The French Revolution Symbols of the French Revolution

The French Revolution

Symbols of the French Revolution Flag = Tri-color Anthem = La Marseillaise Slogan = Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Clothing = Bonnet Rouge, No Short Pants (Sans Culottes) “The Nation’s Razor” = The Guillotine

The Estates of the Realm 1 st Estate = The Clergy 2 nd Estate = The Nobility 3 rd Estate = Everyone Else (including bourgeoisie) • Assembly of Estates to advice King = Estates-General • Last time it met before 1789 = 1614 Stages of The French Revolution Pre-Revolution France = “The Old Regime” 1 st Stage = Moderate = 1789 -1792 2 nd Stage = Radical = 1792 -1795 (Reign of Terror) 3 rd Stage = Reactionary – 1795 -1804

Forms of Government during Revolution 1680’s – 1789 = Absolute Monarchy 1789 – 1792 = Constitutional Monarchy 1792 – 1804 = Republic 1804 – 1815 = Empire (under Napoleon) Important Political “Parties” Jacobin = more a club than a party (1 st Radical org. ) The Mountain Party = Robespierre / sat in balcony Sans-culottes = peasant allies of Mountain Party

Set Up of the French Legislative Chamber Left Middle Right Liberals Moderate Conservative

How is the Fr. Rev. different than the Am. Rev. ? • More Radical • More Complex • More Influential (to the world) • More Controversial • More Loved and Hated • More Violent

Long Term Causes of the French Revolution • Influence of the Enlightenment • Experience of the American Revolution • Financial Problems of the Government: Spending by King and Queen Supporting the Am. Rev. Tax-exempt status of Nobility • Injustice of the Estates System • Unfair privileges of the nobility (no taxes, feudal rights) • Rising price of Bread (food instability)

Immediate Cause of the Revolution: Calling of the Estates-General in 1789 to try and fix the financial problems of the country.