Name: Grade: 7 Roll No: 2023-24

Subject: History - French Revolution Date: Teacher’s sign

History Topic 2 : The French Revolution

What was the French Revolution?
The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the
government.

When did it take place?

The French Revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to 1799. It began on July 14,
1789 when revolutionaries stormed a prison called the Bastille. The revolution
came to an end in 1799 when a general named Napoleon overthrew the
revolutionary government and established the French Consulate (with
Napoleon as leader).

French Revolution of 1789 – Background

The French involvement in the American revolution of 1776 was a costly affair
that left the country in a state of near bankruptcy. King Louis’s extravagant
spending also did not help matters. Empty royal coffers, poor harvests and rise
in food prices had created feelings of unrest among the poor rural and urban
populace. The matter was further worsened by the imposition of taxes that provided no relief.

As a result, rioting, looting and general strikes became the norm. Towards the end of 1786, a universal land tax was
proposed by the controller general, Charles Alexandre de Calonne. This tax reform would no longer exempt the privileged
classes like the clergy and the nobility as had been the case for centuries. The King summoned the Estates-General to pass
these measures. The Estates-General was an assembly that represented the French nobility clergy and the middle class.
The last time the Estates-General was called was in 1614. The date of the meeting was fixed on May 5 1789, where
grievances of the three estates would be presented to the king.

Before the Revolution

To understand what caused the French Revolution, we have to understand what France was like before it all happened.
France was a monarchy (a form of government with a monarch at the head) ruled by the king. The king had total power over
the government and the people. The people of France were divided into three social classes called "estates." The First
Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobles, and the Third Estate was the commoners. Most of France
belonged to the Third Estate. There was little chance for people to move from one estate to another.

What were the French Estates?

The Estates General was made up of different groups of people called "Estates." The "Estates" were important social
divisions in the culture of ancient France. What estate you belonged to had a major impact on your social status and
quality of life.
1. First Estate - The First Estate was made up of the clergy. These were people who worked for the church including
priests, monks, bishops, and nuns. This was the smallest estate in terms of population. The nobility and the clergy
were closely linked. Nobles were wealthy landlords who usually had strong ties to the monarchy. The clergy were
also a formidable force in French society, though they were sometimes at the mercy of the monarchy. The king could
enact taxes on the clergy, for example. At the same time, the monarch and the nobility were sometimes wary of the
clergy's power. The clergy could wield significant influence in the French government, which was something that did
not always sit well with the nobles.
2. Second Estate - The Second Estate was the French nobility. These people held most of the high offices in the land,
got special privileges, and didn't have to pay most of the taxes. Some members of the clergy strove to achieve
wealth and land like the nobles.
3. Third Estate - The rest of the population (around 98% of the people) were members of the Third Estate. These
people were the peasants, craftspeople, and labourers of the land. They paid taxes including the gabelle (a tax on
salt) and the corvee (they had to work a certain number of days for free for the local lord or the king each year).
Major Causes of the revolution - There wasn't one event or condition that led to the French Revolution, but, rather, a
number of factors came together to cause a perfect storm leading to the revolt of the people against the king.

1. Social – The social conditions in France in the late 18th century were extremely unequal and exploitative. The clergy
and the nobility formed the first two Estates and were the most privileged classes in French society. They were
exempt from payment of taxes to the State. On the other hand, the Third Estate that consisted of peasants and
workers formed the majority of the population. They were burdened with excessive taxes with no political and social
rights. As a result, they were extremely discontent. France was experiencing famine at the time. The common people
mostly ate bread to survive. However, the cost of bread skyrocketed and people were hungry and starving.

2. Economic – In 1789, the French government was in a major financial crisis (this was the immediate cause). The king
had borrowed heavily to maintain a lavish lifestyle. Also, the government had borrowed to fight Great Britain in the
Seven Years' War and to help the Americans in the Revolutionary War. With such great debt, the king had no other
option than to try and raise taxes.

The commoners of France (the Third Estate) had to pay the majority of the taxes. The nobles and the clergy were
largely exempt from paying taxes. Higher taxes angered the common people, especially since the nobles didn't have
to pay their share. The situation was made even more complex by France’s involvement in the American War of
Independence and the faulty system of taxation. While the privileged classes were excused from paying taxes the
Third Estate was more and more burdened with them.

