The French Revolution Causes of the French Revolution

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The French Revolution

The French Revolution

Causes of the French Revolution • Enlightenment Ideas – One reason for the French

Causes of the French Revolution • Enlightenment Ideas – One reason for the French revolution is the French were inspired by the philosophers of the Enlightenment and their ideas • The success of the American Revolution; they wanted to copy them. • Bankruptcy of Government – A big reason was because King Louis XIV had spent almost all France’s money building palaces for himself. • Social Inequalities – Poor people were lastly treated badly. Their was large differences between the rich and the poor

Background to the Revolution • The French Revolution and the beginning of the U.

Background to the Revolution • The French Revolution and the beginning of the U. S. both happened in 1789. • The French Revolution was caused by both long range problems and immediate forces. • Long range problems were caused by the inequalities in French society.

French society was divided into three orders or estates (#2)

French society was divided into three orders or estates (#2)

Long Range Problems • French Society – The First Estate was made up of

Long Range Problems • French Society – The First Estate was made up of the clergy – It contained about 130, 000 people, who controlled 10% of the land – The clergy were exempt from the taille, France’s chief Tax – The higher clergy were members of aristocratic families – The parish (local) priests were generally poor

Long Range Problems - The Second Estate, the nobility, had about 350, 000 people

Long Range Problems - The Second Estate, the nobility, had about 350, 000 people - Owned 25 -30% of property - Held many of leading positions in government, military, court system, and church offices - Also exempt from the tallie

Long Range Problems – The Third Estate was 98 percent of the total population.

Long Range Problems – The Third Estate was 98 percent of the total population. – The largest group within the Third Estate was the peasants. The peasants made up 80% of the total population – The next largest group within the Third estate consisted of wage earners such as Artisans and shopkeepers. – The bourgeoisie, or middle class, was the smallest part of the Third Estate. The made up 8% of the population

Long Range Problems • The Issues of the Third Estate – Although serfdom had

Long Range Problems • The Issues of the Third Estate – Although serfdom had been abolished, the peasants still had obligations to landlords they resented. – Artisans, shopkeepers and other wage earners were hurting economically from a rise in prices higher than the increase in wages – The bourgeoisie was upset over privileges given to the nobles

Immediate Problems • The Immediate Cause of the French Revolution was the near collapse

Immediate Problems • The Immediate Cause of the French Revolution was the near collapse of the government’s finances. – The French economy had suffered a series of crises for 50 years and the number of poor reaches as high as one-third of the population – The French Government continued to spend lavishly on wars and court luxuries • King Louis XVI was forced to call a meeting of the Estate-General, the French parliament which hadn’t met since 1614

From Estates General to National Assembly • Each estate of French society had representatives

From Estates General to National Assembly • Each estate of French society had representatives in the Estates-General. – Most members of the Third Estate wanted to set up a constitutional government that would abolish tax exemptions of the clergy and nobility.

From Estates General to National Assembly • In the Estates-General each estate got one

From Estates General to National Assembly • In the Estates-General each estate got one vote, this would allow the First and Second Estates to have a 2 -1 majority – The Third Estate opposed this method of voting and reacted to it by calling themselves the National Assembly and deciding to draft a constitution. – The Third Estate was locked out of its meeting place and forced to move next door to a tennis court – The Third Estate took an oath to continue to meet until they had finished drafting a constitution. This is known as the Tennis Court Oath

From Estates General to National Assembly • The commoners saved the Third Estate from

From Estates General to National Assembly • The commoners saved the Third Estate from the king’s forces. – The commoners stormed the Bastille, the royal armory and prison in Paris on July 14, 1789. – Local revolutions broke out over France against the entire land holding system • Peasant rebellions took place and became part of the Great Fear, a vast panic that hit France in 1789

Storming of the Bastille: July 14, 1789 A hungry Paris mob storms the Bastille

Storming of the Bastille: July 14, 1789 A hungry Paris mob storms the Bastille (a prison) b/c it was a symbol of the King’s gov. People were poisoned and killed for stupid reasons like cutting a tree down, crying over husband's death. The army refuses to stop them because they were as well from the third estate. Considered the official beginning of the French Revolution!!

The Destruction of the Old Regime • In August of 1789 the assembly adopted

The Destruction of the Old Regime • In August of 1789 the assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. – The declaration proclaimed freedom and equal rights for all men, access to public office based on talent and an end to exemptions from taxation. – Because women were left out, Olympe de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

August 4 th 1789 “Declaration of the Rights of Man” is written King Louis

August 4 th 1789 “Declaration of the Rights of Man” is written King Louis was forced to sign and agree to uphold it Contains Enlightenment ideas French Rev. Slogan : “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” Liberty-Meaning to have a voice and be free. Equality- To be treated equally as the 1 st estate. Fraternity- Brotherhood meaning trust.

The Destruction of the Old Regime • Louis XVI stayed at Versailles and refused

The Destruction of the Old Regime • Louis XVI stayed at Versailles and refused to accept the laws of the National Assembly. • Thousands of Parisian Women marched to Versailles and met with Louis XVI and forced him to accept new decrees. • The Royal family was marched back to Paris and virtually held prisoner

The Destruction of the Old Regime • The Church had to be reformed also.

The Destruction of the Old Regime • The Church had to be reformed also. – The National Assembly seized and held the lands of the Church. – Bishops and priest were to be elected by the people and paid by the state. – Many Catholics opposed the revolution since the church had been taken over by the state

The Destruction of the Old Regime • The Assembly adopted its Constitution of 1791

The Destruction of the Old Regime • The Assembly adopted its Constitution of 1791 which set up a limited monarchy with a king and a Legislative Assembly that had the power to make laws • King Louis XVI tried to flee France, but was recognized and returned to France. Other European monarchs threatened to help the king and in response the Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria

New Constitution 1789 -1791 Created by the National Assembly (the updated Estates General) Creates

New Constitution 1789 -1791 Created by the National Assembly (the updated Estates General) Creates a limited monarchy in France with much more power for the people

The Destruction of the Old Regime • France lost these battles with Austria which

The Destruction of the Old Regime • France lost these battles with Austria which led to new political demonstrations – Radicals formed the Paris Commune and organized a mob attack on the royal palace and Legislative Assembly • The French Revolution was about enter a more radical phase. – Power went to the Paris Commune – They called themselves the sans-culottes which means ordinary people with fancy clothes – This group was made of working people and the poor, as well as merchants and artisans.