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The events of 1789 and the political revolution - Coggle Diagram
The events of 1789 and the political revolution
The Estates-General
The formation of the National Assembly
Third Estate's Initiative: On 10 June, Sieyès proposed that the Third Estate should proceed alone if the other two estates refused to join them.
National Assembly Declared: On 17 June, after a formal process of verification, the deputies declared themselves the 'National Assembly'
Deadlock: The Estates-General, convened in May 1789, reached a deadlock over procedural issues, particularly how the Estates would meet and vote. The three estates could not come to an agreement .
The Tennis Court Oath
Date: The Tennis Court Oath occurred on June 20, 1789.
Location: The deputies of the newly formed National Assembly found their chamber locked and guarded, so they moved to a nearby tennis court.
The Oath: The members of the National Assembly swore an oath not to disband until they had given France a constitution.
Significance: The Tennis Court Oath was a symbolic act of defiance and a commitment to establishing a new political order in France.
Aim: The deputies aimed to reform the procedures of the Estates-general and ensure that the Third Estate had appropriate representation.
The royal session and aftermath
Royal Response: There was a royal session on June 23.
King's aims: Louis accepted the principle of consent to new taxation and a fairer land tax based on the value of land, not status.
Reforms rejected: However, the king insisted that the three estates should meet separately.
Assembly ordered to disband: Louis ordered the Estates-General to meet in three separate orders.
Assembly Defiance: The members of the National Assembly refused to leave.
Royal authority undermined: The King's efforts were undermined when some clergy and nobles joined the Assembly.
King's Concession: The King eventually conceded and ordered the remaining deputies to join the National Assembly.
National Constituent Assembly: The National Assembly then proclaimed itself the National Constituent Assembly
The storming of the Bastille
Date: The storming of the Bastille occurred on July 14, 1789.
Background: There was increasing unrest and tension in Paris. The King's apparent preparations to use force against the National Assembly further inflamed the situation.
What it is: The Bastille was a prison in Paris known to many working people, which at this time, was associated with despotism and held some weapons.
Motives: Crowds stormed the Bastille in search of weapons and gunpowder.
Events: The crowd gathered, and fighting broke out. The prison was eventually taken by the people.
Symbolic Act: The storming of the Bastille was a symbolic act against royal authority and perceived tyranny.
Aftermath: The event radicalized the revolution. It demonstrated that the people were willing to take up arms against the monarchy. It also led to further unrest and violence in Paris and throughout France
The Great Fear
The "Great Fear" describes a period of panic and unrest that swept the French countryside.
Trigger: Sparked by rumors and fear of aristocratic conspiracies and the breakdown of order.
Peasant Actions: Peasants attacked manor houses and seized or destroyed feudal records.
Impact: The "Great Fear" led to further instability and contributed to the abolition of feudal privileges by the National Assembly in August 1789.
Broader Context: The events of the summer of 1789, including the storming of the Bastille, the "Great Fear," and the abolition of feudal privileges
The August Decrees
Context: The August Decrees followed events such as the storming of the Bastille and the "Great Fear".
Abolition of Feudalism: The August Decrees largely consisted of the abolition of feudal rights and privileges.
Specific Provisions
All feudal dues were abolished.
Exclusive hunting rights were abolished.
All tithes and dues were abolished.
Venal offices were to be abolished.
All citizens were to be eligible for all ecclesiastical, civil, and military positions
Impact: The decrees were a response to rural unrest and aimed to establish equality and national unity.
Significance: They represented a fundamental shift in the social and political structure of France.
Limitations: Some forms of property were to be reimbursed to the landlords.
When: The decrees were adopted by the Assembly in the session of the night of 4 August 1789.
The declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Overview: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was a statement of principles regarding human rights and sovereignty. It was adopted by the National Assembly during the French Revolution.
Influence: The document drew on Enlightenment principles. It reflects ideas concerning natural rights, equality, and liberty
Key Provisions & Principles
It outlined rights that were to be applied to everyone, not just specific groups.
It insisted on the sovereignty of the nation.
It provided the basis for a new political order.
Impact and Significance: The Declaration is considered one of the fundamental documents of the French Revolution
The October Days
What it is: The October Days refers to a series of events in October 1789, mainly involving a march to Versailles.
Background: There were food shortages and continued unrest in Paris.
The March:
The crowd was seeking bread and demanding action from the King
On October 5, a crowd of women marched from Paris to Versailles.
King's Response -The crowd's demands pressured the King to accept the August Decrees and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Return to Paris
The King and the royal family were forced to return to Paris.
The Assembly also moved to Paris
Significance:
The event demonstrated the power of popular action and the vulnerability of the monarchy.
It also marked a shift in the center of power from Versailles to Paris.