3. Political – King Louis XVI had been losing power within the French government. He was a weak king and didn't realise
how bad the situation was for the commoners in France. The members of the Third Estate formed the National
Assembly to force the king to make reforms. Not only was the king in conflict with the commoners, but the king and
the nobles could not agree on reforms. King Louis XVI was an extremely autocratic and weak-willed king who led a
life of obscene luxury. This led to a lot of disenchantment among the masses who then were leading a life of extreme
poverty and widespread hunger.

4. Intellectual (Changes in Culture) - For hundreds of years the people of France had blindly followed the king and
accepted their place in life. However, in the 1700s, the culture began to change. The "Era of Enlightenment"
presented new ideas such as "liberty" and "equality." Also, the American Revolution represented a new type of
government where the people ruled rather than a king.

IMPORTANT STAGES of the French Revolution

Stage 1 - The meeting of the Estates-General
Estates General: The Estates General was the legislative body of France up until
the French Revolution. The king would call a meeting of the Estates General when
he wanted advice on certain issues. The Estates General didn't meet regularly and
had no real power.

In 1789, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General. It was the first
meeting of the Estates General called since 1614. He called the meeting because
the French government was having financial problems. Despite the
non-aristocratic members outnumbering the aristocrats in terms of population,
yet they could be outvoted by the other two bodies. (Image - Meeting of Estate General in 1789)

How did they vote?

One of the first issues that came up at the Estates General was how they would vote. The king said that each estate would
vote as a body (each estate would get 1 vote). The members of the Third Estate did not like this. It meant that they could
always be outvoted by the much smaller First and Second Estates. They
wanted the vote to be based on the number of members.

After arguing over how they would vote for several days, the Third Estate
began to take matters into their own hands. They met on their own and
invited members of the other estates to join them. (Image - Tennis Court Oath)

On June 13, 1789, the Third Estate declared itself the "National Assembly."
They would begin making their own laws and running the country. While at
the tennis court the members took an oath to keep meeting until the king
recognized them as a legitimate government body. Seeing no other option Louis XVI had to absorb the three assemblies
into the new order.

Stage 2 - The French Revolution Begins (Storming of Bastille)

The National Assembly continued to meet at Versailles. In the meantime, fear and violence
had consumed Paris. The Third Estate had recently made demands of the king and had
demanded that the commoners have more of a say in government. They were worried that
he was preparing the French army for an attack. In order to arm themselves, they first took
over the Hotel des Invalides in Paris where they were able to get muskets (an infantryman's
light gun with a long barrel, typically smooth-bored and fired from the shoulder). However, they
didn't have gunpowder.

The Bastille (it was a fortress built in the late 1300s to protect Paris during the Hundred Years' War.
By the late 1700s, the Bastille was mostly used as a state prison by King Louis XVI.) was rumoured
to be full of political prisoners and was a symbol to many of the oppression of the king. It
also had stores of gunpowder that the revolutionaries needed for their weapons. On the morning of July 14, the
revolutionaries approached the Bastille. They demanded that the military leader of the Bastille, Governor de Launay,
surrender the prison and hand over the gunpowder. He refused.

As negotiations dragged on, the crowd became agitated. In the early afternoon, they managed to get into the courtyard.
Once inside the courtyard, they began to try and break into the main fortress. The soldiers in the Bastille became scared
and fired into the crowd. The fighting had begun. The turning point in the fight came when some of the soldiers joined the
side of the crowd. De Launay soon realised that the situation was hopeless. He surrendered the fort and the
revolutionaries took control. This event marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

A wave of revolutionary fervour spread throughout the countryside, which led to a peasants revolt that saw many homes
of tax collectors and burnt as well as those of the aristocrats themselves. The rebellions caused the nobles of the country
to flee en masse. This period is known as the Great Fear when the National Assembly finally dealt a fatal blow to feudalism
on August 4, 1789. The old order had finally ended.

Stage 3 - Declaration of Rights of Man

The National Assembly adopted the Rights of Man and of the Citizen on August 4, 1789. The charter was grounded on
democratic principles, drawing from philosophical as well as political ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like Jean-Jacques
Rousseau. The declaration was published on August 26, 1789.

