The French Revolution (History)
Causes of the Revolution
America
soldiers and public wanted Bill of Rights like America
wanted a democracy along with the Bill of Rights
Enlightenment
inspired founding fathers of america
France was birthplace of Enlightenment because of men like Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau
Ancien Regime
absolute monarchy, Louis XVI divine right of kings
nobility and church had some power
commoners had none
such an old system got name - ancien regime
Bankruptcy
wars left France bankrupt
Louis found the country had no money wanted to raise taxes, needed agreement from parliament
parliament called Estates General, hadn't met in a century
wasn't worried about meeting because the voting system was rigged
Estates General
parliament had three estates first second and third
first estate = Catholic church, liked ancien regime
people paid annual tax called tithe, church became wealthy and didn't have to pay taxes
second estate = nobility, 100,000 people very privileged lives and received high level jobs in the army didn't pay taxes
third estate - everybody else, 90% of Population.The poorest estate unlike the first and second had to pay taxes.
Louis confident approve new taxes, voting one vote per estate, third estate would lose no matter
unhappy with this couldn't do anything, May 1789 reps were wealthy business men with events of America and opinions of the enlightenment in their minds
refused to accept the vote, determined to change ancien regime to make government fairer
20 June 1789 Third Estate formed National Assembly
Tennis Court Oath
Louis was unhappy and ordered the close of the meeting place
Assembly met at nearby tennis court and took and oath not go home until Louis and estates agreed to make system of government fairer
26th of August 1789 Assembly passed Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, determined to create equal rights
Louis reluctantly agreed to discuss changes, unbelievable turn of events, end of ancien regime
Fall of the Bastille
Louis did not like being told what to do, ordered soldiers to Paris
poor of Paris Sans Culottes strongest supporters of Assembly
night of 14th July 1789 rumour swept Paris that Louis was going to break up the assembly
riot broke out and the focus was the Bastille prison, dark ugly building heart of Paris seen as symbol of king's power and cruelty
Bastille not well defended and little difficulty storming it, prison was taken, commander killed and the revolution had begun
revolution flag was tricolour, red and blue colours of the people and white was the monarch showed that the monarch was out numbered and had no power
October 1789 sans culottes forced the monarch to move to Paris to have an eye kept on,
Louis was still liked but Austrian wife Marie Antoinette wasn't because she was said to live a life of luxury not caring about the people
Flight to Varennes and Execution
royalty stayed through 1790, virtual prisoners in Tuileries palace and watched National Assembly take away power
1791 fed up and planned to leave Paris in secret for Holland where Marie's brother Leopold was king
Unfortunately was spotted in the town of Varennes, they were arrested and were brought back to Paris, faced with outrage and hatred
believed Louis had intended to fight against his own he was considered a traitor
France was declared a Republic on the 21st of September 1792 and a decision to execute Louis was made, executed by guillotine on 21st of January 1793
1789 - 1795: A lost opportunity?
French Revolution scared other monarch countries. They wished to oppress France by attacking it. They fought of many foreign attacks
The Terror
1789 - 1793 Assembly was torn between Radicals who wanted great and quick change and the Conservatives who wanted change over time
Radicals sat on th left of National Assembly and Conservatives on the right, we get left and right wing from this
1793 power seized by Radical group called Jacobins who did not believe change was happening quick enough
leader was Maximilien Robespierre
refer to book for Maximilien Robespierre
Order Restored _ At a Price
France was weary of revolution, longed for peace, order restored by new Government called the Directory
by 1799 control of France held by young general from Corsica
Napoleon Bonaparte was named Emperor of France in 1804, popular but held all the power
August 26th 1789 National Assembly passed Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. like American Bill of Rights
among ideas of declaration was belief all men are born and remain free and they have equal rights, Napoleon did not agree with these