you notice n

Predict the causes of the Revolution Based on…. Cartoon A Cartoon B Cartoon C Cartoon D Cartoon E We predict that one of the causes of the French Revolution will be… Because…

Based on…. We predict that one of the causes of the French Revolution will be… Cartoon A Third estate pays all the taxes that support the others. Unfair taxation. Cartoon B Leadership pulling away from each other. Weak leadership/non-unified Cartoon C Inspiration from American Revolution/American Rev as model Cartoon D Third estate recognizing they have power. Breaking “free” from other estates Because…

Based on…. We predict that one of the causes of the French Revolution will be… Cartoon A 3 rd estate frustrated. Unfair class system Cartoon B Weak government. Differences in opinion/governing Cartoon C Inspired by American Revolution Cartoon D 3 rd estate “breaking free” from others. Awakened to revolt Cartoon E Too much debt, supported by 3 estates Because…

Based on…. We predict that one of the causes of the French Revolution will be… Because… Predict the causes of the Revolution Cartoon A Third estate having to hold up the other 2. Unfair taxes/class system Cartoon B King and Queen cannot work together/going opposite directions. Weak leadership Cartoon C American success will inspire French Rev. Use American Rev as a model Cartoon D 3 rd estate “breaking free”. Realizing they have power Cartoon E Huge debt. Carried by the

Based on…. We predict that one of the causes of the French Revolution will be… Cartoon A Third estate is not happy about class system. Unfair social system Cartoon B Poor leadership/weak leadership. King and queen are not unified Cartoon C Inspiration from American Revolution. Cartoon D 3 rd estate realizing they have power. “breaking free” from other estates Cartoon E Huge amounts of debt mean Because…

Goals for Today n n Understand the conditions in France before the Revolution Understand why the French Revolution began

Causes of the French Revolution n During the 1700’s France was the most advanced nation in Europe and the focal point of the Enlightenment

The Old Regime n In the 18 th Century, France was made up of 3 distinct social classes – called estates

First Estate Roman Catholic clergy n Owned ~10% of the land n Provided education and relief services to the poor n Not taxed n. 5% of population n

Second Estate Rich nobles n About 2% of the population n Owned ~20% of the land n Paid almost no taxes n

The Third Estate About 97% of the people were in the 3 rd Estate n There were 3 groups within the 3 rd Estate: n

The Third Estate 1. Bourgeoisie – the middle class • Bankers, merchants, professionals, artisans • Well educated • Believed in ideals of the Enlightenment

The Third Estate 2. Workers in French cities n n Laborers, apprentices, tradespeople, servants Received low wages Often unemployed Poorest of any of the groups

The Third Estate 3. Peasants n n n Lived outside of cities Largest group within 3 rd Estate (about 80%) Roughly ½ of their income went to taxes, tithes or to landowners

What the Estates Controlled

Partner Discussion Take on the perspective of the estate on your card n Do you think the estate system is fair? Why or why not? n

Why revolution? n There were 3 major causes behind the French Revolution 1. 2. 3. Idealism brought on by the Enlightenment Economic issues Weak leadership

Cause # 1 n Ideas from the Enlightenment: n n New views about government, power, and authority Inspired by the American Revolution

Cause #2 n Troubled French economy n n n Heavy taxes to pay off national debt n Partly b/c of support of American Revolution Cost of living rising rapidly n Food became expensive – cost of bread doubled n Crop failures led to shortage of grain Extravagant spending by the government

Cause #3

Cause #3 3. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette n n Weak leaders, lavish spenders King didn’t put a lot of effort into governing n n More concerned with hunting and other pleasures The queen was very unpopular due to: n n Her extravagances The fact that she was from Austria

n https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=VEZqar Un. Vpo

Review Questions!

Which estate had the largest population? A. First Estate n B. Second Estate n C. Third Estate n D. The Second and Third Estates were roughly equal in size n

Which of the following was NOT one of the causes of the French Revolution? A. Poor leadership n B. New views about government, power, etc. n C. Wars with neighboring countries n D. A troubled economy n

The bourgeoisie was part of… A. First Estate n B. Second Estate n C. Third Estate n D. None of the above – it was its own group n

nd 2 The estate was what % of France’s population? A. 1% n B. 2% n C. 12% n D. 24% n

Homework: Social Causes of the French Revolution n Read & complete your notes on the back side of the paper

Questions – answer on the back of your note paper 1. Given the circumstances in France in the 1780’s, why do you think the Third Estate believed that the French political system needed to change? 2. What changes do you think members of the 3 rd Estate might demand? 3. Do you think that changes in the French government were inevitable?

Unflattering cartoon of the royal couple

More anti-Louis XVI cartoons…

“The Awakening of the Third Estate”

The first and second estates riding the third estate… …revolutionary political cartoon making a point about the burdens of the third estate.

Women were invaluable in starting much of the agitation that led to a full-fledged revolution in France.

1 st Estate: Clergy (. 5% of pop. ) 2 nd Estate: Nobility (1. 5% of pop. ) 3 rd Estate: Bourgeoisie, workers and peasants (98% of the pop. )

The Storming of the Bastille (a symbol of royal oppression to the French people)

The Bastille was dismantled brick by brick…

…the Bastille today.

The Great Fear 1789 Panic swept the countryside as nobles and clergymen became targets of angry revolutionaries

Church lands were confiscated…

Sans Culottes (“without breeches”): French revolutionary soldiers

Symbols of the Revolution: tricolor sash, red cap of liberty and the pike.

Upon his capture by revolutionaries, Louis XVI donned the red cap of liberty and drank a toast to the revolution

Louis XVI pictured as a drunkard in this revolution cartoon…

The public execution of Louis XVI by the guillotine, which would emerge as an symbol of the revolution

The Execution of Marie Antoinette

British political cartoon, “Hell Broke Loose or The Murder of Louis”

Another British cartoon portraying the French Revolution as a threat to England. Notice the red cap and the pike approaching via the English Channel

Louis XVI Arrives in Hell: Louis is pictured entering hell carrying his head. Notice the other headless figures in the painting

Some attractive commemorative revolutionary china picturing the execution of Louis XVI…

More dinnerware: a gravy boat with the red cap of liberty and the scales of justice…

Legislative Assembly Seating: Right Side: Royalists (thought Revolution went too far) Center: Moderate reformers (pleased with limited monarchy) Left Side: Jacobins (thought the Revolution needed to go much further)

Revolutionary Language: You= vous (formal) You= tu (informal) Vous eradicated— denoting no superior position. Monsieur and Madame became Citizen & Citizeness.