The French constitution was adopted on September 3, 1791. It symbolised a new French society where the king would
have limited powers with a moderate assembly wielding the most power. This, however, was not enough for the radical
elements of the assembly line Goerges Danton and Maximilien de Robespierre, who demanded a trial of the king and a
more republican form of government. One of the most powerful members of the Jacobins was Maximilien Robespierre.
Robespierre used the influence of the Jacobins to rise in the new revolutionary government of France. At one point, he
was the most powerful man in France.

Stage 4 - Women’s revolution (March on Versailles)

The Women's March on Versailles was an important event at the start of the French
Revolution. It gave the revolutionaries confidence in the power of the people over the
king. On the morning of October 5, 1789, a large group of women in a Paris
marketplace began to revolt. They wanted to buy bread for their families. They began
to march through Paris demanding bread at a fair price. As they marched, more
people joined the group and soon there were thousands of marchers.

When the crowd first broke into the palace, they went looking for Queen
Marie Antoinette. The people blamed a lot of their problems on the queen
and her lavish spending habits. The queen barely escaped death by
running down a secret passageway to the king's bedchamber. The king and
queen then travelled back to Paris with the crowd. By this time the crowd
had grown from around 7,000 marchers to 60,000.

After the return march, the king went to live at Tuileries Palace in Paris. He
would never again return to his beautiful palace in Versailles.The king and
queen would both be executed four years later in 1793 as part of the French Revolution.

Stage 5 – Reign of Terror - In 1793, the new French government was facing internal civil war and was being attacked by
foreign countries. The Jacobins (The Jacobins were members of an influential political club during the French Revolution. They were
radical revolutionaries who plotted the downfall of the king and the rise of the French Republic. They are often associated with a period
of violence during the French Revolution called "the Terror.") were afraid that the revolution was going to fail. Behind the
leadership of Robespierre, the Jacobins instituted a state of "Terror."

Under this new rule of law, they would arrest, and often execute, anyone suspected of treason. Thousands of people were
executed and hundreds of thousands were arrested. Guillotin - this machine was meant to make capital punishment, or
the death penalty, quicker and less painful. As a result, it became the main killing mechanism during the French
Revolution.

● The following month many who were accused of being the ‘enemies of the revolution’
were massacred in Paris. Some of these included the moderate voices of the revolution.
The Legislative Assembly was replaced by the National Convention which proclaimed the
establishment of the Republic of France and the abolition of the Monarchy.
● King Louis XVI was condemned to death on January 21, 1793, and executed for treason.
His wife, Marie Antoinette would follow him nine months later. The execution of the king
marked the beginning of the most violent and turbulent phase of the French Revolution
– the Reign of Terror.
● Around 17,000 people were officially executed in France, including 2,639 in Paris. Many
more died in prison or were beaten to death in the streets. Over 200,000 people were
arrested. (Image - Robespierre)
● The National Convention was under the control of an extremist faction led by Robespierre. Under his command,
thousands were executed for suspected treason and counter-revolutionary activities.

Eventually, the people realized that the state of terror could not continue. They overthrew Robespierre and had him
executed. The Jacobin Club was banned and many of its leaders were executed or jailed. Robespierre’s death began a
moderate phase during which the people of France revolted against the excesses committed during the Reign of Terror.

Stage 6 – End of the French Revolution and The Directory

On August 22, 1795, the National Convention, now composed of moderates who had survived the excesses of the Reign of
Terror approved the creation of anew constitution that created France’s bicameral legislature. The power would be in the
hands of the Directory, a five-member group appointed by the parliament. The Directory was the name of the government
that ruled France during the final stage of the French Revolution. The government was based on a new constitution called
the "Constitution of Year III. The Directory ruled France for four years from November 2, 1795 to November 10, 1799. It
came into power after the "Reign of Terror" when the country was ruled by the Committee of Public Safety.

Who were members of the Directory?

The Directory consisted of an executive branch called the "Five Directors" and a legislative branch. The legislative branch
was divided into the Council of Five Hundred and the Council of Ancients.
● Five Directors - The Five Directors were five men who were selected by the Council of Ancients. They acted as the
executive branch and were responsible for the day-to-day running of the country.
● Council of Five Hundred - The Council of Five Hundred proposed new laws.
● Council of Ancients - The Council of Ancients voted on the laws proposed by the Five Hundred.

Rule of the Directory

When the Directory came into power, it was faced with many problems including widespread famine, civil war, internal
corruption, and war with neighbouring countries. There was also a struggle for power within the directory between
royalists and radical revolutionaries. As the Directory moved from crisis to crisis, the people became unhappy with the
new government. The Directory used military force to put down uprisings. They also annulled elections when they didn't
like the results. Despite these struggles, the Directory did help France to recover somewhat from the Terror and set the
stage for future governments.

End of the Directory and the Rise of Napoleon

As the Directory became more and more corrupt, the military leaders of France grew in power. One particular general,
Napoleon, had gained many victories on the battlefield. On November 9, 1799, he overthrew the Directory and
established a new government called the "Consulate." He established himself as the First Consul and would later crown
himself emperor. The French Revolution was over and the Napoleonic era was about to begin during which time French
domination continental Europe would become the norm.
Information about Napoleon Bonaparte
Becoming Dictator - After leading a military expedition in Egypt, Napoleon returned to Paris in 1799. The political climate
in France was changing. The current government, called the Directory, was losing power. Together with his allies, including
his brother Lucien, Napoleon formed a new government called the Consulate. Initially, there were to be three consuls at
the head of the government, but Napoleon gave himself the title of First Consul. His powers as First Consul essentially
made him dictator of France.

Ruling France - As the dictator of France, Napoleon was able to institute a number of government
reforms. One of these reforms was the famous Napoleonic Code. This code said that government
positions would not be appointed based on a person's birth or religion, but on their qualifications
and ability. This was a big change in the French government. Before the Napoleonic Code, high
positions were given to aristocrats by the king in return for favours. This often led to incompetent
people in important positions.

Napoleon also helped to improve the French economy by building new roads and encouraging
business. He reestablished the Catholic Church as the official state religion, but at the same time
allowed for freedom of religion to those who weren't Catholic. Napoleon also set up non-religious
schools, so anyone could get an education. Napoleon's power and control continued to grow with
his reforms. In 1804, he was crowned the first Emperor France. At the coronation, he did not
allow the Pope to place the crown on his head, but instead crowned himself.

Conquering Europe - Initially, Napoleon maintained peace in Europe, however, soon France was at war with Britain,
Austria, and Russia. After losing a naval battle against Britain at the Battle of Trafalgar, Napoleon decided to attack Austria.
He soundly defeated the Austrian and Russian armies at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. Over the next several years,
Napoleon expanded the French Empire. At its greatest extent in 1811, France controlled much of Europe from Spain to the
borders of Russia (not including Britain).

Invasion of Russia - In 1812, Napoleon made his first major

mistake. He decided to invade Russia. Napoleon marched a huge
army to Russia. Many of them starved to death along the way.
After a fierce battle with the Russian army, Napoleon entered
Moscow. However, he found the city deserted. Soon, the city was
on fire and many of the supplies were burned. As winter
approached, Napoleon's army ran out of supplies. He had to
return to France. By the time he returned to France, most of what
was left of his army had died from the weather or starved to
death.

Exile on Elba - With much of Napoleon's army decimated from the invasion in Russia, the rest of Europe now turned on
France. Despite winning a few victories, Napoleon had too small an army and soon was forced into exile on the island of
Elba in 1814. (Above Image - Napoleon in Exile on St. Helena)

Return and Waterloo - Napoleon escaped from Elba in 1815. The army quickly backed him and he took over control of
Paris for a period called the Hundred Days. The rest of
Europe, however, would not stand for a return of
Napoleon. They gathered their armies and met him at
Waterloo. Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of
Waterloo on June 18, 1815 and was once again forced into
exile. This time on the island of Saint Helena. (Left Image -
Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow)

Death - Napoleon died after six years of exile in Saint

Helena on May 5, 1821. It is likely that he died from
stomach cancer. His remains were moved to France in
1840 to Les Invalides in Paris.
CONGRESS of VIENNA: Congress of Vienna, assembly in 1814–15 that reorganised Europe after the Napoleonic Wars. It
began in September 1814, five months after Napoleon's first abdication and completed its “Final Act” in June 1815, shortly
before the Waterloo campaign and the final defeat of Napoleon. The Congress of Vienna was the first of a series of
international meetings that came to be known as the Concert of Europe, which was an attempt to forge a peaceful
balance of power in Europe. It served as a model for later organisations such as the League of Nations in 1919 and the
United Nations in 1945.
What were the 3 main goals of the Congress of Vienna?
1. First, it wanted to prevent future French aggression by surrounding France with strong countries.
2. Second, it wanted to restore a balance of power, so that no country would be a threat to others.
3. Third, it wanted to restore Europe's royal families to the thrones they had held before Napoleon's conquests.
Two results from the Congress of Vienna:
1. The French returned territories gained by Napoleon from 1795 - 1810.
2. Russia extended its powers and received sovereignty over Poland and Finland.
Positive Effects of the War Negative Effects of the War

1. The French Revolution stressed ideals of liberty 1. The Revolution caused years of upheaval in French
and equality. The Declaration of the Rights of Man society, resulting in the deaths of many prominent
and Citizen of 1789 defined the importance of members of the French governing bodies, including the
individual rights. king, Louis XVI, and the queen, Marie Antoinette.
2. The Revolution eliminated structures based on 2. The Revolution culminated in a period known as the
inherited aristocracy and a monarchy, by revoking Reign of Terror (1793-1794), where enemies of the
privileges of the nobility and abolishing the Revolution were sent to the guillotine. During this
monarchy (1792). period, 17,000 people were executed.
3. The Revolution was an outgrowth of the 3. The Revolution caused turmoil throughout Europe that
Enlightenment ideals of progress and reason. continued throughout the nineteenth century.

Impact of the French Revolution on Europe and the World

1. The main aim of the revolution was to redefine the nature of political power by changing the relationship between
the people and the government. Various types of groups benefited from the revolution, including the (lower class
people like) artisans, peasants, merchants, court officials, servants, and lawyers.
2. Moreover, these groups benefited by gaining equal social-economic status and liberty, unlike the previous period.
3. For all its faults, the French Revolution is highly regarded as the turning point in modern history as the rise of new
ideas steeped in liberalism, enlightenment and democracy.
4. These ideals were carried throughout Europe by French armies that fought many wars in order to preserve the
Republic’s existence. It inspired the common folk in Europe to rise up against their own Monarchs in a wave of
revolutionary fervour.
5. Although most were harshly put down, the revolutions would continue into the early years of the 19th century
which saw the fall of many absolute Monarchy all over Europe. It instituted a republican style of government that
extended suffrage to people who had never been able to vote previously.
6. Taxation became much less regressive as well.
7. It brought about a number of major social, political and cultural changes, including an increase in the level of
secularisation.
8. The French Revolution had a number of different impacts on the rest of Europe. One major change was that the
revolution caused many French nationals to leave the country and settle in neighbouring European nations such
as Great Britain, Germany, Austria, and Prussia. While living abroad, these men and women brought French
culture, immigration policies, and political ideas to these other European states. One of the key ideas that they
brought was the notion of liberalism.
9. One of the other impacts of the French Revolution was that it led to the rise of Napoleon, who became the
Emperor of France. While in control of France, Napoleon led wars against neighbouring European states, including
marching as far as Moscow before ultimately being beaten back to France and removed from power.
10. Above all, the French Revolution brought an end to feudalism and made a path for future advances in broadly
defined individual freedoms.

Interesting Facts about the Causes of the French Revolution

1. The commoners resented a tax on salt called the "gabelle." They needed salt to flavour and preserve their food.
2. The political system of France before the French Revolution was called the "Ancien Regime."
3. Each year peasants had to work a few days for their local landlord for free. This labour tax was called the "corvee."
They typically worked on improving roads or building bridges.
 4. The nobles held all the powerful positions in the government and the church, but didn't have to pay many of the
taxes.
Interesting Facts about the Women's March on Versailles
● Many of the soldiers in the National Guard sided with the women marchers.
● The Palace of Versailles was located around 12 miles southwest of Paris.
● Future leaders of the French Revolution met with the marchers at the palace including Robespierre and Mirabeau.
● When the crowd first broke into the palace, they went looking for Queen Marie Antoinette. The queen barely
escaped death by running down a secret passageway to the king's bedchamber.
● The king and queen would both be executed four years later in 1793 as part of the French Revolution.

Janmashtami BA (write your answers in foolscap papers)

1. What were the three social classes or "estates" in France before the revolution?
2. List down and explain any 3 major causes of the French Revolution?
3. Describe the Reign of Terror, and who according to you was responsible for it?
4. How was the National assembly able to address the shortcomings of the estates general? What led to
the establishment of the National Assembly?
5. Reflect on the long-term legacy of the French Revolution in shaping modern concepts of liberty, equality,
and democracy.